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ENGLISH CERTIFICATION PAPER

JUST ELVIS
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TABLE OF CONTESTS

1. Summary page 3

2. Introduction page 5

3. Until 18 page 6

4. The Beginning page 7

5. Managed By Tom Parker page 8

6. The Movie Career page 10

7. The Army page11

8. Meeting Priscilla page 11

9. Returning Home page 12

10. Priscilla page 13

11. Las Vegas page 15

12. The Decline page 16

13. Conclusion page 16

14. Films page 17

15. Bibliography page 18

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SUMMARY

Elvis Aaron Presley ( 1935-1977) was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, about 150 kilometers
from Memphis, Tennessee. He was introduced to music by his parents, who sang Gospel
in the local church. In 1948, his family moved to Memphis, where he finished his
studies and began work as a truck driver for the Crown Electric Industry. In the spring
of 1953, he decided to make a record ( for a fee) at the Memphis Recording Service,
owned by Sam Phillips, the head of Sun Records. He recorded two songs: “ My
Happiness”, by the Ink Spots, and “ That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”. A year later,
he cut two more: “ Casual Love Affair” and “ I’ll Never Stand In Your Way”.

Phillips teamed him up with two veteran musicians, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, with
whom he rehearsed over the weekend. These sessions produced, in July of 1964, “
That’s All Right Mama” and “ Blue Moon Of Kentucky”, enormously successful
versions of legendary American classics. On September 25, a second single came out: “
I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine” and “ Good Rockin’ Tonight”. He appeared in
over 200 concerts between 1954 and 1955 and, at a performance on April 16, he met
Colonel Parker, the figure that would do the most to create the “ Presley legend”.

Elvis made the Billboard charts 11 times in 1956 ( a record only he himself would
break, in 1957), with “ I Was The One”, “ Blue Suede Shoes” and “ Don’t Be Cruel”,
among others. The Presley sound gradually took on more folk-like aspects with “ Love
Me Tender”. In 1957, Elvis made his acting debut in two films, “ Loving You” and “
Jailhouse Rock”, both very successful at the box office.

On March 24, Elvis began his military service in Arkansas. He was transferred to Texas
a few months later, where he stayed until September 22, when he boarded the USS
Randall en route to Bremerhaven, Germany. It was during this period that he first met
14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he later married in 1967. Back in America, the
Colonel kept his absent star’s reputation intact via a series of films, record releases and
extensive merchandising. Hits such as “ Wear My Ring Around Your Neck”, “ Hard
Headed Woman”, “ One Night”,” I Got Stung”, “ A Fool Such As I” and “ A Big Hunk
O’Love” filled the long, two year gap.

He returned home and received his official welcome with an appearance on the Frank
Sinatra show. He also continued to star in a variety of movies, such as “ GI Blues”
( 1960), a light comedy; “ Flaming Star” ( 1960 ), a western; and “ Wild In The
Country” ( 1961), the most demanding. But it was “ Blue Hawaii” ( 1961 ) that
discovered the
formula that would be used in his later films, all shot in well known tourist locations: “
fight for your future, win the girl and live happily ever after”.

Presley began to fill trapped in his own myth, becoming a virtual recluse, surrounded by
an impenetrable court of relatives, friends and assorted shady characters who wouldn’t
allow him to lead a normal life. His divorce from his wife Priscilla in 1973 marked the
beginning of the end. Alcohol and drug abuse took over and lead to frequent bouts of
depression. Overeating and drinking made him so heavy that he had to resort to
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exhausting weight loss treatments. These made his condition even worse, and on several
occasions he needed to be hospitalized. Deciding to take a rest from performing, he
returned to Graceland, his home in Memphis.

But at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon on August 16, he was taken to the emergency
room of Baptist Memorial Hospital, where, at 3:30 pm, the doctors declared him dead
due to cardiac arrhythmia.
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INTRODUCTION

The man is a bizarre combination between the deficiency of sensibility and

sentimentalism. He is the summit of selfishness. He is terribly suspicious, but extremely
credulous. His conception about the world is of an idealist and the honesty he is looking
for starts from this conception. His image about the world is pretty narrow, rigid,
dogmatic, eccentric. He is a sympathetic dictator. When he is in the mood, he is in the
mood for everything. He has the tendency to grow angry when talking about the way he is
treated by the world. He is bent on firing and hiring people again and again and on having
disorganized relations with the persons that work for him. He wants to be sure that the
ones who he cares about have all they need. He can be very kind. He is very possessive
when threatened. He can be used and he fears that, so he changes very quickly his state of
mind: well wisher today, melancholic tomorrow. He is very shy, so he needs people
around. When criticized, he reacts violently. He believes in perfection and he is his own
rough critic. He is very attentive at women’s physical aspect. He can overwhelm women
with his charm. He doesn’t like to know an injustice is made, but is
interested in justice only from his point of view. Otherwise, he is
indifferent. Especially concerning politics.

