Elvis Presley

[glenneaglesfan]

Mrs Frey has reminded us that today is the 30th anniversary of the King's untimely death. Tributes to one of the all time greats of rock and roll.

[Mrs Frey]

Thank you for this, Kate. This is a special day for all Elvis :heart: fans, and I'm sure we all celebrate his life and feel sadness for his passing in our own ways, even if we can't all be in Memphis at the annual candlelit vigil. I've managed to make time for him today, and the great man still has the same effect on me as he did 22 years ago, when he stole my heart.

Elvis :heart:, we'll always love you, God bless you and may you rest in peace.

[Brooke]

I love Elvis too! Such a shame his life ended so early. I've been to Graceland. It's a beautiful and unique place.

So, what's your favorite song? I think mine is Love Me Tender. Or Suspicious Minds. Like the Eagles, it's hard to pick just one. 8)

[DonFan]

Elvis was all over our news this morning. There is a huge tribute going on at Graceland.

My family & I toured Graceland last summer, and I highly recommend the trip--it is a must for Elvis fans. To actually walk through his home, and be surrounded by his music, stage costumes, pictures, awards & gold records, was quite a thrill.

Elvis, you are sorely missed, but you will live forever in our hearts!

[EasyFeeling]

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of Elvis, because I was too young back then, but I like many of his songs. He was in the German news too and I heard a few songs today. Yesterday a TV channel honored him with the film Flaming Star, concert recordings like The 1968 Comback Special and Aloha from Hawaii. I've never seen this so I wanted to tape it but missed it. :roll:
Today TV shows the film Cafe Europa (is that the original titel?) and after that a documentary film.

As I already told you earlier I had been to an Elvis exhibition which was very interesting. I saw his letters, guitars, concert suits, scarfs, his last will, military stuff and his last car, a cadillac. And I could follow his life, pictured with photos and descriptions from birth to death. Not to forget the competition which had won a young guy. He looked and sang like Elvis it gave me chills. 8)

[Freypower]

My favourite song is Suspicious Minds, easily, followed by In The Ghetto. Actually....

1. Suspicious Minds
2. In The Ghetto
3. Heartbreak Hotel
4. Jailhouse Rock
5. Burning Love
6. Return To Sender
7. Can't Help Falling In Love
8. Viva Las Vegas
9. American Trilogy
10. Guitar Man

But I am not a massive fan. I'm a Beatles person. I thought after he left the army he wasted his obviously massive talent.

[Maleah]

Elvis is the legend of all legends. He will probably always be remembered more easily than any other singer of any style of music. He was AWESOME! I preferred young Elvis.....with songs like "Jailhouse Rock," "Heartbreak Hotel," etc...... I've heard you are usually either a fan of Elvis or the Beatles but usually not both. lol I'm an Elvis person.......runs in the family ;)

[Mrs Frey]

I love Elvis too! Such a shame his life ended so early. I've been to Graceland. It's a beautiful and unique place.

So, what's your favorite song? I think mine is Love Me Tender. Or Suspicious Minds. Like the Eagles, it's hard to pick just one. 8)

Brooke, a lady after my own heart. You love both Elvis :heart: and Glenn :heart:! 8) I'm so :jealous: that you've been to Graceland. That has been my lifelong dream - and I'm still dreaming... :( Now I have another dream: to see the Eagles in concert! Oh, the pain :cry: .

It's difficult to pick a favourite Elvis :heart: song - as you say, it's like the Eagles - so tough to pick just one. However, I've always had a soft spot, since my childhood, for "Don't Be Cruel". I love most of his songs, though, and I have a vast collection of his albums (which has taken years to compile! :blush: ). My favourite periods of his career would have to be 1954 to 1958, 1960 to 1962 (the studio non-soundtrack albums he recorded in this period, with perhaps the "GI Blues" soundtrack thrown in) and 1968 to 1970, when he made his stunning comeback to television and to the concert arena, after years of pointless, talent-wasting movie making. The evening of 14 January 1973 was also a triumph for him, having performed the "Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite" concert, which was beamed to an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide, the first such satellite concert in television history.

I never refer to Elvis :heart: as the King of Rock 'n Roll. He was such an incredible singer that he could adapt his voice to almost any kind of music he wished to sing. Whether it was rock, country, blues, ballads or even light opera (such as "It's Now Or Never" and "Surrender"), the man could deliver the songs with beauty, power (or subtlety, if required) and passion, and they usually had "hit" written all over them. He was simply "The King". Elvis' :heart: popularity speaks for itself, with more than a billion records sold worldwide, 17 UK no. 1 hits (a tie with the Beatles), 20 US no. 1 hits (before the release of the remixes of "A Little Less Conversation" and "Rubberneckin'", it was officially 18, four behind the Beatles), and he holds the album record in the UK for the most weeks at no. 1. I stand to be corrected regarding his UK no. 1's - if I'm not mistaken, "A Little Less Conversation" went to no. 1 there too, bringing Elvis' :heart: tally in the UK to 18, thus overtaking the Beatles.

