@@michele-33 No, not late Elvis in regard to seeing him live to really appreciate him as an entertainer, but it IS part of the history of the legend, at least I see it that way.
I’m thoroughly convinced that’s it’s impossible for us in 2023 to hear why Elvis was so ground-breaking in 1955. Everything we’ve ever heard in popular music is post-Elvis and it’s impossible to erase that from our minds and imagine having only been exposed to the music of 1940-1954.
Color me unconvinced. Context is key. Listening to other music from the same time period in other genres and perusing the popular charts of the era and taking in the history of the era culturally and historically beyond just the music paints a vivid picture of how his this music grew and blossomed. My father was just barely a teen when Elvis made his Ed Sullivan appearance and with two older teenage sisters they were forbidden to watch it. My grandparents who had the children young were familiar with the term rock'n'roll from it 40's connotation as slang for sex. I can still listen to Charley Patton, Duke Ellington or Grandmaster Flash and hear the ground being broke. If you have any interest in history you can pick up on the jagged through line that connects the first wax cylinder recordings to the latest hit.
People write Elvis off as just another star or legend when in fact he was THE star and first icon in music history. The first superhero and superstar. There would be nothing without Elvis. No Beatles, no Zeppelin, no MJ.
Elvis had the whole package voice. , dance moves. Looks charisma. And has starred in 31 movies ,and is still relevant today. Thats why i like elvis there is no one who comes close to elvis.
By 1969 Elvis was largely 'your parent's music'. Check out the mid-50s stuff, "That's All Right"; "Mystery Train"; "Jailhouse Rock"; "Hound Dog"; "Heartbreak Hotel"; "Don't Be Cruel"; "Teddy Bear"; "Love Me Tender" to see where the legend began.
I was startled to hear this song defined as "Elvis' best song." His highest rated of the second phase of his career, maybe (that or "In the Ghetto"), but by no stretch of the imagination his best. Check out any of the songs listed above for a better idea of Elvis, or even something off his gospel album, and, as many others have suggested, check out a live version to see what all the fuss is about. This was NOT Elvis' best song.
Elvis Presley's pre-Army recordings were by far his best. It was before he allowed himself to be completely "handled" by his manager and when he still had a hunger to make his mark. From 1956-59, he put out some of the best rock & roll ever pressed into vinyl. Absolutely brilliant stuff! It's when he was Elvis, not when he became ELVIS (the man, the myth, the legend).
@@laurabrevitz3944 a lot of critics say this is his best song. Dave Marsh called it glorious. It's the highest ranked Elvis song on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest songs of all time and they say it's his most modern record. There's no doubt that Presley changed culture the most in his first era; most artists with long careers have the most impact at the beginning. But Suspicious Minds is one of many songs in Elvis's genre hopping career that represent evolvement and artistry. This reactor is limited by his hip hop sensibilities. But Elvis's popularity is on the rise by a younger demographic and a few of them prefer his ballads over his rock period. Not everyone gets Dylan or the Beatles either. If Suspicious Minds isn't your favorite, there's a 700 song catalog by E.P. to choose something from. You can't seriously be affected by someone who thinks Led Zep is clearly better than anyone?!
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Elvis sold more records than other musician in history, and it’s not even close! He also was the most significant cultural icon of the 20th century. Elvis is the benchmark for all other musicians.
Early Elvis is where most of the influence comes from. Suspicious Minds is middle or late Elvis. Still great, but check out Jailhouse Rock, Hound Dog or other early rockers.
I agree. I know Suspicious Minds is an enduring favorite, but this is trying to mount a comeback Elvis. I think something from his prime would be a better intro - Love Me is a personal favorite of mine.
@@seanwright3940 ever since the Elvis movie younger people have come out as new fans. Some of them are into heavy metal and other genres. But not all of them are necessarily into Elvis's rock. A lot like his ballads. This song is from Elvis's highly regarded Memphis sessions and Rolling Stone called it his most modern record. Dave Marsh called it glorious. When someone's tastes are limited they have a right to be themselves. Not everyone likes metal, rap, gospel or other forms of pop.Not everyone gets Dylan.Not everyone likes the Beatles. This reactor thinks this particular song has a strong gospel feel. There's nothing wrong with that. But must critics think this song and others from these sessions sound like soul.