THAT’S ELVIS.

During his career, he sold over 300,000 records and over a million
up to this moment. It’s estimated that over 48% of the disk sales were over the US
borders. He obtained gold, platinum and multi platinum records. He had 149 songs in
Billboard’s Top 100 Chart in America.: 114 in Top 40, 40 in Top 10 and 18 hitted number
1. These 18 stayed on the first position for 80 weeks. Although, he had 90 albums in
charts. He sustained only 5 concerts outside America. His figure became worship, his
house a museum.

FRANK SINATRA, 1977:

“ Many things were said about Elvis’s performances and talent, and I agree. As a friend, I
will miss him. He was a generous person.”

ALL GREEN:
“ The style Elvis approached to music had influenced the whole world. He broke the ice
for us.”

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN:
“ Many tough guys existed in the music industry. They were claimants. And rivals.
Definitely, Elvis will remain a star.”
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MICK JAGGER:
“ He was an unique artist- an original between imitators.”

JOHN LENNON:
“ Before Elvis, there was nothing.”

JAMES BROWN
“ I was not only his fan, I was like his brother. He used to say I’m the best, but I thought
the contrary. Elvis worked very hard, dedicated himself to his work, and that’s why God
loved him. The last time I saw him was at Graceland, where we sang together “ Old Blind
Barnabus”, a gospel song. I love him and I wish to see him in Heaven again.”

ROD STEWART
“ Elvis was The King of the Kings. Doubtless. Guys like me, Mick Jagger and others are
only imitators.”

ELTON JOHN
“ Because of Elvis I became interested in music. I’m an Elvis fan since I was a kid.”

UNTIL 18

In the old side of Tupelo, Mississippi, lived a farmer, Vernon E. Presley and an
adolescent, Gladys Smith, worker at a manufacture factory. Gladys’s parents were farmers
too. She had a big family: 5 sisters and 3 brothers. Mr. Presley had one brother and 3
sisters. When they started dating, they used to go skating or having picnics. In 1933,
Vernon was 17 and Gladys 21, 4 years older than Vernon.

On January 8,1935, Gladys gave birth to Elvis Aaron Presley and Jessie Garon Presley.
Jessie died 6 hours after birth. Elvis’s first significant step towards a musical career took
place at the age of 8 when he won $5 in a local song contest performing the lachrymose
Red Folley ballad “ Old Sheep”. At the age of 10 he took part in a contest for amateurs at
the Mississippi Alabama Fair and Daily show, singing again “Old Sheep”. He won second
prize. His earliest musical influence came from attending the Pentecostal Church and
listening to the psalms and gospel songs. With his first guitar, an 11 years birthday
present, he began strumming country music and a little blues. He had a strong grounding
in country and blues and it was the combination of these different styles that was to
provide his unique musical identity.

At the age of 13, Presley moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee, looking for a
better living. They stayed in a social dwelling in one of the poorest neighborhoods of
Memphis. The income of the family was of $35 a week. It was very hard, so they soon
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moved into an apartment on Winchester Street 185, where they stayed 3 years and half.
Elvis studied at L.C. Humes High school, a 1600 students high school. He was unnoticed,
even from the musical point of view. During his later school years, he began cultivating
an outsider image, with long hair, spidery sideburns and ostentatious clothes: he used to
wear pink trousers with black jacket, or black trousers with pink jacket. He ventured
singing to his friends drumming at his guitar the few chords he knew, but became shy
when singing in front of an auditory. He overcame his fear only when his history teacher
introduced him in the school show. His melancholy song used to attract like a magnet. As
he grew up, he was introduced by country and western singers, and by black musicians,
imitating their hair style and dress.

In November 1950, he took a job at the Low Theatre. He used to work every evening from
5 to 10 for $12,75 a week. His next job was at the Marl Metal Products Company, where
he worked full time, from 3pm to 11pm. Sometime, he went to mow grass to have money
for small pleasures – tickets for cinema or circus. He learned singing by ear. He liked
dating a lot of girls. On Friday or Saturday nights, when he had no date, he used to go to
the cinema with the boys. His idols were Tony Curtis, Marlon Brando, James Dean,
Karl Malden or Rod Steiger.

In high school, Elvis wasn’t considered the most popular, the most talented, the most
attractive, the best or the one who was to succeed the fastest. He wasn’t “ the most” at
anything. At June 3,1953, he graduated high school and started looking for a job.

