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Elvis: Remembering The King

Jordan Bryant (JDmichael)
Jan 7, 2015
4 min read

One of my heroes was born in Tupelo, Mississippi eighty years ago today. Elvis Aaron Presley.

His groundbreaking music and character have been incomprehensibly impactful on my life and wherever I am, I'm never too far from his incredible legacy. Iconic photographs of him essentially act as my wallpaper, with many framed, metalised or mirrored. An Elvis Presley 2015 calendar pirches proudly upon my door handle, a miniature of one of his white guitars shines upon the window-sill, stood next to a miniature of a wind-up music box (which plays 1956 hit Love Me Tender) of the King in a white jumpsuit. A 21 year-old Elvis even graced my dreams earlier this week, much to my unconscious euphoria.

Presley's earliest musical influence came from gospel. His mother recalled that from the age of two, at the Assembly of God church in Tupelo attended by the family, "he would slide down off my lap, run into the aisle and scramble up to the platform. There he would stand looking at the choir and trying to sing with them."

His 2002 posthumous album ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits compilated his best songs from January 10th 1956 ('Heartbreak Hotel') to October 29th 1976 ('Way Down', released just two months before his death (release date: June 6th 1977), and is played almost daily in my room, on my mobile phone or in my parents' cars. His immediate and incredible, cultural, global influence is exemplified by the fact that producers of the ELV1S album had to leave many of Elvis' #1 hits out of the final cut.

There are many mainstream music legends, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, the widely-accepted list goes on. So why Elvis?

Controversially perhaps, he adopted black rhythm and blues music and adapted it, amalgamating it with Rock 'n' Roll to create his distinctive sound, so much so that as 'That's Alright Mama' was released, many white DJs wouldn't play it as it sounded like it was sung by a black singer, whilst black DJs wouldn't play it as it was by a white singer. His boyish good looks and charm sent the American population insane and besotted with this rebellious, leather-clad, black-haired, pulsating Memphis man (although his natural hari colour was blonde). By dominating countless genres such as Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly, Gospel, Pop, Country, Blues and Soul, the King, even 38 years after his untimely and devastating death, is still commemorated and idolised now.

Furthermore, his heartwarming philanthropy can be seen here: http://elvis.wikia.com/wiki/Elvis_Presleys%27_Charitable_Acts

I'd write tirelessly about Elvis' life and work, ending with his tragic death, proving that 'fame is a mask that eats into the face', whilst mentioning his endless movie career and Colonel Parker's wicked, arguably viciously greedy ways, but there's many a blog post to be written. Instead, I'll leave you with the track listing for ELV1S, the cover photograph, and the fact that although he had countless hits such as Suspicious Minds, Can't Help Falling in Love and It's Now or Never, my favourites are the lesser celebrated hits like The Wonder of You, Crying in the Chapel, One Night, Are You Lonesome Tonight? and Way Down.

"Heartbreak Hotel" – 2:10
U.S. 8 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"Don't Be Cruel" – 2:04
U.S. 11 weeks at No. 1 (with "Hound Dog") — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"Hound Dog" – 2:16
U.S. 11 weeks at No. 1 (with "Don't Be Cruel") — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"Love Me Tender" – 2:45
U.S. 5 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 11
"Too Much" – 2:33
U.S. 3 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 6
"All Shook Up" – 2:00
U.S. 9 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 7 weeks at No. 1
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" – 1:48
U.S. 7 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 3
"Jailhouse Rock" – 2:37
U.S. 7 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 3 weeks at No. 1
"Don't" – 2:49
U.S. 5 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"Hard Headed Woman" – 1:56
U.S. 2 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"One Night" – 2:33
U.S. peaked at No. 4 — U.K. 3 weeks at No. 1 (with "I Got Stung")
"(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" – 2:40
U.S. peaked at No. 2 — U.K. 5 weeks at No. 1 (with "I Need Your Love Tonight")
"A Big Hunk o' Love" – 2:12
U.S. 2 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 4
"Stuck on You" – 2:21
U.S. 4 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 3
"It's Now or Never" – 3:15
U.S. 5 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 8 weeks at No. 1
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" – 3:06
U.S. 6 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 4 weeks at No. 1
"Wooden Heart" – 1:58
U.S. no chart placing — U.K. 6 weeks at No. 1
"Surrender" – 1:51
U.S. 2 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 4 weeks at No. 1
"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" – 2:10
U.S. peaked at No. 4 — U.K. 4 weeks at No. 1 (with "Little Sister")
"Can't Help Falling in Love" – 3:01
U.S. peaked at No. 2 — U.K. 4 weeks at No. 1 (with "Rock-a-Hula Baby")
"Good Luck Charm" – 2:26
U.S. 2 weeks at No. 1 — U.K. 5 weeks at No. 1
"She's Not You" – 2:08
U.S. peaked at No. 5 — U.K. 3 weeks at No.1
"Return to Sender" – 2:09
U.S. peaked at No. 2 — U.K. 3 weeks at No. 1
"(You're The) Devil in Disguise" – 2:23
U.S. peaked at No. 3 — U.K. 1 week at No. 1
"Crying in the Chapel" – 2:23
U.S. peaked at No. 3 — U.K. 2 weeks at No. 1
"In the Ghetto" – 2:45
U.S. peaked at No. 3 (reached number 1 on US Cashbox chart) — U.K. 1 week at No. 1 (UK Record Mirror Chart)
"Suspicious Minds" – 4:29
U.S. 1 week at No. 1 — U.K. peaked at No. 2
"The Wonder of You" – 2:35
U.S. peaked at No. 9 — U.K. 6 weeks at No. 1
"Burning Love" – 2:50
U.S. 1 week at No. 2 (US Cashbox chart) — U.K. peaked at No. 7
"Way Down" – 2:37
U.S. peaked at No. 18 — U.K. 5 weeks at No. 1
"A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Edit Remix)"