BCB 100 - Elvis Presley

[toomanyhatz]

Is there another artist whose image so towers over the actual music?

When we think of Elvis now, it's all midwest housewives, bad movies and white trash culture. Then there's all the artists that influenced him that are probably more deserving of the acclaim, though to be fair he was always quick to give credit where it was due, including to black artists.

Yet I can always hear him do "Blue Moon" and get a chill. And lots of music done supposedly after his peak is still great- "Elvis is Back," the '68 comeback special, the Memphis sessions- even some 70s stuff. The truth is in the grooves, and 50 years down the road a lot of it still sounds pretty magical.

Album - Sun Sessions. How can anyone pick anything else?
Song - Blue Moon

[nathan]

I've been patiently waiting for a beautiful Elvis thread where we can all discuss the magic and wonder of his tremendous catalog and personality and it turns into this.

I'm really starting to hate all of you and your crap posts about crap music and your crap attitudes.

[Clippernolan]

It wasn't too stridently put. It was almost apologetic, for me!

And so I'm 'full of shit', according to Mr. Rolling Stone.

Yeah, it really wasn't too stridently put for you - that actually surprised me

I can see why you might, and others might, think of Elvis' output as a bit toothless when compared to, say, Iggy Pop. And I think it's also fair to say that merit should not be given to an artist purely for that artists historical contribution. Even further to this, with an output like EP's, there is a lot of dreck, a lot of crowd-pleasing stuff that doesn't date particularly well.

But, the guy could put across a tune. I don't mean singing strictly, although Elvis was a fantastic singer. I'm talking about overall credibility, authority, and if you'll forgive the phrase, raw power. Elvis made the song and the performance inseparable, no matter what genre. You might think less of the body of work, blighted as it is by odd song choices (he covered Anne Murray's "Snowbird" for Hoffman's sake!) and Vegas rhinestone cheese. But looking past that, Elvis brought a sense of unwavering belief to each performance. And I know that's something you can appreciate from having read your posts on other artists.

[nathan]

When we think of Elvis now, it's all midwest housewives, bad movies and white trash culture.

Then there's all the artists that influenced him that are probably more deserving of the acclaim.

Yet I can always hear him do "Blue Moon" and get a chill.

Ah, that's the spirit! Certainly my favorite of his early Sun sides.

[nathan]

blighted as it is by odd song choices (he covered Anne Murray's "Snowbird" for Hoffman's sake!)

But that's one of the reasons why I hold him in such high regard. He didn't have one drop of pretention in him. Has there ever been a more humble star? He always had final say on what songs he did, except for the soundtrack stuff.

[Bungo the Mungo]

Wonderful. You're disappointed in what you wrote - I opened your eyes to the flaw there. And that frustration manifests itself in you posting cheap and pointless abuse.

Why bother?

Why am I dissapointed in what I wrote?
And the flaw in your logic was pointed out by me. Elvis is eternal, but then so it Dylan--whom they will also remember (along with the Beatles and precious few others).

And the irony of a guy who told me to fuck off in gigantic font yesterday saying I'm throwing 'cheap and pointless abuse' at him today is... well, let's just say it's typical of you, Coan.

I pity the poor fucker who has the afternoon meetings with you today Matt.

Chill, bro', chill.

My thoughts exactly.

And yesterday's 'FUCK OFF' was mild indeed, considering you tried to derail a Velvets' thread with several entirely unamusing references to Ted Nugent! 'Deserved' doesn't even begin to cover it.

[Matt Wilson]

My thoughts exactly.

And yesterday's 'FUCK OFF' was mild indeed, considering you tried to derail a Velvets' thread with several entirely unamusing references to Ted Nugent! 'Deserved' doesn't even begin to cover it.

Oh, am I being too hard on you Johnny? I'll be sure and 'chill' then.

And you had no sense of humor about Ted Nugent. As if I rate him above the Velvets! You were the only one to take offense at what I was doing. Which, come to think of it, is EXACTLY what most of your piss-taking threads try to accomplish.

It seems that when someone tries to knock the wind out of the reputation of one of YOUR bands your irony-meter flies out the window. Much like Pete with Led Zeppelin I guess.

Now, to prove that I can handle it when people put down Elvis I will bow out of this discussion so you can have at the King all you want.

But I will be gritting my teeth the whole time.

[yomptepi]

I love Elvis. The older I get the more important he becomes. The more he towers over everything else. Here was a man who was able to turn everything he sang into the most beautiful music. You know, I wouldn't mind if I had to listen to that 24 hour a day , seven day a week Elvis radio station they had in Memphis, for the rest of my life. When I say he was the king, you had better believe that I mean it.