THE BEGINNING

In the summer of 1953, Elvis got a truck driver’s job at the Crown Electricity Company,
earning $1,25 an hour, a role in keeping with his unconventional appearance. In spite of
his rebel posturing, Presley remained seriously polite to his elders and was devoted to his
mother. Indeed, it was his filial affection that first prompted him to visit Sun Records,
whose studios offered the sophisticated equivalent of a fairground recording booth
service. As a birthday present for his mother, Presley cut a version of the Ink Spots “My
Happiness”, backed with the Raskin/Brown/Fisher standard “ That’s When Your
Heartaches Begin”. The studio manager, Marion Keisher, noted Presley’s unusual but
distinctive vocal style and informed Sun’s owner/ producer Sam Phillips of his potential.
Phillips, that was looking for a white boy capable of interpreting in the south-American
style nurtured the boy for almost a year before putting him together with country guitarist
Scotty Moore and bass player Bill Black. Their early sessions showed considerable
promise, especially when Presley began alternating his unorthodox low-key delivery
with a high-pitched whine. The amplified guitars of Scotty Moore and Black contributed
strongly to the effect and convinced Phillips that the singer was startlingly original. In
Presley, Phillips saw something that he had long dreamed and spoken of discovering: the
white boy who sang like a black one.
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Presley’s debut disc on Sun was the extraordinary “That’s All Right
Mama”, a showcase for his rich, multi-textured vocal dexterity with
sharp, solid backing from his compatriots. The b-side, “ Blue Moon
Of Kentucky”, was a country song, but the arrangement showed that
Presley was threatening to slip into an entirely different genre, closer
to R&B. Local response to these strange-sounding performances was encouraging and
Phillips eventually shifted 20,000 copies of the disk. Elvis, Scotty and Bill started to sing
in bars. They agreed to share the earning: 25% for Bill, 25% for Scotty and 50% for Elvis.
The disk soared to third place on local charts. Billboard, the main musical publication,
appreciated the disk, naming Presley: “ a vigorous new singer that can smash the country
music market, or the rhythm and blues one”. The success was encouraging, but nothing
exceptional. For his second single, Presley recorded Ray Brown’s “Good Rockin’
Tonight” baked by the zingy “ I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine”. “Baby Lets Play
House”/”I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” continued the momentum and led to
Presley performing on The Grand Old Opry and Louisiana Hayride radio program. Even
though the reception he got wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, he began to sing regularly in
public and increased his popularity in the Southern States. A series of live dates
commenced in 1955 with drummer DJ Fontana added to the ranks. Presley toured clubs in
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas billed as “The King Of western Bop” and “ The Hillbilly
Cat”. Audience reaction verged on the fanatical, which was hardly surprising given
Presley’s semi-erotic performances. His hip-swiveling routine, in which he cascaded
across the stage and plunged to his knees at dramatic moments in a song, was remarkable
for the period and prompted near-riotous fan mania.

MANAGED BY TOM PARKER

The final Sun single, a cover version of Junior Parker’s “ Mystery Train”, was later
acclaimed by many as the definitive rock’ n ’roll single, with its cheegging rhythm,
soaring vocal and enticing lead guitar breaks. It established Presley as an artist worthy of
national attention and ushered in the next phase of his career, which was dominated by the
imposing figure of Colonel Tom Parker. The Colonel, an illegal Dutch immigrant, (circar
de profesie), show animator and manager, was Elvis’s agent starting from 1955, and
benefited by half of the fabulous income of the musician. In 1955, Parker was almost a
legend: he was a former fairground huckster who managed several country artists
including Hank Snow and Eddy Arnold. After relieving disk jockey Bob Neal of Presley’s
manager ship, Parker persuaded Sam Phillips that his financial interests would be better
served by releasing the boy to a major label. The director of Atlantic Recording,
specialized in rhythm and blues and jazz, offered $25,000. RCA Records had noted the
commercial potential of the phenomenon under offer and agreed to pay Sun records a
release fee of $35,000, an incredible sum for the period. The attendant rock’ n ’roll
explosion, in which Presley was both a creator and participant, ensured that he could reach
a mass audience, many of them newly affluent teenagers. At August 5,1955, Elvis signed
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the exclusivity contract with Tom Parker. At November 20, he signed the contract with
RCA Victor.

Elvis was thinking a lot of the entertainment. He never rehearsed. He was 19 and he liked
to ride his motorbike looking for something spicy. At that time he had three songs in the
country chart: “Mystery Train”, “ Baby, Let’s Play House”,” I Forgot To Remember To
Forget”. When RCA recorded the 5 Sun records, Elvis found himself in the unique
situation of having 2 companies that were selling the same product.

