Elvis

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I swept in and out of Memphis, TN with two friends for a three day weekend last month. We packed in a lot of sightseeing and activities, but we didn’t have time to visit the King’s house–Elvis, that is.

graceland.jpg

I happened to mention that fact to one of my younger co-workers shortly after I returned. And she said to me, “You call that guy who died on his toilet from a drug overdose a king?”

Not exactly what I wanted to hear after a truly great weekend adventure. I tried to explain to her what it had been like seeing Elvis for the very first time on the Ed Sullivan Show.

What I found out was, it is impossible to define the “Phenomenon of Elvis” to young people who cannot comprehend a time when there were NO Super Stars.

Then came Elvis.

So, here was my dilemma. How could I possibly explain about the young Elvis that the world fell in love with? How could I tell her what a fresh faced boy he was back then, when all she is familiar with is the unfortunate last act of his life. In a way, it broke my heart, because I grew up with Elvis and I know that, although it appeared he had “everything”– money, fame, adulation– he also had a really rough ride. He was literally trapped in his compound at Graceland. He agonized and begged to be able to make movies that would allow him to act, but the studios insisted he star in movies that they believed his public craved, and maybe we did. His music was the only freedom he was afforded.

Of all the movies he starred in, he liked only one–Jailhouse Rock

elvis-in-jailhouse-rock.jpg

To top that off, Elvis had no idea what it meant to be an internationally known Super Star. Why? Because he was the first. He was “it.” How does a kid who grew up in a small country town handle that? Who can instruct him? There were no footsteps to follow.

Superstar! We have plenty of them today, but none– repeat none–come even close to the King’s popularity. He was known throughout the world. Here is a statue of him in Jerusalem.

elvis-statue-in-jerusalem.jpg

January 8th was Elvis Presley’s birthday. People all over the world remembered him especially on this day. Following is a comment posted on a blog that originates in Ireland

Elvis Presley was remembered here in Ireland as our national radio service RTE1 played his beautiful music on his birthday.

Did ever a vocalist’s voice reach right around the globe like Elvis’s did? and light up millions of peoples, lives like no other, before or since.

They loved him in Germany then and now

In the quaint little town of Bad Nauheim, it was “big love big heartache” every day when young ladies back in the 50s wrote their phone numbers with lipstick on the typical German garden fence outside the king’s villa. Aging German locals report that every night the wooden fence would be cleaned to make room for more love notes.

“He still preoccupies us, he’s well-known across the generations, and he brought about a sexual, musical and social revolution,” said the head of a German museum that hosted a recent Elvis exhibition.

Unlike any other performer before him, he spawned an industry.

elvis-impersonators.jpg

Elvis Impersonators

He met Presidents and Heads of State. Crazed crowds of people clamored to see him at every airport.

And when he passed on to the stardom in the sky, many countries outside the U.S. built monuments for him like this one in Germany.

elvis-monument-in-germany.jpg

So, “To answer your original question, dear, Elvis remains The King, in spite of his final curtain. I doubt there will ever be another like him.”

22 thoughts on “Elvis

  1. Pingback: Elvis « Frances Ellen Speaks

  2. Jen

    I would have had a hard time not being REALLY rude to such an ignorant comment. It disgusts me when people only care to remember the negative and don’t even try to take time to find the true beauty of Elvis. There is so little negative and SO MUCH positive.

    I’m 32 years old, so I was only 22 months old when he left us, but I adore him, and have little tolerance for those who are too ignorant to understand what he did for the music world, for the poor, and for those who just needed (and still need) a reason to smile.

    He will never be forgotten and he is and always will be THE KING! Even if he himself, as humble as he could be, hated the title.

    Thanks for keeping the memory alive, I’ll forgive you for not giving that little snit a piece of your mind! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Frances Ellen Post author

    Heh, heh. The “little snit” remark made me smile. And, yes, loving him for a lifetime, made it hard to swallow that remark, however the bottom line is, The King Lives On Our Memories. We love him for the joy he brought so many.

    Reply
  4. The Snit

    The Snit replies:

    Sorry to disappoint you, Jen, but I am not ignorant. And Fran herself will tell you that. I just do not share the same level of respect for Elvis that others obviously do. Is that a crime? I didn’t think so, but apparently you do. That would upset me if I really did care what you thought.

    Reply
  5. Jennifer

    This is a very poignant and well-written entry and I think just about covers what Elvis was truly about. I’m glad I came across it. Thanks for sharing!

    Also, you MUST visit Graceland some day – it is absolutely something every fan must do. And Sun Studio if you’ve never been.

    Reply
  6. Frances Ellen Post author

    It’s so nice to hear from another fan. And yes, Graceland is still on my “to do” list. My time was limited last time I visited Memphis. I hope to get back there again in the future.

    Reply
  7. Frances Ellen Post author

    To DanielJacedo and Psychic Advice –
    It’s so nice to know that Elvis still lives in so many hearts. Thanks for commenting.

    Reply
  8. vanessa

    i think he was a great person and i feel bad for the family like the wife and her duagter without a husband and a great dad but i think he dind’t do it on pupose

    Reply
    1. Frances Ellen Post author

      I don’t think he meant to hurt himself either, Vanessa. Fame came too fast and furious for him. He didn’t know how to handle it.

      Reply
  9. jacqueline simms

    You have the right not to enjoy elvis music, but you have made a very ignorant and incorrect comment about elvis dying of a drug overdose, he did not, Read elvid and DR Nick or watch the programme on elvis death by excess that will tell you what happened.
    Plese don’t make false untrue statments about some one just because you don’t like them, you wouldn’t like it done to you.

    Reply
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