"Elvis died the day he went into the army." - John Lennon

A little read about Elvis in the military and other. I think the timeline regarding when certain things happened musically is wrong. It also mentions what happened to Chuck B, Jerry Lee Lewis. A good explanation for what happened to them is that they were busted in an attempt to quash that rock'n'roll music young people liked. The pix of Elvis in the barber chair is classic.

[www.washingtonpost.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-03-23 18:20 by bv.

I think I would partially agree with that.
After Elvis came out of the Army his sound and demeanor were different. His first hit after the Army (Stuck on You) has a sugary pop sound to it compared with what he did right before he went in (Ain't that Loving you Baby, King Creole). His best post Army hit was probably Little Sister which sounds closer to the pre-Army days than anything else he did at the time.

I would agree with Lennon: the best music was pre army.
But you could level that at many of the musicians of the time...and since. That is nothing beats the rawness of the early years.
In the case of Elvis, perhaps he (or rather The Colonel) thought that in order to prolong his career he needed to go more mainstream which of course led to what I personally felt to be a series of pretty dreadful films.
We tend to forget that most 'pop stars' of that ea had had very short careers (or at least top selling record) careers...so his Management had to take a longer term view.
Inevitably Las Vegas beckoned.

He did, and thats fine. What he did in that 5 year period is staggering. I just read an interview with DJ Fontana or Scotty Moore where they said they were surprised and happy that what's lasted and people gravitate towards more is the pre Army stuff. Post Army stuff; some of its ok, but most of it is total shlock. You could maybe get one CD of stuff, if that, thats really great. Largely, Elvis to me and many others is 54-59 and the 68 Comeback special.

In a sense, there's similarities with Elvis to the Stones' career.
While the Stones never joined the army obviously, they did go at war with each other, and after that they were never quite the same as far as quality recordings go.
Instead they rely on live shows just as Elvis did in his latter years in Vegas - hence the Vegas years that often describes the latter day Stones.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball
In a sense, there's similarities with Elvis to the Stones' career.
While the Stones never joined the army obviously, they did go at war with each other, and after that they were never quite the same as far as quality recordings go.
Instead they rely on live shows just as Elvis did in his latter years in Vegas - hence the Vegas years that often describes the latter day Stones.

,

Actually I'm sure ONE of the Stones (Bill) did join the Army. As he was born in 1936, he was eligible for the UK's National Service when he was 18. It was eventually phased out some years later.
Having said that, I'm sure at the height of their 'bad boy' phase many people would have felt a stint in the Army would have done them 'a lot of good'.
Can't imagine that Brian would have lasted more than 3 months (the Beatles Manager Brian Epstein couldn't cope with Army life either).

That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

Age 23 is a bit late to be called up, when there are no wars and plenty of 18 and 19 year olds to forcibly enlist.

By the time Lennon was 23, England had long since abandoned its National Service requirements.

Elvis did some fine things later on, like Suspicious Minds -- one of his best songs and a #1 to boot.

Lennon's bitter comment probably reflects the disappointing scenario of a trailblazing icon becoming instead something more of a respectable Establishment figure.

Quote
jlowe

Quote
Hairball
In a sense, there's similarities with Elvis to the Stones' career.
While the Stones never joined the army obviously, they did go at war with each other, and after that they were never quite the same as far as quality recordings go.
Instead they rely on live shows just as Elvis did in his latter years in Vegas - hence the Vegas years that often describes the latter day Stones.

,

Actually I'm sure ONE of the Stones (Bill) did join the Army. As he was born in 1936, he was eligible for the UK's National Service when he was 18. It was eventually phased out some years later.
Having said that, I'm sure at the height of their 'bad boy' phase many people would have felt a stint in the Army would have done them 'a lot of good'.
Can't imagine that Brian would have lasted more than 3 months (the Beatles Manager Brian Epstein couldn't cope with Army life either).

I was jokingly referring to the Stones joining the army as a band (which obviously didn't happen) just as Elvis did on his own at the height of his career.
And while the Stones may have already been past their prime by the time Mick and Keith fought it out with each other in the '80's, there's no denying they weren't the same when they mended their ways.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Stonehearted, as one who has lived in Europe and is now teaching himself Dutch, I always appreciate your contributions, which, like this one, are on the point

Not really; Elvis made some great material between 1960 - 1962. The movies, and their accompanying soundtracks, ruined his career.

However, to feel he was musically moribund from 1960-1968 isn't the whole story. He cut some great individual tracks, i.e the 1966 version of Love Letters, Indescribably Blue, Guitar Man, It Hurts Me, Tomorrow Is Such A Long Time, Viva Las Vegas title track. He also made a great gospel album in How Great Thou Art.

I think, however, the 1968 Comeback special, coupled with the 1969 Memphis Sessions, and the 1970 concerts, Elvis Country album, and That's The Way It Is, highlight a great soulful artist. I think the rot set in after the Stax Sessions in 1973.

From the 2013 book The Beatles: The BBC Archives: 1962-1970







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-03-24 22:31 by Title5Take1.

Quote
stonehearted
That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

Age 23 is a bit late to be called up, when there are no wars and plenty of 18 and 19 year olds to forcibly enlist.

By the time Lennon was 23, England had long since abandoned its National Service requirements.

Elvis did some fine things later on, like Suspicious Minds -- one of his best songs and a #1 to boot.

Lennon's bitter comment probably reflects the disappointing scenario of a trailblazing icon becoming instead something more of a respectable Establishment figure.