It was on January 10,1956, a mere two days after his 21st birthday, that Presley entered
RCA’s studios in Nashville to record his first tracks for a major label. His debut session
produced the epochal “ Heartbreak Hotel”, one of the most striking pop records ever
released. Co-composed by Hoyt Axton’s mother, Mae, the song evoked less than a vision
of absolute funeral despair. There was nothing in the top charts of the period that even
hinted at the degree of desolation described in the song. Presley’s reading was
extraordinarily mature and moving, with a determined avoidance of any histrionics in
favor of a pained and resigned acceptance of loneliness and death. The economical yet
acutely emphatic piano work of Floyd Cramer enhanced the stark mood of the piece,
which was frozen in a suitably minimalist production. The startling originality and
intensity of “ Heartbreak Hotel” entranced the American public and pushed the single to
number 1 for an astonishing 8 weeks. Whatever else he achieved, Presley was already
assured a place in a pop history for one of the greatest major label debut records ever
released. During the same month that “ Heartbreak Hotel” was recorded, Presley made his
national television debut displaying his sexually enticing gyrations before a bewildered
adult audience. .

Since hitting number 2 in the UK hits lists with “ Heartbreak Hotel”, Presley had been
virtually guaranteed European success and his profile had increased via a regular series of
releases as RCA took full advantage of their bulging back catalogue. Although there was a
danger of overkill, Presley’s talent, reputation and immensely strong fan base vindicated
the intense release schedule and the quality of the material ensured that the public was not
disappointed. After hitting number 1 for the second time with the slight ballad “ I Want
You, I Need You, I Love You”, Presley realized what was to become the most
commercially successful double-sided single in pop history,” Hound Dog”/” Don’t Be
Cruel”. The former was composed by immortal rock’ n ’roll songwriting team of Leiber
and Stoller and presented Presley at his upbeat best with a novel lyric, completed with a
striking guitar solo and spirited hand clapping from his backing group, Jordanaires. Otis
Blackwell’s “ Don’t Be Cruel” was equally effective with a striking melody line and some
clever and amusing vocal gymnastics from the hiccupping King Of Western Bop, who
also received a co-writing credit. The single remained at number 1 in the USA for a
staggering 11 weeks and both sides of the record were massive hits in the UK. Elvis made
the Billboard 11 times in 1956 ( a record only he himself break, in 1957).
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THE MOVIE CAREER

In April 1956, Presley went to Hollywood to the Paramount Studious. Tom Parker
wanted him in cinematography too. The film producer Hal Wallis offered the Colonel a
contract for 3 movies. Elvis was to gain $100,000 for his services, and the sum was to
grow to $150,000 for the second film and $300,000 for the third. 2 LP’s and a splendid
Christmas album followed. Meanwhile, Colonel Parker was taking full advantage of the
singer’s popularity, organizing a sales organization that would make enormous profits by
selling wallets, t-shirts, belts, lipstick and all kinds of other gadgets and souvenirs. “
Time” as well as “ Newsweek” greeted Elvis in praise articles, pretty vacillating, though.
“ Time” named Presley the “ adolescent’s hero”, appreciating him to have a rich voice,
sexy moves…but a bad spelling. And it was true. The teenagers were driven mad when
seeing Elvis.

For a recreation, Presley used to go to the amusement park. Because of his popularity, he
couldn’t go at regular hours, but he used to rent the park after its closing.

Elvis started work on his first movie, “ Love Me Tender” in August,1956. The film was
initially entitled “ The Reno Brothers” and had no song included. In the end, 4 songs
were introduced. The premiere took place at November 16. In 3 weeks, the million dollars
spent was retrieved.

“ Love Me Tender” represents the beginning of a series of 31 movies shot in 13 years.

Even if most of the scripts were conceived to highlight Elvis’s talent and personality, they
had an enormous success contributing to the launching of a number of songs:” So Glad
You’re Mine”, “How’s The World Treating You”, “Ready Teddy”. In a few weeks, the
album was hitting number 1. “ Loving You”, his second film, boasted a quasi-
autobiographical script with Presley playing a truck driver who becomes a pop star.

At January 4, 1957, 4 days before reaching the age of 22, Elvis presented at the Kennedy
Veterans Hospital from Memphis for the medical examination needed for the enrolment.
He was to begin the instruction at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. In the first day of May he
began filming “ Jailhouse Rock”, his third film, considered by many specialists the best
from his entire career. The Leiber and Stoller title track was an instant classic that again
topped the US charts for 7 weeks and made pop history by entering the UK lists at number
1. When he finished the movie, in March 1957, Elvis bought the Graceland domain
( $100,000), situated a few miles from the Mississippi state boundary. It had 5 bedrooms
and 5 bathrooms. 23 rooms totally. In front of the house were statues of Elvis playing his
guitar.