And this is only scratching the surface. His amazing voice was only one aspect of a man who touched so many lives with his unbelievable charisma and stage presence, his warmth and generosity towards his fans, friends and family, and just the public in general. Elvis :heart: supported many charities quietly, apart from the gifts he regularly gave away to even perfect strangers. He knew what it was like to be poor, and never hesitated to try and improve the lives of others. He was loved and respected by contemporaries, both actors and singers/musicians, who were particularly impressed with his humility. He was admired and copied, and inspired countless musicians to make great music, not least of all the Beatles :heart: and the Eagles :heart:. Elvis :heart: may not have written his own songs, but he was a musician (he played both guitar and piano) who was able to rearrange and reinvent songs to suit his style and make them his own. He was also a good actor, whose potential to become a great actor was never realised because his manager considered Dollars to be more important than artistic credibility. Elvis :heart: was already so great, and it's almost scary to think that he could have been so much more if he had been managed more intelligently (Also because of his manager being an illegal alien, he was not able to tour the world, and his concert appearances were restricted to the United States and Canada - amazing then that he is so popular worldwide). He had an instinctive ear for a hit, and probably more of a "singles" artist than an "album" artist, although his albums are great pieces of work. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the first recordings he made, combining blues, country, gospel and pop as no one (despite claims to the contrary) had done before him. To quote the great John Lennon :heart:: "Before Elvis, there was nothing". I couldn't agree more, and the fact that tributes still pour into Graceland 30 years after his passing, just reinforces the fact that the magic of Elvis :heart: will live on.

[Mrs Frey]

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of Elvis, because I was too young back then, but I like many of his songs. He was in the German news too and I heard a few songs today. Yesterday a TV channel honored him with the film Flaming Star, concert recordings like The 1968 Comback Special and Aloha from Hawaii. I've never seen this so I wanted to tape it but missed it. :roll:


EF, I was 11 months old when Elvis :heart: passed away! :shock: :cry:

I must recommend that you get your hands on the "1968 Comeback Special" and "Aloha From Hawaii" DVDs. I have both on video, although I'm yet to get the DVDs. As Maleah describes Elvis :heart:, the DVDs are AWESOME, and I guarantee that he will blow you away. I haven't seen "Flaming Star" yet, though. TCM Classic Movies had a tribute to him yesterday, the whole day, and on two other days as well, apparently. I don't have satellite television, so I missed out! :weep:

[Mrs Frey]

My favourite song is Suspicious Minds, easily, followed by In The Ghetto. Actually....

1. Suspicious Minds
2. In The Ghetto
3. Heartbreak Hotel
4. Jailhouse Rock
5. Burning Love
6. Return To Sender
7. Can't Help Falling In Love
8. Viva Las Vegas
9. American Trilogy
10. Guitar Man

But I am not a massive fan. I'm a Beatles person. I thought after he left the army he wasted his obviously massive talent.

Ah, FP, so you are an Elvis :heart: fan! 8) I like your top 10. In all the years of being such a huge fan, I've never bothered to make a top 10, as it's just too tough. I found your inclusion of "Guitar Man" rather interesting, since it's quite an obscure song to the general public not all that clued up about Elvis :heart:. Of course, the song was the running theme in the '68 Comeback Special.

I love the Beatles :heart: too, as you know, but Elvis :heart: will always rule my heart! The Eagles have helped me to complete my top 3 of all time! :D

DF, it's great that you got to tour Graceland with your family. The experience will probably stay with you forever, and you may even return!

[DonFan]

That was a well-written piece on Elvis, Mrs. F!

I grew up listening to Elvis--he started in 1956, the year I was born (yep, I'm that old :shock: but I'm very well-preserved :wink: ) and my parents were huge Elvis fans so Elvis music was always playing in our house. I was lucky enough to see the man three times live in concert--he was the first live concert I ever saw, actually!-- and believe me, that experience will be with me forever! I saw him twice when he was younger and in his prime, and the last time was about a month before he died. He was an unbelieveable singer and an amazing performer--and he was absolutely GORGEOUS, too! :heart: I will try to compile a list of my favorite Elvis songs later---he has too many to choose from!

IMO, there will never be another singer who has made more of an impact on music and popular culture than Elvis. He truly was The King.

[Mrs Frey]

Thank you for the compliment, DF! It means a lot coming from you. You're not old!

My parents were and are Elvis :heart: fans too - they were teenagers in his breakthrough year of 1956 (20 twenty years before my birth - good grief! :shock:). Just to think that most people remember that year as the year in which he started - he actually did all his Sun recordings, such as "That's All Right" and "Good Rockin' Tonight", in the years 1954 and 1955, which some people consider to be some of his finest work. He was only 19 years old in 1954! :shock: Unbelievable. He was on the road solidly for two years before "Heartbreak Hotel" made him an international star.

Wow, it's wonderful that you got to see him in concert, and three times too! I can just imagine how exciting that must have been. Yes, he was a beautiful man, wasn't he? Gorgeous indeed. :smitten: Did I forget to say that? :shock: Absolute perfection... siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh...

I couldn't agree more with your last paragraph. I look forward to seeing your Elvis :heart: top ten! :D

[EasyFeeling]

Wow, your enthusiasm is infectious, MF. :wink: I totally enjoyed what you've written.
And DF, how cool that you've seen him live.

