Here Today... Gone To Hell!

I really discover the artist (a show he made in 1968) a few weeks ago and I'm very impressed! I understand now why he is called The King. I really think he is the best. I would say even better than all the Beattles reunited.
That guy is the incarnation of Rock n' Roll for me. I think I'm becoming a fan? :smoking:
Thanks to the internet, I would have never really discovered Elvis by myself without downloading. Sometimes downloads can make you discover great artists. :yes:

Whats funny is that by todays standard he would be considered another  pop artist, with alot of talent and personality but in his day he was considered outrageous and dangerous by the parents of that period.

He was a great performer musically but his movies were a bit lacking ::)

Shouldn't this be in Bad Obsession?

Anyway, I think that Elvis is sort of the musical crossroads of the 20th century, because he represented a link between the old guard and the new rock movement.? On the one hand, he didn't write his own songs, and he starred in a lot of movies that were really old-fashion Hollywood in spirit.? But on the other hand, he had more edge than any mainstream white performer had ever shown before.? His hair was long for the time, he had the moves, the fast bluesy singing.? Basically, he's the missing link between Tin Pan Alley and hard rock.

While I can't say that Elvis is one of my favourite artists, I do have a few CDs by him, and I love watching his movies.? Well, not all of them.? I love Jailhouse Rock, but some of his other movies are so lame that I just have to turn them off.? Everybody says Viva Las Vegas was pretty good, but the only thing it had going for it in my mind was Elvis's charisma and the fact that Ann-Margret was so mind-blowingly hot in that movie.? The main problem with Elvis's music in the 60s is that he lost most of his rock persona.? The songs in those movies are mostly overwrought ballads, castrated "rock 'n' roll" tunes, and cheesy novelty songs.

I don't think Elvis is anywhere near as influential as the Beatles; his music sounds a little more dated.? But I don't think that rock 'n' roll would have become as huge as it did without him.? A lot of what he did was just black rhythm 'n' blues done for a white audience, yet he wasn't just ripping it off.? He had a lot about him that was original, like the voice, the look, and above all, the stage moves.? I don't think anybody had moved on stage like he did before then.

Also, Elvis's Christmas Album is my favourite Christmas record EVER.  Every December I put it on and it barely leaves my CD player.  Brings back a lot of memories.

what? he is the best selling artist of all time. He sold more records than the beattles.

mattman, funnily enough i agree with most of what you say...but i have to disagree with that...Elvis influenced, amongst others, the Beatles, the Stones, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, ACDC,Aerosmith, the Sex Pistols, the Clash and even that hermit called Axl Rose...his influence is felt across many genres of music including country, blues, rock,soul and pop... the Beatles certainly dont have such a diversity of influences and its certainly far easier to copy the Beatles style of music...you will certainly find that many Elvis songs are unique...for example you would be hard pressed to make another song in the style of Heartbreak Hotel or Viva Las Vegas...while everyone else of the late 60's was doing the trendy thing of recording a psychedelic album, Elvis just did what he wanted to do...

nesquick, plug the 68 special into a set of good quality speakers and turn it up...its real and original RNR and should be played loud

As far as I know, the Beatles is the best album selling artist of all time in US. Led Zeppelin comes the second.

I never get into the sort of music from the dawn of Rock. 
Elvis might have been a good singer but I think Eddie Cochran rocked better than his fellows.

if you take into account RIAA awardsonly, then Elvis is actually 2nd and is the biggest selling solo artist
http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topartists.asp

Elvis has many uncounted album sales because they dont meet the RIAA's criteria,more than 30 million...and because of Col Parkers dodgy deals and practices, many sales figures were lost and a year ago Elvis had more than 15 million worth of sales added to his figure...these audits are continuing and it has been estimated there are more than 60 million worth of sales alone that were lost..itll just take time to compile it all

worldwide, Elvis has sold over a billion records, the Beatles dont even come close

Elvis could sing the phonebook and still make a good song out of it, he was that good.
There will never, ever be any artist who could sing so many different type of songs, not just one type of songs, e.g rock.
He expanded the musical boundaries and changed the face of popular music forever.