The fourth celluloid outing, “ King Creole”, adapted from the Harold Robbins novel, “ A
Stone From Danny Fisher”, is regarded by many as Presley’s finest film indicator of his
sadly unfulfilled potential as a serious actor. Once more the soundtrack album featured
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some surprisingly strong material such as the haunting “ Crawfish” and the vibrant “
DixielandRock”.

THE ARMY

By the time “ King Creole” was released in 1958, Elvis had been inducted into the US
forces. It was asserted that the end of Elvis as a pop king came. The critics said “ Elvis is
dead”. New songs appeared:” Bye, Bye Elvis”, “ All American Boy” or “ Marchin’
Elvis”. Although rock’ n ’roll purists mourned the passing of the old Elvis, it seemed
inevitable in the context of the 50’s that he would move towards a broader base appeal
and tone down his rebellious image. Adults started to like Presley because it was planned
to cut his hair and to dress like a civilized person. On Friday, March 28, Elvis was
transferred to Texas. In September, Elvis and other 1400 soldiers were send to Germany.
The whole world looked at Presley with other eyes now. He was allowed to live outside
the unity, so the army was accused of favoritism. Soon, Elvis’s father and grandmother
came to Germany and bought a house. The press was informed that Elvis was to work in
the next 16 months in Germany, as a scout jeep driver.

For Presley, the day was starting early in the morning. He woke up at 5 to reach the unit
on time, being back home only at 5pm. The days were, in general, very boring. Only the
male could make them special(10,000 letters a week). To answer a part of these letters,
Elvis hired some secretaries. At June 1, he was promoted 4th grade specialist, which meant
that he got $135,30a week. At the end of February, Elvis had no songs in Billboards Hot
100, and that was for the first time in 3 years. He had been away from the music scene and
from the recording studios for 2 years, but his record company issued previously recorded
material, keeping his image alive.

MEETING PRISCILLA

During the years, Elvis’s name was tied up with about 100 girls, some of them famous,
some less famous, but many of them actresses. Publicity was made to every affair. From
time to time, Priscilla Beaulieu was mentioned.
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The Beaulieu family moved from Air Base Bergstrom, Austin, Texas to Wiesbaden,
Federal Germany. Considering Presley a hansom and sexy guy, with a melancholic and
deep look, Priscilla liked him, but she was not a fanatic. One evening, when she was in “
Eagles Club”, she was asked by Curry Grant, one of Elvis’s friends if she wanted to meet
the Rock’ n ’Roll Star. She was only 14 ( 9th grade), but she accepted. On the first date,
although impressed, Priscilla felt intimidated by an almost naked, natural size Brigitte
Bardot poster. Elvis liked the brunette with blue eyes, and Priscilla was short, feeble, with
long and chestnut hair and blue eyes. They dated only 4 months because Presley returned
to US.

There was nothing special: they used to go to the cinema or they drove the Presley-Wagen
(Elvis’s BMW in German). At that time in his life existed another girl, even if she was
living in the Presley house. She was a young governess, “ adopted” by Elvis after seeing
the way she was beaten by her father.

While Elvis was in the army, no one proved to be better than him. His patriotism attracted
another kind of public, so not only the teenagers admired him. His army behavior was
faultless, so he was praised by everybody. One day before leaving Germany, a monstrous
press conference was organized.

RETURNING HOME

The return to the musical and cinematographical career was marked by a popularity
diminution in the 60’s, because of the appearance on the international scene of the Beatles
and of other talents from Great Britain. Elvis returned home and received his official
welcome with an appearance on the Frank Sinatra show. He had beaten another record,
being payed with $125,000 for a 6 minutes appearance. Even if nervous, Presley was
polite as usual, addressing him only with “ Mr. Sinatra”. Elvis compelled recognition with
singing in smoking and not moving too much on the scene.