Elvis's started in the 50s, had such charisma and his songs were energetic and catchy. Songs like Blue Suede Shoes, Love Me Tender, or Hound Dog. By the time 1968 came around he was making a comeback after spending time in the Army and making movies. Famous songs of this era If I Can Dream and In the Ghetto. And go live with Elvis please!
You have to remember that Elvis was THE FIRST rock & roll singer that the teenagers in the 50’s had ever heard. Even though there were a few other artists, Jerry Lee Lewis is one that became well known, Elvis was the first on tv. There was so much controversy about Elvis when he started. He was every parents nightmare that was going to corrupt their kids. As well as the racial controversy of white people calling him the N word. They condemned Elvis for his “vulgar dance moves” and tried to force him to change to be on tv. Some would only record him from the waist up! There are recordings of all of this. Elvis changed the world with his music.
I saw Elvis back in the 70s - it’s hard to describe the appeal of Elvis - it transcends generations! My Mother is a huge Elvis fan, too. I always liked him but after seeing & hearing him live I fully understood all the love! I enjoy your reactions…& understand your response but he really can’t be compared to anyone else.
Before Elvis arrived on the scene, all generations listened to the same music, kids parents, grandparents. There was no generational divide. And then came Elvis and the teens went nuts and the older generation was disgusted. It’s the precursor to youth culture in a way.
Rock is not just bombastic. There are many sun generes and this is Elvis’ soulful ballad. I love the soulfulness without the whining that so many r&b songs have. This is rocking soul!!
The song rocks, timeless. Elvis Presley changed things, he was the worlds first global rock mega star. You should watch the video where Robert Plant talks about when Led Zeppelin met Elvis.
This is the early 70s, after Elvis made his comeback in 1968. He (Elvis) was the man from 1956 until the early 60s, then The Beatles and "the British Invasion" happened, leaving Elvis in the past. It was tough times career wise for him, because everything changed overnight after that Sunday evening performance by The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan variety show. Everyone in America watch that show after Sunday dinner. Elvis did make a comeback though in a televised TV special on national TV. He was back in a big way again, until his death that summer day in 1977. Thanks
Please start with his earliest hits that influenced kids to become rockers - That’s Alright Mama & Heartbreak Hotel. Elvis could sing anything. To see his range from those songs try Are You Lonesome Tonight. He’s one singer whose records you could put on without interruption and never grow tired. Thank you for your reactions. You have excellent musical insight.
Just starting it but I'm sure you will get a ton of comments saying that you absolutely must react to his 1970 Las Vegas performance of this. It is Iconic. And it shows you so much more about his ability and how great his band was and how tight they were and his rapport with the audience. And that's later Elvis. I mean the Beatles or breaking up right about the time this came out. So they are talking about his earlier stuff in terms of influence. But he was still hugely popular and in a way became more so with a newer generation before he died early in 1977. And Suspicious Minds represents that kind of second lifetime but the live performance is just so revealing and entertaining. And there are a ton of great live performances from that show, like Bridge Over Troubled Water, to really hear his singing chops. But you really should listen to If I Can Dream, the finale of his 1968 Comeback Special which is more or less a tribute to Martin Luther King not long after he got assassinated in Memphis where Elvis lived.
Late 60's Elvis, probably one of his last big hits, but his live shows in the 70's were epic even as his weight ballooned. Am sure others will fill you in on his late 50's and early 60's stuff, which is when he was in his superstar prime. Definitely worth a deep dive!
I'm glad you did the studio version of this song instead of the live version. Why people think the live version is great is beyond me. My favorite Elvis song by far. Those background singers are the highlight.
You get to the exact point. This studio cut is perfection. Critics and fans alike love it. The Vegas performance is iconic but the only reason people are texting for it is because they're in a tizzy that not everyone is a fan. This guy's more of a hip hop creature anyway.which brings his own tastes into question.
not an elvis fan, but you have to admire the Sun stuff and rock n roll, it was ground breaking in 56, 57, 58. check out the classics and video - he changed the world in those three years.
This is later Elvis. You have to try his earlier songs. Also, he made a lot of movies and sang in almost all of them. You can see his charisma in them.