Just because Elvis was an amazing singer didn't mean that anything he sang was good.  Most people will admit that a lot of songs from his later movies were seriously weak.  Come on...when was the last time you heard "Yoga Is As Yoga Does"?

How many songs did Elvis wrote?

you know i have a problem with people who claim that people who write their own songs are more talented that those who dont...how many bands can you see, especially in the last decade where they have written their own music and, lets face its, its pure bollocks because they couldnt write a song to save themselves...ive seen dozens of albums that have 3 average songs and the rest of the album is shite...its become the case where everybody writes their own songs but they are incapable of putting a tune to a lyric...its like asking your postman to build your house...leave the writing of songs to people who can write songs and the leave the singing to the ones who can sing them...

Elvis was an interpreter and producer of songs, and apart from the film music he chose and produced all his own songs from early 1956 until his last session...I should know, Ive been an Elvis fan since the 80's

And Mattman, yes plenty of cheesy film music to choose from, unfortunately Elvis was locked into a contract where the quality of the music wasnt defined at all...the upshot is that the studios went for the quick buck option rather than develop Elvis's film career since they were in control and Elvis was not...Elvis couldnt do anything about it...so he bit his tongue and made the films and enjoyed it as much as he could...and even if you take his film music out of the equation then you are still left with an impressive 500 songs over 23 years...

i just want to hear your thoughts on the king

For years growing up i was like what the hell?  Really didn't get what the fuss was about.  But since i bought the DVD's that came out last year - i totally get it.  He earnt my respect.  I won't go mad and  buy everything by him, but i appriciate what he did.

I saw a show on DivX he made in may (or march) 1968 when I went to a friend, it's a very famous show: I was blown away. His voice, his stage presence, his class, his look I mean everything. Elvis was class. He is the Number 1 of all time for me.
I didn't know he was jew. His real name was Elvis Aaron Prestley. I didn't know that. :)

My mother is a big Elvis fan, and I never really liked him or appreciated what contribution to music he had made. But recently I bought the two Elvis compilations and I was surprised to find that I knew so many of his songs, and how many great songs he has sang.

He truly was the king of rock n roll.

Who's ELVIS PRESLEY?  ???

I think its that actor from that Beverly Hills 90210 show. I might be wrong though...

I like Elvis, but I'm not a crazed fan. My father has a friend who lives in a private residential area and they're very strict about lawn displays. Well, he had a statue of Elvis on his lawn, and some of the neighbors asked him to get rid of it, because they said it looked tacky. He told them to kiss his big white ass.? :hihi:

My favorite songs are: Suspicious Minds, Jailhouse Rock, In The Ghetto, Hound Dog, Can't Help Falling In Love, All Shook Up, Loving You.

he broke the mould...he is the one and only...

"When I first heard Elvis' voice, I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody, and nobody was going to be my boss.  He is the deity supreme of rock and roll religion as it exists in today's form.  Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.---I thank God for Elvis Presley." Bob Dylan

Gotta love the King.  Favorite songs:

Young Elvis - Forgot to Remember to Forget, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Treat Me Nice, I Need Your Love Tonight, Little Sister, Big Hunk of Love, Mess of Blues, Stuck on You

Old Elvis - Suspicious Minds, American Trilogy, If I Can Dream, Moody Blue

... TCB in a flash...

That's how I was, my mother is a huge Elvis fan too, but I was never into his music at all.
But since those compilations came out a few years ago (with those new remixes on there), I listened to those and I can see why he was called the king of rock n roll. : ok:

i don't really know that may of his songs.. but the over all sound is a little bit too honky tonk for me.. however... viva las vegas is awsome.. i love the lyrics... maybe i'll give some other songs a shot.. any suggestions?

I like Elvis,love his voice (listening to him right now), and I know people who really love him.. I love the comeback in the boxing ring  :love: maybe that was '68?

That is a good song. ?He has many non-honky tonk sounding songs. ?The great thing about Elvis is that there is no consistent sound to his songs other than his voice (and even that has variations), so there is something for everyone. ?You might also like: ?Devil in Disguise, Surrender, Suspicious Minds, Its Now or Never.

I cant help Fallin in Love With You

that is one of the greatest fuckin songs in music history.