I think I'll have a look on ebay for a DVD. 8)

[SweetHolly]

I love Elvis too! For my 8th birthday, one of my presents was an Elvis tape. I don't remember which one it was because I think I lost it after my family and I moved to the house where I still live when I was 9 and a half. He died 4 years before I was born. My aunt Ellen was supposed to go to his last concert which was in Indianapolis but she didn't go and she regrets not seeing him in concert. My favorite song by Elvis is Kentucky Rain.

[Maleah]

The '68 comeback special is......well........it's hot :D A MUST have, if you will ;)

[Brooke]

DF, that is so cool that you actually got to see Elvis live! 3 times!

And btw, you are NOT old! You and I were born the same year! :wink:

[Freypower]

MF, regarding Guitar Man, I knew of the song but only heard it recently when I bought it on iTunes. I fell in love with it instantly because it is an Elvis 'attitude' song. He walks into this bar in Mobile and takes over this band.. (Does that sound like anyone else we might know)? :twisted:

I thought I'd share a couple of verses by two of my favourite songwriters, Mark Knopfler and Neil Young.

Knopfler's is the more cynical, from Back To Tupelo:

Around the time of 'Clambake'
That old dream's still rolling on
Sometimes there'll be the feeling
Things are going wrong
The morning star is fading
Lord, the Mississippi's cold
You can still be Marlon Brando
And the king of rock and roll

But it's a ways to go
Back to Tupelo....

Neil, who also wrote 'the King is gone but he's not forgotten' tries to remember Elvis as he was:
(he chooses phases from the whole of Elvis' career. I've chosen what I wished he'd stuck with:
(from He Was The King, from Prairie Wind)

The last time I saw Elvis
He was frontin' a three piece band
Rockin' on the back of a flatbed truck (*What brand was this Neil? A Ford, maybe)??
With an old guitar in his hand
He was the King

I thought I would make a couple of observations on my Top 10, apart from what I've already written about Guitar Man.

There is nothing to be said about Suspicious Minds except as I once heard it described, it is the best white soul vocal of all time. That BRASS! The backing vocals! That astonishing fadeout! The guitar at the beginning! 'OOH OOH OOH OOH OOOH because I love you too much baby'....but my favourite part is the 'YEAH YEAH' and then 'don't you know I'm.....' etc.

In The Ghetto is an astonishingly courageous record for a white Southern rock star like Presley, who was so totemic in the South, to have made at the time. His debt to black musicians and his obvious pain at the suffering of poor black people is obvious in the song.

Heartbreak Hotel is STILL avant garde. And it's so BLEAK!!!!

Jailhouse Rock is proto punk and it's still funny. 'You can't find a partner, use a wooden chair'...

Burning Love is pure Elvis Charisma. 'Lord a'mighty, feel my temperature rising'. It is utterly convincing. I know it's late period but it works, 'hunka hunka' notwithstanding.

Return To Sender is funny. I don't like the ponderous ballads (with one exception, see below). 'SHE WROTE UPON IT' .... seriously, how can you resist?

Can't Help Falling In Love, though it may be a ballad, utterly aches. It is one of the saddest songs ever written. Feel his pain. It makes you cry. A happy love song it is not. It is just weary resignation, and that is why it's so powerful.

Viva Las Vegas - again, pure FUN! Pure Elvis 'cocky' delivery.

As for American Trilogy.... perhaps it is contrived, but the way it pulls together the Northern, Southern and African American view of the Civil War is heartrending. And Elvis means every single word. The climax is astonishing.

[Maleah]

You named pretty much all of my favorites there FP....so I have nothing much to add! :lol:

I LOVE Guitar Man! Such attitude!

Can't Help Falling In Love With You and Tryin' To Get To You (I think that's the title?) are two songs I remember singing with my Mom....I love them both!

[EasyFeeling]

The '68 comeback special is......well........it's hot :D A MUST have, if you will ;)

Today I saw the DVD in the store, it costs 20 Euros. No, I have to go to ebay if I can get it for a lower price.

[Maleah]

Oh and I can't forget the song that was my Mom's favorite! I love "Don't Be Cruel" as well :)

[Maleah]

The '68 comeback special is......well........it's hot :D A MUST have, if you will ;)

Today I saw the DVD in the store, it costs 20 Euros. No, I have to go to ebay if I can get it for a lower price.

well all I can say about it is....................leather :D

[EasyFeeling]

well all I can say about it is....................leather :D

Uuuuuuuuuuuh :D

[Maleah]

well all I can say about it is....................leather :D

Uuuuuuuuuuuh :D

Well....................I said that's all I would say so I won't say anything else but.............. :D :D :D

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/68.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/ElvisBlackLeather.jpg http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/elvis-presley-leather2.jpghttp://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/elvis_presley10.jpg
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/Elvis_Comeback-762988.jpg


ok done :D

[DonFan]

:shock: :shock: ........WOW....... :shock: :shock:

Now THAT'S gorgeous. 8) 8)

[Maleah]

Isn't it though? :D :D :D

[EasyFeeling]

:shock: :shock: :shock: One word... sexy! :D :D
I WANT to get the comeback DVD. :twisted: I looked up on ebay but found only a VHS. :evil: I'll keep trying!