Elvis remained popular from the 1950s until his death at 42. A 20 year run is a great run in music. There was always a market for Elvis throughout each trend in music over 2 decades. That said, I'm not an Elvis fan. Great, great singer but he never resonated with me. I don't wake up to Rock N Roll until Bob Dylan 1962. Country, Bluegrass and Hillbilly music I love before 1962 and up until the 70s before Country went Country Pop in the 80s.
Heartbreak Hotel was his first #1 single, Hound Dog was his second, so that's a good place to start. Then Jailhouse Rock, Blue Suede Shoes et al. No shame in having hit this one first, but if the first Led Zep you listened to was something from In Through The Out Door you'd probably have had a different opinion of what they were all about.
There's nothing wrong with the song. It's one of his best. Falling back on oldies will have little effect. The issue is with the reactor. He just doesn't get Elvis and wants to marginalize him. Anyone preferring Led to Elvis is already a disqualifier.
American Pie “Oh, and while the king was looking down, The jester stole his thorny crown, The courtroom was adjourned, No verdict was returned.” KIng - Elvis The Jester - Bob Dylan ;)
Elvis sang ar700songs,in his short career had many hits esp,early on,has sold over a billion records, and is in 5 or6 hall of fames.rock n roll, rythem and blues, country. , gospel , rock a billy.
He certainly had a great voice, and good picking up of the gospel feel. I know I’ll get burned for this but Elvis made black music acceptable to Americans at that time in their history.
Love Suspicious Minds! Can’t understand how anyone can knock this! So what if Led Zep playing harder stuff! I grew with Elvis my da loved him..I’m 80’s child btw! This stands up now Elvis voice is timeless and he gets more young fans all the time..don’t know if I can say the same about Led Zeppelin!
Don't start reading a book from the middle, you won't enjoy it. If you follow the Elvis journey from beginning to end then you will see how amazing his life/ career was. I still love The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stone, SuperTramp, The Who, The Guess Who ....etc....But Elvis is and was always different.
I think you might need to listen to Elvis more chronologically to be able to judge the reason for his impact on popular music. He sang music that mainstream, white audiences had never heard. Throw in his smoldering good looks and controversial gyrations and he was like nothing else on the planet. Start out with Heartbreak Hotel then proceed to Jailhouse Rock, One Night, Mystery Train and All Shook Up then get to some his mellower stuff like Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight and Can't Help Falling in Love then round everything off with In The Ghetto and If I Could Dream. And if you want to see him in his iconic black leather outfit, check out his 68 Comeback Special.
Elvis had an unusually good voice for a rock and roll singer. Personally, he was a nice guy, and his sweetness and charm came out on stage. He was stuck with the rock and roll lyrics of the era, and some terrible movie songs, but he was the first with the rock and roll feel along with Little Richard.
Because of this reaction, I went back and looked at several Elvis video from the 50s. I was surprised at how much his talking reminds of Barack Obama's delivery. And many of the shows wouldn't show him below the waist. Too racy.
Elvis was at his peak powers in the 50's ... here's a clip of him laying down a super charismatic performance on ed sullivan... that 70's elvis stuff was him trying to break out of rock and roll because the music had moved beyond him and he was doing easy listening for the people that loved him as teenagers in the 50's that were now in their 40's and didn't care about any of the great 70's music that you mentioned. this clip if a clip of the elvis that the Beatles loved ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7tiBYUzRLmI.html
Elvis's TV appearances mostly only showed him from the waist up; his moves were too racy for the day. I found this one, which gives a taste, Heartbreak Hotel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MzRnKQrm61w.html
To Elvis the 50s Rock had become like bubblegum. The 68 Special improved those numbers by turnig up the volume and putting some guts into the vocals. His 60s music was about exploring genres. He changed recording studios in the early 70s to create a new soul sound for himself. This highly regarded and popular song was one of the results. No need to resort to outdated counter culture copies.