Elvis is and will always be the King.

He is untouchable.

Some people might find it hard to understand Elvis' influence and importance on the world, in his day. Nowadays there really isn't anyone who comes close to his popularity. Still to this day, nearly 40 years after his death, he remains one of the top earning dead celebrities. There's good reason he's called the King. So many great songs(so many cheeeesy movies), in many different genres.

Think about it, in his prime(50's, 60's), he was the definition of cool. Elvis was the shit. The first true rock star. Almost every musician since him respects him. Thankyouverymuch.

The difference with Elvis is that he wasnt scared to try anything, thats why his catalog consists of everything from rockabilly, blues, country,rock and roll, soul, gospel, pop, New Orleans jazz to songs requiring an operatic voice...he succeeded at all of them...

Here are some of my favourites
Promised Land
Separate Ways
If I Can Dream
Suspicious Minds
In the Ghetto

Some songs that I think are good but rarely heard
Tomorrow is a Long Time
Long Black Limousine
Guitar Man
Clean Up Your Own Backyard
I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water

and if you are into gospel
How Great Thou Art
Where No One Stands Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone

and D, great choice...if you like Cant Help Falling in Love, you must like this one
I'll Remember You http://jordans-elvis-world.com/audio/hgta3/11.ram

noone else could sing a song like that...noone comes close

Funny story about Elvis (kinda):

We were sat in the local pub doing a quiz and one of the questions was: In which US city is Elvis' former home Graceland? Obvious I know and most of the questions are much harder lol

So I write down the answer and my mate ( who has a reputation as being incredibly dozy) goes: Where does he live now then?

Cue hysterical laughter, needless to say he hasn't lived it down since

On topic: Not my cup of tea, but I respect the guy!

O come on people, this deserves some comment surely

I like in the ghetto, love me tender, suspicious minds.

My aunt got me my first two tapes when i was 7 years old, one 60's jukebox like music and the other was an elvis album.

Yep that was funny...

how about this one, i never get tired of hearing it

Led Zeppelin
In 1974, Elvis Presley wanted to meet the band. Their mutual promoter at the time, Jerry Weintraub, took Page and Plant up to Presley's Las Vegas hotel suite. For the first few minutes, Elvis ignored them. Page?who had first picked up a guitar after hearing "Baby Let's Play House" on overseas radio?began to fidget. What was going on? Did he really want to meet them? Should they say something? Elvis finally turned to them. "Is it true," he said, "these stories about you boys on the road?" Plant answered, "Of course not. We're family men. I get the most pleasure out of walking the hotel corridors, singing your songs." Plant offered his best Elvis impersonation. "Treat me like a fool, treat me mean and cruuuuel, but looooove me...." For a moment Elvis Presley eyed them both very carefully. Then he burst out laughing. Then his bodyguards burst out laughing. For two hours he entertained them in his suite. He had never heard their records, he said, except for when his stepbrother played him 'Stairway to Heaven'. "I liked it," said Presley. Later, walking down the hallway from the hotel room, Page and Plant congratulated themselves on a two-hour meeting with the King. "Hey," came a voice from behind them. Presley had poked his head out the door. "Treat me like fooool...."

Elvis will always be one of the top performers of all time,  I just wish he had written his songs.  My favortie Elvis period would be in the beginning, the Sun Records days.  But hell, he is the king and always will be.  He had so many songs recorded, it's ridiculous.  It would be nice to be an Elvis super fan because you would always have something 'fresh' to listen to. 

The Sun recordings are awesome.? Listening to them is like witnessing the birth of rock n' roll.?

As far as songwriting, his legacy always takes a hit for that but his other musical talents were so amazing that he more than compensated.? Contrast that with Bob Dylan - a great songwriter, but cover versions of his songs are almost always better than his original versions (KOHD to name one!).?

As far as i recall, there were between 700-750 songs he recorded during his career of 23 years...compare that to GNR for instance, im just guessing but less than 70 songs in 20+ years puts it into perspective...yea there are plenty poor songs from the films but even taking them out leaves about 450-500 songs to choose from.  Not to mention the films, documentaries, the controversies and thousands upon thousands of photos...there is always something new to see or hear or watch :)