Best album

From Elvis in Memphis

Best song

( this month) After loving you.

That is how you sing the blues.

[Penk!]

I'm kind of with Coan. He's famous for what he represents and what he did, not what he sang.
He had a great voice, and a great look, but not too much in the way of great material. There's only a half-dozen or so songs that anyone really remembers. Elvis isn't a singer or a musician, he's just Elvis.

[nathan]

There's only a half-dozen or so songs that anyone really remembers.

That's certainly not his fault and it shouldn't diminish his stature in any way. Again, I blame both Colonel Parker and the record label for constantly putting out shoddy compilations over the years and not focusing on any sort of clear reissue program. The reissues last year of the first three RCA LP's and the three box sets from the early 90's were about the only things they have gotten right. I challenge you to listen to all of that material and then come back and tell me that wasn't that great of a singer or had great material.

[&]

Elvis isn't a singer or a musician, he's just Elvis.

That's the best bit! All others are merely singers and musicians.

Favourite Album: That's The Way It Is
Favourite Song: Please Don't Drag That String Around

[mentalist (slight return)]

Not sure about the albums but favourite song, too many to mention, but I'd probably choose Mystery Train or Good Rockin' Tonight for early King, and Edge of Reality or American Trilogy for late King. And all you iconoclasts trying to tear him down, give up, it will never work.

[Tactful Cactus]

Song: Mystery Train, but just as much for the rhythm section than Elvis
Album:Elvis At Sun

[The Dríver]

This is a toughie, and as with many of the BCB100 artists I can't equate 'favourite' with 'best'. My own introduction to Elvis came from playing some of my Mum's old records, and as they therefore formed part of my childhood nostalgia has a big influence on my choices which may prove surprising.

Fave album: King Creole
Fave song: Teddy Bear

[The Fish]

There's only a half-dozen or so songs that anyone really remembers.

This simply isn't true. There may be only six you know, which isn't the same thing. You may have something in terms of the perecentage of the really well known compared to his total output, simply because he recorded so much. It can't all be well known but even so I'd say at least 30 or so that most people would instantly recognise.

Album: Complete 50s masters
Track: Hound Dog (If only for that drum roll over "Ain't no friend of mine" one of the most electrifying moments in music).

[Mike Boom]

Album - Sun Sessions

Song - Maries the Name of His Latest Flame, Suspicous Minds, Mystery Train, Heartbreak Hotel, there are so many but for me the purity and simplicity of Blue Moon can't be beat, still sends shivers down my spine when he does that falsetto.
If you dont "get" Elvis, then you dont "get" Rock n Roll.

[Penk!]

There's only a half-dozen or so songs that anyone really remembers.

This simply isn't true. There may be only six you know, which isn't the same thing. You may have something in terms of the perecentage of the really well known compared to his total output, simply because he recorded so much. It can't all be well known but even so I'd say at least 30 or so that most people would instantly recognise.

Well, I was exaggerating, but I still think Coan's right. The music just hasn't really aged or lasted. That doesn't mean I don't think he was a talented singer, or a great all-round entertainer, but the image and the idea of Elvis has long since eclipsed his recorded legacy.

[nathan]

Well, I was exaggerating, but I still think Coan's right. The music just hasn't really aged or lasted. That doesn't mean I don't think he was a talented singer, or a great all-round entertainer, but the image and the idea of Elvis has long since eclipsed his recorded legacy.

It's just not hip right now, but I guarantee that someday it will be hip to dig the King again. I mean people are even buying Johnny Cash records right now by the truckload for fuck's sake.

The music that Elvis recorded will never go away or become eclipsed by whatever silly image the public has of Elvis. You put on one of his records or watch That's The Way It Is and all the jokes and parodies just melt away.

[Bungo the Mungo]

album sun sessions/elvis 56
song reconsider baby

[Leg of lamb]

I love Elvis but can't seem to really get into his catalogue in any appropriate way. It annoys me that the Velvet Underground, his BCB 100 contemporaries, have a recorded legacy which I could pick up and digest in a week, but I'm always going to be snatching at little pieces of Elvis. It just doesn't seem fair when the Velvets are the supposed cult band.

My favourite song is 'Heartbreak Hotel'. It's a huge performance, perfectly controlled but interspersed with little moments when he lets feeling overwhelm technique. Those little hiccups during the 'feeling so lonely' bits portray more than anything else in pop music what it really does feel like to be so lonely you could die. And lots of things have tried.