Just won a music DVD from Take That, yay! :D

[Mrs Frey]

Maleah, Maleah, Maleah... my GIRL!!! :D (Now if you watch the '68 Comeback closely, and take note of how Elvis :heart: speaks to those ladies at the "brothel", you'll know where I get that last expression from... :wink:) You pretty much made my day, having posted those photos. OH, what sexiness, what beauty, what perfection, what absolute dreamy gorgeousness... :inlove: :smitten: :drool: :iloveyou: :sigh: And that's just how he looked... 8) "Don't Be Cruel" is a great song, isn't it? And it's your mom's favourite, too! 8) Yes, this DVD is a must have indeed. And he sings "Don't Be Cruel" in it, too! Then's there's the "Deluxe" 4-DVD edition. A bit too expensive for me at the moment, but I plan to get my hands on it at some point! :blush: "Trying To Get To You" is one of his 1955 Sun recordings. He was still only 20 years old when he recorded that! :shock: His vocals are just unbelievable. Another one that he does so powerfully in the '68 Special. His intensity moves me so much... :heart:

EF, I'm so glad you enjoyed my previous posts. The last 22 years have certainly been a thrill having Elvis :heart: as my great hero (oops, I'm making Glenn :heart: jealous here... sorry, Sugar :blush: ). You won't regret getting your hands on that DVD, my girl. Get "Aloha From Hawaii" too, while you're at it. It's magnificent (there's a "Deluxe" edition of that, too!). Congrats on winning the Take That DVD! 8)

FP, I really enjoyed reading your assessment of your Top 10 Elvis :heart: songs. Some of your observations are very interesting, in that I'd never thought of the songs in that way. Of course, after having thought about it, I agree with most of what you say! :D I also enjoyed reading the Mark Knopfler and Neil Young song verses about Elvis :heart:. It's always touching to me when a singer or songwriter pays tribute to Elvis :heart: in that way. The songs "Black Velvet", sung by Allanah Myles, and "Advertising Space" by Robbie Williams are also about the great man.

SH, I was also 8 years old when I first got interested in Elvis :heart:! I only got my first tape for my 11th birthday, and that pretty much started my Elvis :heart: mania. The album was "His Hand In Mine", his first (and best, IMHO) gospel album. I've got the CD version now, which includes a couple of bonus tracks. Isn't it amazing that the only Grammy awards Elvis :heart: ever received were for gospel performances? :evil: And only three, to boot. No wonder the Eagles were less than enamoured by the Grammy's.

[Mrs Frey]

MF, regarding Guitar Man, I knew of the song but only heard it recently when I bought it on iTunes. I fell in love with it instantly because it is an Elvis 'attitude' song. He walks into this bar in Mobile and takes over this band.. (Does that sound like anyone else we might know)? :twisted:

As for American Trilogy.... perhaps it is contrived, but the way it pulls together the Northern, Southern and African American view of the Civil War is heartrending. And Elvis means every single word. The climax is astonishing.

Ah, FP, you're beginning to see things from my perspective now... :twisted: Elvis and Glenn... Glenn and Elvis... Elvis and Glenn... :wink:

"American Trilogy" is, in my opinion, one of Elvis' :heart: greatest vocal performances. It's just magnificent. When he sings:

Now hush little baby, don't you cry
You know your daddy's bound to die

OH! I have to hold back the tears... I start thinking of Elvis :heart: speaking to his daughter, Lisa Marie (it was only 4 years before his death...). I don't know anything about American Civil War history to appreciate the deeper meaning of the song :blush:, but thank you for that perspective.

[EasyFeeling]

EF, I'm so glad you enjoyed my previous posts. The last 22 years have certainly been a thrill having Elvis :heart: as my great hero (oops, I'm making Glenn :heart: jealous here... sorry, Sugar :blush: ). You won't regret getting your hands on that DVD, my girl. Get "Aloha From Hawaii" too, while you're at it. It's magnificent (there's a "Deluxe" edition of that, too!). Congrats on winning the Take That DVD! 8)

I found the Deluxe edition as well as the comeback special and saw it's in great demand. :? I guess people are willing to pay a lot of money for that. I will watch it, both offers end on Wednesday.

[glenneaglesfan]

I've enjoyed reading this thread. I've never really given a lot of thought to Elvis - I was definitely a Beatles fan in the 60s, and didn't get the rock and roll, soul thing, but latterly I've started to enjoy a lot of his music, and can appreciate how very talented he was. Thanks to you all I have learnt a lot. MF and FP, your analyses were fascinating, and Maleah, um, I think I can see your point of view now! I'd always associated him with white rhinestone studded suits, but black leather, hmm.

[Freypower]

MF, regarding Guitar Man, I knew of the song but only heard it recently when I bought it on iTunes. I fell in love with it instantly because it is an Elvis 'attitude' song. He walks into this bar in Mobile and takes over this band.. (Does that sound like anyone else we might know)? :twisted:

As for American Trilogy.... perhaps it is contrived, but the way it pulls together the Northern, Southern and African American view of the Civil War is heartrending. And Elvis means every single word. The climax is astonishing.