A lot of the Elvis music did not hold up. At the time, tho, we were quite in love with it. It was part of the evolution of the crooner's music becoming rock. Our parents had us watching old musical movies with the crooners. Probably a great many of us also love the old crooners, still. I am happy I grew up on the cusp of that,, so that I can appreciate the old and the new. And the old stuff is what lies behind the great studio arrangers that are just not to be found now. Without the old stuff, mayve there would have been no arrangements like what Issac Hayes had in his music ("Shaft"), or like we heard in that song "Me and Mrs. Jones". (Huh, my brain happened to grab two "Philly Sound" songs. Just a coincidence. Other cities had great studio arrangers )
Elvis never wrote a song. But throw him a song and he would make something wonderful out of it just by his great voice. I remember going through my Mom's singles as a kid and there were a lot of nice singers and songs. And then I listened to "Heartbreak Hotel" and it almost felt like my hair was on fire! "Suspicious Minds" was a kind of comeback in 1968 after too many years singing bad songs in bad movies. One more thing - when he sang Suspicious Minds in concert, he like to joke around with the lyrics and added "You know I never lied to you.... no, not much!"
Syed, this is later Elvis. The songs that the Beatles would have been influenced by are his earlier rock and roll songs like "That's All Right," "Jailhouse Rock," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog"
SyedRewinds....to appreciate an artist, regardless of era, you must first have it in you to be able to connect with the song and what the singer is trying to bring across. This song was not necessarily based on his marriage break down so get over that. Not surprised you couldn't connect with this song because in order to do that, you need natural depth of emotional and musical versatility for various types of music - which Elvis Presley was a genius at. That's what we recognize and appreciate when listening to his music. I'd suggest starting your Elvis journey from the very beginning. BTW, I wasn't born in his era either but I know good musical artistry, ability, and audio when I hear it - EP had it in loads. Peace ✌🏽
You are listening too and watching The Greatest Talent that has ever walked this planet, ''TCB'' KING ELVIS AARON PRESLEY. ''Before Elvis There was nothing'', ''The worlds light was dim, When Elvis Aaron Presley emerged on the seen. He shattered everything that was dark and lit the world with light so bright, like no other before or since. God created Elvis Aaron Presley to change the world. Change the world he did. To make it a better place. He gifted Elvis Aaron Presley with his greatest gifts. Bringing The greatest gifts of looks, vocals, style, charisma, charm, stature and grace. He Brought joy, happiness, love, generosity and caring to this world. The World Crowned Elvis Aaron Presley KING. Elvis Aaron Presley was"Unique and Ereplceible in a world of duplication''. The Icon, The Legend. The Untouchable. The Immortle, The icredible, The King of song. The King of vocals. The master, The King of style, The King of charisma. The gladiator and King of stage. The one and only True King of Music and Entertainment. World Crowned. KING Elvis Aaron Presley. Greatest Of All Time Past Present and Future. ''TCB'' Til the end of time. THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE WORLD CROWNED KING ''.
To understand Elvis properly, I recommend checking out the 1950s, before he went in the Army. For context, listen to Patti Page "How Much is that Doggie in the Window" or Doris Day "Que Sera" or Bing Crosby. After a few of those, THEN checkout "Jailhouse Rock" or "Don't be Cruel" or "It's Now or Never" or "Heartbreak Hotel." Then it's easier to see why the big sensation. To understand Elvis's "Hound Dog", check out Big Mama Thornton's version first. Many of the TV appearances only showed him from the waist up because "Elvis the Pelvis" was considered too racy; look to find some video from the 50s with his moves.
The 1970 LIVE performance from Vegas is like a different song that captures many of the elements you probably love from bands like Led Zeppelin, etc. You're missing out so much by listening to the studio version first. It's faster paced and features a lot more energy. It is SO much better - incredible drums, bass, orchestra, chorus and Elvis pours a TON of energy into a very physical performance.
Hearing Elvis on a studio recording is only half of the Elvis package. You really have to see his live performances and there are a ton of them on RU-vid please check some of them out like suspicious minds and Unchained Melody
I've been an elvis fan since 1972.and poeple compare him with the beatles/Michael Jackson and a host of others but the difference between elvis and others is that elvis was capable of singing in 5-6 difference style's=rock n roll rockabilly r-b gospel pop Country.i don't know anyone ever living or dead that had that ability.i don't call him the king because he didn't but there will never be anyone like him again.i love the 50s and to be honest the late great Chuck Berry the king of rock n roll.