The change was immediately evident on the series of number 1 hits that he enjoyed in the
early 60’s. The enormously successful “ It’s Now Or Never”, based on the Italian melody
“ O Sole Mio”, revealed the King as an operatic crooner, far removed from his earlier
raucous recordings “ Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, originally recorded by Al Jolson as
early in 1927, allowed Presley to quote some Shakespeare in the spoken –word middle
section as well as showing his ham acting ability with an over rough vocal. Of course,
versions came out: “ Who’s Lonesome Tonight?”,” Oh, How I Miss You Tonight” or “
Yes, I’m Lonesome Tonight”. Many up-held that Elvis was to quit rock ’n’ roll. No one
confirmed or contradicted. A long period without concerts followed.
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The new clean-cut Presley was presented on celluloid “ G.I. Blues”. The movie played
upon his recent army exploits and saw him serenading a puppet on the chart-topper “
Wooden Heart”, which also allowed Elvis to show off his knowledge of German. The
grandiose “ Surrender” completed this phase of big ballads in the old-fashioned style. “
G.I. Blues” achieved an income of $4,3million only in USA and Canada. In the
meantime, Presley started filming “ Flaming Star”, a western. His last film at 20’th
Century Fox was “ Wild In The Country”(1961), the most demanding.

But it was “ Blue Hawaii” (1961) that discovered the formula that would be used in his
later films, all shot in well known tourist’s locations:” fight for your future, win the girl
and live happily ever after”. Elvis’s last live appearances (February 25 and March25,
1961) were in Memphis and in Hawaii: two benefit performances to raise money for the
USS Arizona, sunk during the attack at Pearl Harbor. This explains the extraordinary
success of his films, since for many years they would be the only way to see him sing.
Billboard classified “ It’s Now Or Never” as the best single of the year. The National
Academy of Art and Recordings Science proposed Elvis 5 times for the Grammy award- 3
times for “ Are You Lonesome Tonight” and 2 times for “ G.I. Blues”.

PRISCILLA

When Presley left Germany, he promised Priscilla he would call her as soon as he arrived
to USA. But he did it 21 days after. The first time he asked Priscilla to come to America
was in 1962, in her summer holiday. She stayed 2 weeks in Las Vegas, living with George
and Shirley Barris, Elvis’s friends. Priscilla became his doll, a doll dressed only by his
tastes: he bought her dresses, he made her make-up and had her hair done (“ I like the
heavy make-up. It capitalizes the features”). When Priscilla arrived back home, her
parents were very disappointed by her new look, but still allowed her to return to America
for Christmas. While Elvis was filming “ Fun In Acapulco”, Vernon registrated Priscilla
at one of the girl high schools from Memphis. Now her home was America.

For Elvis, the ideal woman was sensitive, loving, understanding, ready to fulfill any
unexpected wishes, wishes that a regular woman would have rejected, beautiful and with
humor. Priscilla was the best chose.

The exceptional career of the King had lost its brilliance. From 1965, Elvis was seen by
his fans only in movies. The last time he appeared on television was in 1960, at the Frank
Sinatra show, and the last concert was in the spring of 1961. The record sale shown that
Presley’s popularity was decreasing. The disks were no longer hitting the Top 10 and
none of them was declared the disk of the year from the spring of 1962. Elvis thought his
loss of popularity was the consequence of the dozen films; he hated their common
subjects and the speed they were filmed with. Elvis was disappointed by the music he
sang, too. Even if he never took a special lesson, he had an
exceptional musical sense and he loved almost every music
type: religious, opera, rhythm and blues, country and rock.
He was not interested in jazz.
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Elvis was now a married millionaire with a flawless politeness. His wife was expecting a
child.

He remained at Graceland till the end of January 1968. On February 1, at 8am, Elvis and
Priscilla got into a blue Cadillac and drove to the Baptist Memorial Hospital. In half hour,
Priscilla was hospitalized. Eight hours later, at 5,01pm, she gave birth to a 6 pounds girl.
They called her Lisa Marie. Priscilla remained in the hospital two more days. At
Graceland, thousands of greetings were arriving.

In the wake of the Beatles’s rise to fame and the beat boom explosion, Presley seemed a
figure out of time. Nevertheless, in spite of the dated nature of many of his recordings, he
could still invest power and emotion into classic songs. The sassy “ Frankie and Johnny”
was expertly sung by Presley as was his moving reading of Ketty Lester’s “ Love
Letters”. His other significant 1966 release, “ If Everybody Was Like Christmas”, was a
beautiful festive song unlike everything else in the charts of the period. By 1967,
however, it was clear to critics and even to a clear proportion of his devoted following
that Presley had seriously lost his way. He continued to grind out pointless movies like “
Double, Trouble”, “ Speedway”, “ Clambake” or “ Live A Little, Love A Little”, even
though the box-office returns were increasingly poor.