Ah, FP, you're beginning to see things from my perspective now... :twisted: Elvis and Glenn... Glenn and Elvis... Elvis and Glenn... :wink:

"American Trilogy" is, in my opinion, one of Elvis' :heart: greatest vocal performances. It's just magnificent. When he sings:

Now hush little baby, don't you cry
You know your daddy's bound to die

OH! I have to hold back the tears... I start thinking of Elvis :heart: speaking to his daughter, Lisa Marie (it was only 4 years before his death...). I don't know anything about American Civil War history to appreciate the deeper meaning of the song :blush:, but thank you for that perspective.

American Trilogy begins with Dixie ('I wish I was in the land of cotton') the anthem of the Southern (Confederate) states. It then moves to the spiritual All My Trials ('hush little baby') representing the slaves. It ends with the Battle Hymn of the Republic ('glory glory hallelujah') for the Northern (Union) states.

[Maleah]

Maleah, Maleah, Maleah... my GIRL!!! :D (Now if you watch the '68 Comeback closely, and take note of how Elvis :heart: speaks to those ladies at the "brothel", you'll know where I get that last expression from... :wink:) You pretty much made my day, having posted those photos. OH, what sexiness, what beauty, what perfection, what absolute dreamy gorgeousness... :inlove: :smitten: :drool: :iloveyou: :sigh: And that's just how he looked... 8) "Don't Be Cruel" is a great song, isn't it? And it's your mom's favourite, too! 8) Yes, this DVD is a must have indeed. And he sings "Don't Be Cruel" in it, too! Then's there's the "Deluxe" 4-DVD edition. A bit too expensive for me at the moment, but I plan to get my hands on it at some point! :blush: "Trying To Get To You" is one of his 1955 Sun recordings. He was still only 20 years old when he recorded that! :shock: His vocals are just unbelievable. Another one that he does so powerfully in the '68 Special. His intensity moves me so much... :heart:


Anytime Mrs. F! Glad to make your day ;) Isn't he gorgeous? *sigh* :D Absolutely beautiful...it's almost wrong for a man to be so beautiful :lol: The '68 special is definently a must have.......and oh yes....I remember the way he spoke to the ladies :lol: I also remember some of his "moves" ;) woohoo!

Don't Be Cruel is definently a great song! I grew up on that one just about every day :lol: And I'll never forget that one, Tryin' to Get To You, or I Can't Help Falling In Love With You.........if for no other reason than the moments spent with my Mom. Treasures!

[Mrs Frey]

American Trilogy begins with Dixie ('I wish I was in the land of cotton') the anthem of the Southern (Confederate) states. It then moves to the spiritual All My Trials ('hush little baby') representing the slaves. It ends with the Battle Hymn of the Republic ('glory glory hallelujah') for the Northern (Union) states.

Thank you for this information, FP. It is much appreciated! Whenever I've read about the three songs making up the trilogy, the history of the songs was never dealt with. Now I finally understand the significance! :D

[Mrs Frey]

Anytime Mrs. F! Glad to make your day ;) Isn't he gorgeous? *sigh* :D Absolutely beautiful...it's almost wrong for a man to be so beautiful :lol: The '68 special is definently a must have.......and oh yes....I remember the way he spoke to the ladies :lol: I also remember some of his "moves" ;) woohoo!

Don't Be Cruel is definently a great song! I grew up on that one just about every day :lol: And I'll never forget that one, Tryin' to Get To You, or I Can't Help Falling In Love With You.........if for no other reason than the moments spent with my Mom. Treasures!

Thanks, Maleah! Oh, he's so gorgeous. And his MOVES! I hear you, girl. It must be wrong for a man to be so gorgeous. Elvis :heart: has been gone for 30 years, and yet he's been messing with my head and my heart for 22 of those years! :wink: It's great that Elvis' :heart: songs bring back such beautiful memories of your mother. I understand completely how precious those memories are...

[Brooke]

I didn't know all that about Elvis' American Trilogy song either. Fp, your knowledge of music all around just amazes me. Thank you for mentoring. I really appreciate it. :D

I guess I would call myself a "light" music lover. I never delved (?) deeper in to it until I became so infatuated with the Eagles through the internet a few years ago. All I knew about them was through the albums I had and hearing the hits on the radio. I did read a few Rolling Stone articles about them back in the 70's and thought I was in love with Don and Glenn, but that's as far as it went. The internet has opened up a whole new world of music to me. :D

[SweetHolly]

SH, I was also 8 years old when I first got interested in Elvis :heart:! I only got my first tape for my 11th birthday, and that pretty much started my Elvis :heart: mania. The album was "His Hand In Mine", his first (and best, IMHO) gospel album. I've got the CD version now, which includes a couple of bonus tracks. Isn't it amazing that the only Grammy awards Elvis :heart: ever received were for gospel performances? :evil: And only three, to boot. No wonder the Eagles were less than enamoured by the Grammy's.
Cool! 8)

[DonFan]

Don't Be Cruel is definently a great song! I grew up on that one just about every day :lol: And I'll never forget that one, Tryin' to Get To You, or I Can't Help Falling In Love With You.........if for no other reason than the moments spent with my Mom. Treasures!