I think the members of The Stones and Led Zep would agree that El is was the man... Start with his pre fame Sun Records stuff like 'Mystery Train', 'Baby, Let's Play House' or his early RCA stuff like 'Heartbreak Hotel' or One Night'... Many like Vegas Elvis but personally the stuff I like is pre 1963.
Bro, picked the wrong one! 'TRYING TO GET TO YOU' 68 COMEBACK SPECIAL, BASICALLY ANY SONG FROM THE 68 COMEBACK SPECIAL! LIKE TO SEE YOU REACT TO THAT! OR ' IF I COULD DREAM' TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR, AND BOBBY KENNEDY 68 CB SPECIAL
In 1977 when elx=vis died, bob dylan didnt talk to anyone for a week....he just didnt talk, refused, he went away....some young ppl dont get it, but they prob will one day. I never “got it” until i was 21 yo in 1997....then, it was over, he had me.....elvis casts a spell. The best intro to his stuff is the sun sessions demos from 1954, when he was 19 years old & poor af...the soul in it, its amazing, just stellar. Some say he didnt write songs, almost no one did back then (thats why the beatles & dylan were special in the 1960’s, if elvis had written his own stuff, the beatles impact wouldve beeb deadened)....anyway, elvis & johnny cash didnt write (does it *really* matter that cash didnt write “hurt”, does it?)....anyway, elvis, cash & orbison, they made stuff their own, thats an art, & not easy...just singing a song like everyone else has already done is dumb, boring, & makes u a hack.....elvis was a legend for a reason,
@@ste.6026 ...totally, this vid actually made me listen to a chuck of it yesterday, bevause it did (lol), but also bevause it had been a while....its just three dudes, and its somraw & punk rock, really, revolutionary...syed is being kind of lame here....this is a great song & ronny tutt is a legendary drummer & theres a thousand magnificent things about this track, but in the end its still kind of a vegas-era song....& i dont care about that, but a newbie cant judge all of elvis on it....its pretty absurd to do so.....its not the best analogy, but its like judging McCartney on that Christmas song, lol....thats a bad analogy b/c suspicious minds is amazing, but to make a hyperbolic argument its an ok analogy....the sun sessions style is what changed the world, not suspicious minds....
I'd never heard this song in stereo until a few years ago. All albums (vinyl) or early days of CDs, it was always in mono. Elvis preferred mono (as did Brian Wilson - deaf in one ear). I was bummed when a stereo version found its way out a few years ago. Also, Reggie Wilson on guitar was the tastiest studio guitar player ever.
You are right, Elvis started out in gospel. You need to see him in person. See him perform "Trying to get to You" from the 68 special, or see, "If I Can Dream". if you want a dramatic performance live, see, "Polk Salad Annie'. "patch it up" both from Vegas 1970. Elvis started in the 50's, and blew the world away. Up till that time no one moved like him, he changed music and culture. See the Robert Plant interview where Led Zepplin meets Elvis. He was their idol too. He inspired Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Beatles, most everyone in the business who came after him. He was banned in the 50's for his movements. See his beginnings struggle to get Black music to the forefront. "Elvis Presley and the Black Community" the echo will never die. Thanks.
In my opinion, Elvis's best song is "If I Can Dream"-- a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His vocals in that song, as well as in his rendition of the gospel song "How Great Though Art" will blow you away.
I am a huge life long Elvis fan from before I was born and I never really liked this song either, but when you see him perform it, it's a whole different thing. Check it out live in Las Vegas 1970. He was better many times live than in studio because of him, the entertainer. I love his records but really love his concerts and the early stuff that changed the world.
you need ,to listen to the 1968 tv comeback special then u Will know how talented this guy was,live ,no auto tune or earphones,,try if I can dream from the 1968live tv special white suite version, in this special, u have got rock,blues balled and gospel,plus loads of jamming,with his band. 🎧🎤🎸🎼🎼🎶🎷👍
Suspicious Minds is great and iconic live but it's not better musically. Most fans and critics agree on this. This hip hop and classic rock fan is not going to give a passing grade just because of a different version.