His capacity to register instant hits, irrespective of the material was also wearing thin, as
such lowly placed singles as “ You Gotta Stop” and “ Long Legged Woman”
demonstrated all alarmingly. However, just as Presley’s career had reached its all-time
nadir he seemed to wake up, take stock, and brake free from the artistic malaise in which
he found himself. Two songs written by the country guitarist Jerry Reed “ Guitar Man”
and “ US Male”, proved a spectacular return to form for Elvis in 1968, such as Presley’s
conviction that the compositions almost seemed to be written specifically for him. During
the same year, Colonel Tom Parker had approached NBC television about the possibility
of recording a Presley Christmas special in which the singer would perform a selection of
religious songs similar in feel to his early 60’s album “ His Hand In Mine”. However, the
executive producers of the show vetoed that concept in favor of a one-hour spectacular
designed to capture Elvis at his rock’ n ’rollin best. It was a remarkable challenge for the
singer, seemingly in the Autumn of his career, and he responded to the idea with
unexpected enthusiasm.

The Elvis special was broadcast in America on December 3,1968, and has since become
the most celebrated moments in pop broadcasting history. The show was not merely good
but an absolute revelation, with the King emerging as if he had been frozen in time for 10
years. His determination to recapture past glories oozed from every movement and it was
discernible in every aside with his leather jacket and acoustic guitar strung casually round
his neck, he resemble nothing less than the consummate pop idol of the 50’s who had
entranced a generation. To add authenticity to the proceedings, he was accompanied by
his old sidekicks Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. There was no sense of self-parody in the
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show as Presley joked about his famous surly curled-lip movement and even heaped
passing ridicule on his endless stream of bad movies. The music concentrated heavily on
his 50’s classics , but, significantly, there was a startling finale courtesy of the passionate
“ If I Can Dream” in which he seemed to sum up the frustration of a decade in a few short
lines. The critical plaudits heaped upon Elvis in the wake of his television special
prompted the singer to undertake his most significant recordings in years.

LAS VEGAS

The Colonel concluded a deal with the International, a 30 levels building, that was to
become the highest and the biggest hotel in Las Vegas (1519 rooms). When the Colonel
was negotiating, the building was not yet ready. It coasted $60 million and it was 346 feet
high, being the biggest construction in Nevada. They promised Elvis $100,000 for each
concert plus a percentage of the tickets sale. Everyone agreed that the only person who
could make Vegas a success in a record time was Presley.

On July 31,1969, he played the International Hotel to great public and critical acclaim.
This was the first of a series of 57 performances in the 1970s that brought him back to his
public. Three excellent singles, “In The Getto”, “Suspicious Minds” and “ Don’t Cry
Daddy”, made the charts between July and December. Thanks to these new successes,
Elvis began an intense and frenetic series of live appearance (over 1000 concerts in 5
years). “ In The Getto” hit number 2 in the UK and number 3 in the USA. The glorious “
Suspicious Minds”, a wonderful song of marital jealousy , with cascading tempo changes
and an exceptional vocal arrangement, gave him his first US chart-topper since “ Good
Luck Charm” back in 1962. “ Don’t Cry Daddy” dealt with the death of marriage. In
Vegas Elvis obtained the audience record: 207,494 persons in 6 concerts. At the end of the
year, he began his tour, after 13 years.

In 1969’s “ Charro”, he grew beard for the first time in his portrayal of a moody cowboy,
while “ A Change Of Habit” dealt with a more serious subject matter than usual. More
importantly, Presley returned as a live performer at Las Vegas, with a strong backing
group including guitarist James Burton and pianist Glen D. Hardin. In common with John
Lennon, who also returned to the stage that same year with the Plastic Ono Band, Presley
opened his set with Carl Perkins’s “ Blue Suede Shoes”.

His come back was well received and one of the live songs “ The Wonder Of You”,
stayed at number 1 in Britain for 6 weeks during the summer of 1970. There was also a
reveling documentary film of the tour:” That’s The way It Is” and a companion album
that included contemporary cover version, such as Tony Joe White’s “ Polk Salad Annie”,
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “ Proud Mary”, and Neil Diamond’s “ Sweet Caroline”.

During the early 70 ‘s Presley continued his live performances, but soon fell victim to the
same artistic atrophy that had bedeviled his celluloid career. Rather than re-entering the
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studio to record fresh material he relied on a few patchy live albums that saturated the
market place.

The concert “ Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii” from January 14, 1973, was broadcasted world
wide via satellite to an audience of a billion viewers. An historic album was made of this
concert: the first quadraphonic album to sell more than a million copies. The enormous
number of releases during this period obviously came from live recordings.