Elvis :heart: has been gone for 30 years, and yet he's been messing with my head and my heart for 22 of those years! :wink: It's great that Elvis' :heart: songs bring back such beautiful memories of your mother. I understand completely how precious those memories are...

Great way to put it, Mrs F--Elvis has been messing with my head for my entire life.

And I agree about yours and Maleah's statements about precious memories. Songs can bring back memories of people and places so easily. My parents used to slow dance to I Can't Help Falling in Love with You--they called it one of "their "songs. My mom couldn't listen to that song for awhile after my dad died, but now it brings back sweet memories again.

[Brooke]

Awwwww, that's so sweet about your parents, DF. I can see how it would be hard to listen to when your love has passed on. I love that song of Elvis' too.

I wish that was me and my hubby's "song". Somehow, The Joker just doesn't conjure up such romantic images! :lol:

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I'm slow responding here, but I visited Graceland with my family a couple of Christmas' ago. It is much more to see there than I thought, and well worth the trip. American Trilogy is also one of my favorite Elvis songs, along with If I Can Dream.

I liked Elvis, but I was more of a Beatles girl (until another band found a permanent place in my heart in the 70's). However, my sister is a huge fan. She talked me into going to an Elvis concert with her in the early '70's. I remember the ticket was around $20 and I really had to scrape to get the money to buy it. However, I must say, Elvis was one of the most dynamic performers I have ever seen to this day. The man had enough charisma to mesmerize everyone in the arena that night, including me.

[Maleah]

Don't Be Cruel is definently a great song! I grew up on that one just about every day :lol: And I'll never forget that one, Tryin' to Get To You, or I Can't Help Falling In Love With You.........if for no other reason than the moments spent with my Mom. Treasures!

Elvis :heart: has been gone for 30 years, and yet he's been messing with my head and my heart for 22 of those years! :wink: It's great that Elvis' :heart: songs bring back such beautiful memories of your mother. I understand completely how precious those memories are...

Great way to put it, Mrs F--Elvis has been messing with my head for my entire life.

And I agree about yours and Maleah's statements about precious memories. Songs can bring back memories of people and places so easily. My parents used to slow dance to I Can't Help Falling in Love with You--they called it one of "their "songs. My mom couldn't listen to that song for awhile after my dad died, but now it brings back sweet memories again.

awww...that's sweet. I understand why it was hard for your Mom to listen to that song for a while. My Mom used to LOVE Vince Gill's "Go Rest High On That Mountain" and to this day I have a hard time listening to it.

[DonFan]

Maleah, it is quite a coincidence that you would mention that song. My good friend Melinda's mom passed away last month after a lengthy battle with cancer (like my dad) and she had Go Rest High On That Mountain sung at the funeral service. It is a very beautiful and touching song, and very sad, too.

[Perfect Little Sister]

We used that at my grandfather's funeral in the beginning of July, too. We also used Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven for a slide presentation. Kinda a snapshots of his life type thing. I can only just listen to it without the tears now. Though it still takes me back to that day.

[SweetHolly]

I also really like his version of You Don't Have To Say You Love Me which was originally recorded by Dusty Springfield.

[Mrs Frey]

I just wanted to express my empathy for the pain of your losses, DF, Maleah and PLS. I'm also sorry for your friend's loss, DF. I have a hard time listening to "Stardust" of Nat 'King' Cole without crying, as that was my mom's favourite song by her favourite artist. She also loved "Judy" by Elvis :heart: (from his 1961 "Something For Everybody" album), "Til There Was You" by The Beatles and "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles. I cried recently while watching Glenn :heart: singing that in F1. She knew "Lyin' Eyes" was in my band's repertoire, and she would often ask, when I had done a gig, if we did that song.

SH, I also love "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me". Elvis :heart: did superb cover versions, often stealing the thunder of the original artist, as he did with "Blue Suede Shoes", which incidentally was a number 2 hit for its author and original singer, Carl Perkins. Elvis' :heart: version never really made it as a single, but it was the opening track of his 1956 debut album, "Elvis Presley", which went to number 1.

PLS, "Tears In Heaven" is the first Eric Clapton song that really touched my heart. I got very interested in his music after that, although I'm not a big fan.

[SweetHolly]

SH, I also love "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me". Elvis :heart: did superb cover versions, often stealing the thunder of the original artist, as he did with "Blue Suede Shoes", which incidentally was a number 2 hit for its author and original singer, Carl Perkins. Elvis' :heart: version never really made it as a single, but it was the opening track of his 1956 debut album, "Elvis Presley", which went to number 1.
I love Blue Suede Shoes too.

[Mrs Frey]

Cool, SH! 8) "Blue Suede Shoes" has become a staple of my gigs. I think I've performed that song in almost every gig I've ever done during the last 5 years! The people always seem to enjoy it.

[Freypower]

What about Such A Night? :twisted: Elvis the God-fearing Southerner doesn't sound especially holy in THIS track. :wink: Especially near the end.

I am also a big fan of Kentucky Rain. I love 'story' songs which involve place names and this is a perfect example.