The charts at the time had a great variety of music, with artists from several decades, so the differences you note with other bands were a lot more pronounced back then, than you see today. With Elvis, his 60's and 70's songs were not cutting edge. But, if you really want to see what he offered, look at the comeback special performances - of his 50's songs, and you see the charisma and power of him, in good quality sound and video. Better 60's songs are - If I can Dream, and In the Ghetto.
In order to understand Elvis, one would have to research something about the 50s, about generations, hopes, longings, the music world at that time and Elvis career environment. Like an 18-year-old reactor, you take a popular song, also unfortunately a late comeback work (probably my first 1:1 Elvis song as a kid), and wonder. When Lennon spoke about Elvis, he certainly didn't mean this last phase, where "one" tries to give Elvis a new image, including musically, in order to get his career going again. Especially I wish you a good new week!
Around this time the Beatles had a Hits with Hey Jude and Yesterday, those Songs were No More cutting edge than Suspicious Minds By Elvis but all Three were hits.
@@WoodsWoman822 First of all, I like Supicious Mind, but I have a musically and vocally livelier (live?) version in my head. I'm also impressed by every artist who dares to make a comeback. From the mid 50's Elvis was the first white rock'n'roller and a youth idol, for me not a musician but above all a fantastic entertainer and trendsetter, a made brand of his environment. Stationed as a GI in Germany and with his empathy (Wooden Heart/Muess I Denn Zum Städtele Hinaus) he also won the hearts of the older population in Central Europe, so that everyone treated him to his comeback, which ended with his last concert in Las Vegas, the TV event 1977 at least in the western world. All the best TO YOU and have fun with all kind of good music👍
I was 8 in '72 when Elvis's 'Burning Love' came out, and developing taste in music what it could be at 8, I was into it, lol...just that I remember it and likeD it, but him in his prime I always felt he was more of my mom's teen era music, so as great as I imagine he was, I never felt a connection. By '72 Elton John had Rocket Man & Tiny Dancer, '73 Daniel and Bennie and the Jets (like my first favorite song), then the magical/mysterious/epic Hotel California in '74 by the Eagles when I'm 10, then came Fleetwood Mac, and Dreams, my fav...there's where music began for me, of me finding my own in music, so I never really felt connected w/Elvis. Then Disco hit w/the Bee Gees and Saturday Night Fever. Btw, and with your regard for Stevie Nicks, check out 'Sara' by Fleetwood...great FM song, LYRICS, and vocal by Stevie. 😎
The classic artists will always be popular whether it's Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles or even Michael Jackson. Thanks to the Elvis movie and Lilo and Stitch, Burning Love and other Presley classics are commonly streamed.
The thing about Presley he could sing in many styles and could blow the other entertainers out of the water with his stage act and versatility, a view shared by many many new reactors on YT. He was not a band so comparisons are ridiculous and as this song sold millions, perhaps you might never get him -no probs. Try the live version of Jailhouse Rock or Trying To Get To You on the 1968 Comeback Special - if no good for you my advice is call it a day on EP.
Live version of "In the Ghetto" is great. You can't ever really be an Elvis "expert" until you watch the documentary called "Elvis and the Black Community" I believe it's a two part. I am a Memphis girl through and through and some of the facts they bring to light, I didn't even know.
Well, I was born 1970... and i can understand a lot of what you say on Elvis. But on the other end i also like music from 1920s, 1930s ... because there are some of the roots for future music (and still some inspiration can be got). About Elvis himself the main inspiration is on singing and interpretation, and we should, at least, evaluate those pieces for that. 😋
Elvis is the objective difference between a musician and a true entertainer. Don't get me wrong here, I grew up on the Beatles and Led Zeplin. But when LZ was getting started, Elvis was on his come back tour after having served in the Army and started a movie career. He was a song writer as well as an entertainer, If you really want to get how he influenced everyone else, start at his beginning and follow through to his end.
