I'm not an Elvis fan, in pretty much any way whatsoever. Dated music, from before my time, and the only recollection I have of him was a fat slob far beyond overweight in a jumpsuit, long past his prime, trying to resurrect a career now distantly in his own rear view mirror; and then checking out while grunting out the mother of all opiate constipation turds, while high on pretty much every drug know to man. Not my idea of any sort of idol. More of a punchline than anything else.
But a couple of songs about him long after he passed, like Marc Cohn's tribute to him, absolutely rings, and I love ever bar of it. Much like Don Mclean's American Pie, I suspect this song will outlast and outshine its nominal subject.
"Tell me, are you a Christian, child?"
"Ma'am, I am tonight!"
"A punchline"?
ReplyDeleteHeresy, I say! HERESY!!!
Love this song.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Thank you very much.
Another classic sir.
ReplyDeleteWould another of the songs about him you mentioned be Black Velvet by Alannah Myles?
I remember hitting college in the late 70's and being confused by the number of Elvis fans on the campus of school known as a Mid-west campus of Berkley, when I discovered they meant Costello.
Don't get ahead of the class, sir. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's some blue-eyed soul right there. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteYep, Black Velvet and Walking in Memphis....two soul wringing tunes right there.
ReplyDeleteAnother good one is 'Galway to Graceland'
ReplyDeleteabout a disillusioned Elvis fan who believes she's married to Elvis
Dude. DUDE. Go find yourself a way to watch the incredible "Elvis '56" TV documentary, narrated by Levon Helm; I think it originally aired on Cinemax, or maybe Showtime. A single hour in which all will be explained, all will become clear to you. If it isn't by the end, your soul ain't got an ounce of rock and roll in it. Trust me on this.
ReplyDeleteHeard his music.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan.
It's one of those '50s things where you had to be there.
I wasn't.