[Mrs Frey]

I know what you mean about "Such A Night", FP... :twisted: It reminds me of the rather heavy breathing going on in Glenn's :heart: "The Allnighter"... :twisted: We're in agreement about there being nothing holy about it, but it's definitely sexy! :twisted: :twisted: That's one of the first songs I ever got of Elvis :heart: on cassette back in 1987 when I had just turned 11 years old. It's another of his brilliant cover versions, which appeared on his first post-army album, "Elvis Is Back", which is a brilliant album, by the way.

"Kentucky Rain" is beautiful - Elvis :heart: was a master at expressing all the right emotions in his voice for any song. He sounds so desperate, looking for his love who has left him. Awwwwwwwwww...

[Maleah]

By the way, does anyone else think that a young Michael Landon (Bonanza era) looked a lot like Elvis in his younger days?

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/BONANZA_VOL4-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r89/bannerland/BONANZA_VOL4-2.jpg

[SweetHolly]

I can kind of see it, Maleah.

[Maleah]

:lol: Well good Holly! I'm glad I'm not COMPLETELY crazy then! :lol: just really close ;)

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I do see a resemblance in that first picture especially. Oh man - I used to love Little Joe. I remember back in the days when there were only 3 television channels (yes, I know I'm ancient), we used to watch Bonanza every Sunday night, along with Lassie and the Ed Sullivan show. God - I AM old.

[Maleah]

Me too! I LOOOOVED Bonanza...and still do!!!! Joe and Ben were my favorites......their horses were my two favorites too! :lol: How sad is that? :D

[SweetHolly]

:lol: Well good Holly! I'm glad I'm not COMPLETELY crazy then! :lol: just really close ;)
You're not anywhere near crazy Maleah. :lol: :wink:

I love Bonanza too. 8)

[Mrs Frey]

Well, it would have been Elvis's :heart: 74th birthday today, and I've just found the perfect excuse to start a thread about him.

As it is, I've made hundreds of screen captures of him from a few DVDs that I have, and I'd like to celebrate his birthday today by posting two of them.

I've been looking forward to the chance to share them with you all, especially those of you who are Elvis :heart: fans.

This first one is from Elvis's "'68 Comeback" Deluxe DVD set, featuring the King doing his thing in the 6pm "Sit Down" section of the show. I made this screencap on his memoriam last year, 16 August:

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z69/mrsfrey_photos/PDVD_101.jpg

OOOOH, look at his intensity and the sheer beauty of the man... :inlove: :smitten: :kiss: Look at those eyelashes and those lips!

This one is from a rehearsal scene in the 2001 "Special Edition" of the original 1970 documentary, "Elvis: That's The Way It Is". Elvis :heart: laughs as his microphone collapses while he rehearses "That's All Right" with his band at the MGM studio in Los Angeles:

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z69/mrsfrey_photos/PDVD_265.jpg

I love him when he laughs. So natural, so spontaneous... and so darn gorgeous. Sigh... :heart: :fainting:

[Prettymaid]

Although I'm not really a fan, how can anyone not appreciate what Elvis brought to music. And yes, he was gorgeous.

[sodascouts]

I hadn't realized it would have been his 74th birthday! A real trailblazer. RIP Elvis!

[DonFan]

Great tribute to a fantastic entertainer and gorgeous man who is sorely missed. Thanks, Mrs. F!

[Brooke]

Not a great big fan like you, Mrs F, but I do enjoy a lot of his music. And he was definitely a gorgeous guy and was, to me, the King of Rock & Roll. He left a big void.

I've been to Graceland. Such a beautiful and unique home.

Great caps, too. RIP Elvis.

[Glennsallnighter]

MF I know you are doing your best to convert me to Elvis fandom and certainly in terms of his music you are succeeding. He certainly brought a lot to music in his relatively short life. As regards looks. There's no denying he looks incredibly well in those screen caps you have posted, particularly your first one, but as you know I only wear one star on my sleeve.

But I hope you have a great night celebrating tonight. Have a blast!!

[Freypower]

Wow, the eyelashes in the first shot remind me of someone....

I am not really a huge Elvis fan because I honestly believe he wasted his talent when he made all those movies and veered off into easy listening ballads. What a shame the revival at the end of his life was so brief.

My top 10 is as follows (any excuse):

1. Suspicious Minds
2. In The Ghetto
3. Heartbreak Hotel
4. Burning Love
5. An American Trilogy
6. Return To Sender
7. Can't Help Falling In Love
8. Jailhouse Rock
9. Guitar Man
10.Such A Night

[Mrs Frey]

Wow, girls, thanks so much for your wonderful responses! :-D

DF, I'm glad you felt my tribute was great. Oh boy, that is just the tip of the iceberg... :wink: When I have the time, I plan to share many more of my screen caps!