you want the first album recorded at Sun records in Memphis, thats the Elvis that changed the game this song is early seventies trivia about this song the backup singer went on to join the grateful dead and the drummer joined the Jerry Garcia Band
When The Beatles said they were inspired by Elvis they especially meant the Sun Records Recordings from 1954-56. And maybe his first album on RCA Records entitled Elvis Presley. Although John comically sang Elvis' 1961 song: It's Now Or Never before they performed Hey Jude on the Robert Frost program in 1968. Paul referred to Elvis in the 1970s as Elvis' flaky period, and George met Elvis again at NY Madison Square Garden in 1972 where he said Elvis was 'dressed like Vishnu." and bemoaned the fact that Elvis was no longer wearing jeans. (John and Bob Dylan attended the same concert.) John said after Elvis' death that maybe Elvis died when he went into the army in 1958. He also said that before Elvis there was nothing. And John sang Elvis' Hound Dog on stage in 1972 and said Elvis we love ya. The 4 Beatles met Elvis in Bel Air, California in 1965. And Paul recorded Elvis' That's Alright Mama in 1999, and Blue Moon of Kentucky (again from the Sun Records sessions) in 1991 and with George and Ringo in the Anthology.
Yeh well Lennon did have a big gob..and he should have kept it shut! He didn’t know what he was talking about anyway! He lost his own edge when he did songs like Imagine and Woman, Starting over etc. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
You have to start at the beginning of Elvis' career to understand his influence on those that came after. Suspicious Minds is from later in his career. Elvis was a breakthrough performer of the early 50s, not the late 60s and 70s. Do you know how much music changed from 1953 to 1968?!? Although his 68 special was HOT! :) Also, you have to understand that nobody was moving like Elvis, or singing songs like Elvis (except for the black community) in the 50s. He combined all of his influences of country, gospel, and rhythmn and blues and gave white america and other parts of the world, something they'd never experienced in music before, and their kids loved it. You also need to understand the american social climate at the time Elvis hit the scene with his "black dancing" on TV and "black music" Before Elvis, ppl just stood still strumming their guitars or singing their ballads. You have to go back to the early 50s and put young Elvis in his proper time and place to fully appreciate what he did and who he was..IMO Check out the Elvis movie that came out last year. You cant compare Elvis to groups that came after him because without Elvis many of them would have never existed...he inspired and influnced a generation.
Suspicious Minds was a comeback hit in '69 after a decade of making bad movies and indifferent records. It was meant to keep the old Elvis fans in the fold while winning newer younger ones, and it had the commercial pop sound of the time, so it was a logical choice, and (I think) one of his best late-era records. But if you want to hear the Elvis that The Beatles and everyone else were actually influenced by, you have to go back to the Sun Records period (1954-55) and the early RCA stuff (1956-58). That's the music that blew up the world (along with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, etc.) and made lots of British teenage boys want to become rock stars. For visuals, you want to check out the Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle appearances from '56, and for a much more energetic version of Suspicious Minds, check out the live clip from '70.
I was surprised that this was given as a no. 1 I would have selected something from the fifties or early sixties when he was considered a danger and "Elvis the Pelvis" was his "moniker" I am not an Elvis fan BTW but I was around in the sixties and seventies so remember him. Though as a member of the Punk generation there were a lot of antagonism to him.
Rolling Stone said Suspicious Minds was Elvis's most modern song. I was a DJ at a college radio station during the new wave and an artist at the time called Elvis the original punk rocker.
It's not Blasphemous at all, I didn't like it either when I first heard it as a young man. But I did already love his early rockabilly stuff and even covered some of it and bands that I was in. And that gets to your comparison about Led Zeppelin at the time with their first album. This was not Elvis's first album. That happened more than a decade before, I Love Led Zeppelin and I understand their routes very well but I think most people would agree that the sea change that Elvis Usher did in 1955 when he was 20 years old was a bigger deal and a bigger jump forward than Led Zeppelin's first album. It just was. To understand that you have to go back to where he was brand new. With Elvis, we are talking 15 years later with suspicious minds and Led Zeppelin didn't even last that long as a band, barely two-thirds of that. So keep that in mind.
I think, when it comes to his influence on others, you want to listen to 1950’s Elvis. I would give “Heartbreak Hotel” or “Hound Dog” a listen. Also, “Jailhouse Rock” and “Don’t be Cruel”
Elvis sang multi genric songs including Gospel songs. But the songs of the 50s, 60s and 70s are in complete without background chorus, that was the trend of that time.