THE DECLINE

Presley began to feel trapped in his own myth, becoming a virtual recluse, surrounded by
an impenetrable court of relatives, friends and assorted shady characters who wouldn’t
allow him to lead a normal life. His divorce from Priscilla in 1973 marked the beginning
of the end. Alcohol and drug abuse took over and lead to frequent depressions.
Overeating and drinking made him so heavy that he had to resort to exhausting weight
loss treatments. These made his condition even worse and on several occasions he needed
to be hospitalized. On February12,1977, even with his precarious physical condition, he
began a new tour which ended on June 26 at the Marked Square Arena in Indianapolis.
The TV special “ Elvis in concert” would be taken from this last tour programmed to air
on CBS on October 3. Decided to take a rest from performing, he returned to Graceland,
his home in Memphis.

But at about 3o’clock in the afternoon on August 16, he was taken to emergency room of
Baptist Memorial Hospital, where, at 3:30 pm the doctors declared him dead due to
cardiac arrythmia. In the weeks following his demise, his record sales predictably
rocketed and “ Way Down” proved a fittingly final UK number 1

CONCLUSION

The importance of Presley in the history if rock’ n ‘roll and popular music remains
incalculable. In spite of his iconographical status, the Elvis image was never captured in a
single moment of time like that of Bill Haley, Buddy Holly or even Chuck Berry. In spite
of his apparent creative inertia, he was not a one-dimentional artist clinging to history but
a multi-faceted performer whose career spanned several decades and phases. For purists
and rockabilly enthusiasts it is the early Presley that remains of greatest importance and
there is no doubting that his personal fusion of black and white musical influences,
incorporating R&B and country. Beyond “ The Hillbilly Cat”, however, there was the
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face that launched a thousand imitators, that black-haired, smiling or smoldering presence
who stared from the front covers of EP’s, albums and film posters of the late 50s and 60s.

It was that well-groomed, immaculate pop star who inspired a generation of performers
and second rate imitators in the 60’s. There was also Elvis, the Las Vegas performer,
vibrant and vulgar, yet still distant and increasingly appealing to later generations brought
up on the excess of 70’s rock and glam emphera. Finally, there was the bloated Presley
who bestrod the stage in the last months of his career. For many, he has come to
symbolize the decadence and loss of dignity that is all too often heir to pop idolatry.

It is no wonder that Presley’s remarkable career so sharply devides those who testify to
his ultimate greatness and those who bemoan the gifts that he seemingly squandered along
the way. 20 years after Presley’s death, in August 1997, there was no waning of his power
and appeal.

Television, radio, newspapers and magazines all over the world still found that, whatever
was happening elsewhere, little could compare to his anniversary. Almost 5 years later, a
remix of the 1968 single “ A Little Less Conversation” by Dutch DJ Junkie XL provided
Presley with his eighteenth UK chart topper. In doing so, he nudged ahead of the Beatles
to claim the record number of UK number 1 singles.

FILMS

1. “ LOVE ME TENDER”, November 1956, Twentieth Century Fox

2. “ LOVING YOU”, July 1957, Paramount
3. “ JAILHOUSE ROCK”, October 1957, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
4. “ KING CREOLE”, May 1958, Paramount
5. “ GI BLUES”, October 1960, Paramount
6. “ FLAMING STAR”, December 1960, Twentieth Century Fox
7. “ WILD IN THE COUNTRY”, June1961, Twentieth Century Fox
8. “ BLUE HAWAII”, November 1961, Paramount
9. “ FOLLOW THAT DREAM”, March 1962, United Artists
10. “ KID GALAHAD”, July 1962, United Artists
11. “ GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!”, November 1962, Paramount
12. “ IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD’S FAIR”, April 1963, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
13. “ FUN IN ACAPULCO”, November 1963, Paramount
14. “ KISSIN’ COUSINS”, March 1964, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
15. “ VIVA LAS VEGAS”, May 1964, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
16. “ ROUSTABOUT”, November 1964, Paramount
17. “ GIRL HAPPY”, January 1965, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
18. “ TICKLE ME”, September 1965, Allied Artists
19. “ HARUM SCARUM”, October 1965, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
20. “ FRANKIE AND JOHNNY”, March 1966, United Artists
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21. “PARADISE, HAWAIIAN STYLE”, June 1966, Paramount
22. “ SPINOUT”, October 1966, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
23. “ EASY COME, EASY GO”, March 1967, Paramount
24. “ DOUBLE TROUBLE”, April 1967, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
25. “ CLAMBAKE”, October 1967, United Artists
26. “ STAY AWAY, JOE”, March 1968, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
27. “ LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE” ,October 1968, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
28. “ CHARRO”, March 1969, National General Corporation
29. “ THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS”, May 1969, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
30. “ CHANGE OF HABIT”, October 1969, N.B.C.- Universal
31. “ ELVIS: THAT’S THE WAY IT IS”, November 1970, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Bibliography

Jerry Hopkins “ Elvis”

Priscilla Presley “ Elvis And Me”

Internet