Brooke, I'm glad you like the caps. I'm so jealous that you've been to Graceland!:jealous: One of my lifelong ambitions that have yet to be fulfilled. One day... :nod:

GA, thanks for your good wishes - I did indeed have a fantastic time at the tribute last night! :thumbsup: The tribute artist was really brilliant, and I'm usually very critical of Elvis tribute artists. He turned me to jelly, as he came to me three times during the course of the evening, first singing to me as he held my hand, then looking me directly in the eyes as he sang to me, then kissing my cheek (and I kissed him back! :blush:) and placing his hand on my waist, and then last but not least, giving me one of his scarves. Sigh... :fainting: Elvis :heart: would have been proud! He has a lovely voice, got all the costumes right (and he looks good in them too - he has quite a body on him) and he's very attractive. He even let me sing the last line of one of the songs, "Let Yourself Go", on his microphone, which caused a cheer in the restaurant from the patrons! Woo hoo hoo!

And GA, I will yet convert you! :nod: :wink: I've managed to make room for both Elvis :heart: and Glenn :heart:! :wink:

FP, I reckoned those eyelashes would strike a chord with you... :wink: Thanks for your top 10 Elvis :heart: tunes. I don't think I'll ever attempt one of my own, as it's just too difficult. Too many of his songs do so much for me - it's just impossible.

FP, I hear you about the waste of Elvis' :heart: talent in the films he made in the '60s, but in his defence, he hated those films, but was contractually obligated to make films for 7 years, and therefore also not make live appearances. As he didn't perform professionally outside of the USA, it was the only way his fans abroad could see him. All of this career mismanagement can be attributed to his manager, "Col." Tom Parker. I don't have time to go into detail now, but he is a subject I'd like to discuss in more detail in this thread in the future. As far as I'm concerned, Elvis :heart: having signed with him as his manager was the biggest mistake of his life.

[Glennsallnighter]

Well it sounds like you had a brilliant time MF! And well done on the singing!

I suppose you can keep on the conversion trail.....but.....well, you know I'm a one-man-woman!! :wink:

[SweetHolly]

I was thinking of you MF on Elvis' birthday. ;-)
I love Elvis and have been a fan of his since I was 8.

[Littlemelly9]

Love Him Rest In Peace Elvis

[sodascouts]

Wow, it's been a while since this thread has been active!

While I was in downtown Memphis the other day, I went to a used record store. They had an entire section of the store dedicated solely to Elvis. I realized that if I lived in Memphis, I needed to own at least one Elvis album. ;)

I picked out a collection called The Essential Elvis Presley. It's a 3-CD set so it's got a lot of good stuff on it. I was only familiar with his biggest hits, so there were several songs on there I hadn't heard before.

I think, as time passes, the level of appreciation for Elvis may diminish as he becomes further and further removed from what people's expectations are of popular music. Nothing will take away how ground-breaking he was, though, and both times I've been to Graceland it's been packed to the rafters with people from all over the world.

Here's to Elvis Presley! :cheers:

[tequila girl]

I don't know if it's the same one I have (3cd package) mine was a gift....but it is very good, i'll have to dig it out, haven't listened to it in ages! :-(

[Freypower]

You will have to tell us what your favourite songs are, Soda.

Re-reading this thread I wrote some passionate stuff. It surprises me.

I should not do this but I got a huge surprise on YouTube the other day to find that Mark Knopfler (yes, YAWN) played with Scotty Moore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMxHxuiTAGA&feature=feedlik

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgEWp7xyOoQ

I will be interested to hear Mrs Frey's reactions to these. I of course was blown away.

[sodascouts]

My favorites are pretty predictable, I guess, with the exception of Kentucky Rain. I had never heard that song before, but it's terrific!

These made the iPod:

Can't Help Falling in Love with You (by far my favorite)
Suspicious Minds
Kentucky Rain
Heartbreak Hotel
Blue Suede Shoes
Hound Dog
Don't Be Cruel
Love Me Tender
All Shook Up
Jailhouse Rock
It's Now or Never
Return to Sender
Devil in Disguise
If I Can Dream
I Just Can't Help Believin'
Burning Love
Always on My Mind
Only the Strong Survive
Guitar Man

[sodascouts]

Just realized that yesterday was the 34th Anniversary of Elvis' death. Living in Memphis has given me a whole new appreciation for him and his music. RIP to the King.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmakK7BSRnE

[Brooke]

What a great talent lost. :-( My favorites would be Suspicious Minds, Can't Help Falling In Love, and Love Me Tender.

Soda, I thought of you being in Memphis and wondered if you were more of an Elvis fan now.

The djs on my radio station were discussing what they were doing when they heard about Elvis' death 34 years ago. (I know, some of you weren't even born yet!) I was and I don't remember exactly what I was doing but I do remember hearing about it. Anyone else?

[Freypower]

It was breakfast time & I heard it on the radio while going to the kitchen to have breakfast. I wasn't a big fan at the time so I thought it was sad but that was about it.

[Windeagle]

I was in middle school and visiting a friend's house. Her mom heard it on the radio and told us. I wasn't a fan, but I remember feeling a little sad about it all afternoon. I think I was thinking more about Lisa Marie, who was only a few years younger than me and had just lost her dad.

[Annabel]

I heard it during the night. I'd woken up in the early hours of the morning and put Radio Luxemburg on as I couldn't sleep. They announced it on there. I wasn't a big fan of his but did think it was sad. I was just going into my last year at senior school then.