Yes, that is one of my favorite EP songs, too. He came back from Germany, did all the movies, then had the come back special and refused to sing holiday song so this was his choice to end it with "If I can Dream."
Elvis’s comeback show was a landmark event, both for Elvis and Las Vegas. Another good Elvis book is Richard Zoglin's "Elvis in Vegas" (2019). During his first Vegas appearance in 1956, he was touted at the New Frontier as "The Atomic-Powered Singer."
The NBC comeback special gave him enough confidence to start touring again. The Colonel got him a gig at the International Hotel in Vegas and attracted a huge audience.
And I think that the "Vegas" period was powerful but allowed the next gen of rockers to disregard him which is too bad for them. He was worked to death...literally.
I will get that book. I see the archival monuments to Springsteen, Dylan and I guess Elvis' career gets less attention because of Parker and the carnival aspects that are the pop culture view. Also the movies (which actually on later viewing are pretty decent). What EP did for the Arizona!
This is an aspect of Elvis I never knew. My view of him evolved over the years, from pop star to main act in a clown fiesta to performer and musician. I'm a classically-trained singer, and once I got over my genre snobbishness I realized that his contribution to music was less than Bach but more than Tchaikovsky. He was the driving force behind the public acceptance of the merger of the blues (exclusively black) and country (exclusively white) to create rock and roll. Music historians point to others who first fused the two; Elvis elevated the form, drove public acceptance and, perhaps most importantly, turned it into the sound track for protest and rebellion of two generations.
Rock and roll moved the meter significantly on integration and civil rights. Skin color became meaningless to musicians, whose primary concern was with performance and creativity.
When Elvis released "That's All Right Mama" in 1954 people thought that DJ Dewey Phillips was playing a Black recording (at the time, I guess there wasn't cross-over). Phillips called Elvis on the air and asked him which high school he attended. When Elvis answered with the name of the white HS...the convergence began. Some today criticize EP for appropriating Black music but Elvis seemed to be inclusive in his back up singers and not to be anything but grateful for his gospel heritage. If a classically trained musician appreciates EP then he has cleared the table.
Elvis only finished high school (where he volunteered in the library), but had several educated friends who helped him in his life long reading. He was a seeker of wisdom, but his public image overwhelmed knowing that about him.
"If I Can Dream" is one of my favorite Elvis songs. There is a new book out by Sally Hoedel, "Elvis: Destined to Die Young," that suggests Elvis had a congenital condition that made him constantly sick and prone to self-medicate and overeat due to pain. See https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/01/bad-genes-not-rocknroll-excess-killed-elvis-presley-claims-biographer .
Yes, that is one of my favorite EP songs, too. He came back from Germany, did all the movies, then had the come back special and refused to sing holiday song so this was his choice to end it with "If I can Dream."
Elvis’s comeback show was a landmark event, both for Elvis and Las Vegas. Another good Elvis book is Richard Zoglin's "Elvis in Vegas" (2019). During his first Vegas appearance in 1956, he was touted at the New Frontier as "The Atomic-Powered Singer."
Peter Guralnick's _Last Train to Memphis_ and _Careless Love_ (and his book on Sam Phillips). I am thinking of a TCB tattoo.
The NBC comeback special gave him enough confidence to start touring again. The Colonel got him a gig at the International Hotel in Vegas and attracted a huge audience.
I watch the Comeback special often. I don't have a lot of stuff anymore, but I do have a signed picture of Scotty Moore.
And I think that the "Vegas" period was powerful but allowed the next gen of rockers to disregard him which is too bad for them. He was worked to death...literally.
I will get that book. I see the archival monuments to Springsteen, Dylan and I guess Elvis' career gets less attention because of Parker and the carnival aspects that are the pop culture view. Also the movies (which actually on later viewing are pretty decent). What EP did for the Arizona!
This is an aspect of Elvis I never knew. My view of him evolved over the years, from pop star to main act in a clown fiesta to performer and musician. I'm a classically-trained singer, and once I got over my genre snobbishness I realized that his contribution to music was less than Bach but more than Tchaikovsky. He was the driving force behind the public acceptance of the merger of the blues (exclusively black) and country (exclusively white) to create rock and roll. Music historians point to others who first fused the two; Elvis elevated the form, drove public acceptance and, perhaps most importantly, turned it into the sound track for protest and rebellion of two generations.
Rock and roll moved the meter significantly on integration and civil rights. Skin color became meaningless to musicians, whose primary concern was with performance and creativity.
When Elvis released "That's All Right Mama" in 1954 people thought that DJ Dewey Phillips was playing a Black recording (at the time, I guess there wasn't cross-over). Phillips called Elvis on the air and asked him which high school he attended. When Elvis answered with the name of the white HS...the convergence began. Some today criticize EP for appropriating Black music but Elvis seemed to be inclusive in his back up singers and not to be anything but grateful for his gospel heritage. If a classically trained musician appreciates EP then he has cleared the table.
O my goodness I could talk about Elvis forever.
Please do.
So much great info at The Elvisblog by Phil Arnold.http://www.elvisblog.net/
I had no idea that Elvis was interested in "The Prophet". His annotated copy would be very interesting to see.
Elvis only finished high school (where he volunteered in the library), but had several educated friends who helped him in his life long reading. He was a seeker of wisdom, but his public image overwhelmed knowing that about him.