As a long time Elvis fan, i would have to agree with a lot of your observations. The 1968 Comeback special, and later the 1969 Memphis Sessions as tomcasagranda noted did add respectability to his languishing career, but I have always felt that the Colonel's attempts to "sanitize" Elvis and broaden his appeal via pop sugar recordings after his army stint along with those horrid grade zzz movies was not the best business decision by his manager. The 1969 recordings re-affirm that Elvis-given some good material was a great singer and artist.

Quote
Sighunt

Quote
stonehearted
That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

Age 23 is a bit late to be called up, when there are no wars and plenty of 18 and 19 year olds to forcibly enlist.

By the time Lennon was 23, England had long since abandoned its National Service requirements.

Elvis did some fine things later on, like Suspicious Minds -- one of his best songs and a #1 to boot.

Lennon's bitter comment probably reflects the disappointing scenario of a trailblazing icon becoming instead something more of a respectable Establishment figure.

As a long time Elvis fan, i would have to agree with a lot of your observations. The 1968 Comeback special, and later the 1969 Memphis Sessions as tomcasagranda noted did add respectability to his languishing career, but I have always felt that the Colonel's attempts to "sanitize" Elvis and broaden his appeal via pop sugar recordings after his army stint along with those horrid grade zzz movies was not the best business decision by his manager. The 1969 recordings re-affirm that Elvis-given some good material was a great singer and artist.

Thanks.

The years 1968-1973 showcased some great recordings by Elvis. I'm really pleased with the way Sony / BMG have re-marketed his catalogue. Grouping the Stax Recordings together, and re-mastering the 1972 Madison Sq Garden gigs were a stroke of genius.

However, not all his recordings from 1960 onwards were sugary: Reconsider Baby from Elvis Is Bank is a brilliant treatment of Lowell Fulson's classic.

1961

Elvis Presley- Little Sister






_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

A really nice one from 1970, Kentucky Rain: [www.youtube.com]

Quote
tomcasagranda

Quote
Sighunt

Quote
stonehearted
That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

Age 23 is a bit late to be called up, when there are no wars and plenty of 18 and 19 year olds to forcibly enlist.

By the time Lennon was 23, England had long since abandoned its National Service requirements.

Elvis did some fine things later on, like Suspicious Minds -- one of his best songs and a #1 to boot.

Lennon's bitter comment probably reflects the disappointing scenario of a trailblazing icon becoming instead something more of a respectable Establishment figure.

As a long time Elvis fan, i would have to agree with a lot of your observations. The 1968 Comeback special, and later the 1969 Memphis Sessions as tomcasagranda noted did add respectability to his languishing career, but I have always felt that the Colonel's attempts to "sanitize" Elvis and broaden his appeal via pop sugar recordings after his army stint along with those horrid grade zzz movies was not the best business decision by his manager. The 1969 recordings re-affirm that Elvis-given some good material was a great singer and artist.

Thanks.

The years 1968-1973 showcased some great recordings by Elvis. I'm really pleased with the way Sony / BMG have re-marketed his catalogue. Grouping the Stax Recordings together, and re-mastering the 1972 Madison Sq Garden gigs were a stroke of genius.

However, not all his recordings from 1960 onwards were sugary: Reconsider Baby from Elvis Is Bank is a brilliant treatment of Lowell Fulson's classic.

Very true, there were some exceptions, but I am speaking more in totality. From my perspective, and I agree with your assessment, Elvis had some great recordings from 68-to 73- my personal favorite being the Memphis Sessions from 69.

Elvis was the first to record the Mac Davis song In The Ghetto,
which was his big comeback hit in 1969, a couple releases
ahead of Suspicious Minds: [www.youtube.com]

Speaking of Mac Davis, remember A Little Less Conversation, the song they dressed up for re-release sometime around 2000?

Here's the original recording from '68, a movie clip from Live A Little, Love A Little: [www.youtube.com]

I like "Old Elvis/Fat Elvis" as much as young Elvis. One can get caught up in the image, the lore and the beauty of youth; we probably all do. Once we escape those prejudices, we become a better listener and we can enjoy the music.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Quote
rollmops
I like "Old Elvis/Fat Elvis" as much as young Elvis. One can get caught up in the image, the lore and the beauty of youth; we probably all do. Once we escape those prejudices, we become a better listener and we can enjoy the music.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Fat Elvis only came to the fore circa 1976. I think Elvis was injected with cortisone at some stage around this time. There's some photos from the Way Down In The Jungle Room set, and he doesn't appear overly corpulent.

I think his music became corpulent though, i.e Last Farewell, Hurt. I happen to love his cover of Larry Gatlin's Bitter They Are Harder They Fall, and also enjoy his versions of Danny Boy, and Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain is more soulful, and is almost the polar opposite to Willie Nelson's wonderful stripped down Red Headed Stranger version.

I guess John was the opinionated Beatle. When John died the Beatles opinions section also died. I wonder what John would have said about the world today or even the state of The Rolling Stones?
At least he wasn't afraid of speaking his mind.

Quote
stonehearted
That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

right, but remember what Muhammad Ali did when he was drafted.
For Elvis joining the army was a kind of career step stongly adviced by his manager, who was trying the rebelious Elvis of the 50s into a nice boy (and Elvis was stupid enough to follows Parker's advice)

Quote
slewan

Quote
stonehearted
That quote by Lennon is a bit naïve, as are, frankly, some of the comments above.

Elvis never joined the army, he was drafted.

right, but remember what Muhammad Ali did when he was drafted.
For Elvis joining the army was a kind of career step stongly adviced by his manager, who was trying the rebelious Elvis of the 50s into a nice boy (and Elvis was stupid enough to follows Parker's advice)

But Elvis was a nice boy and a conformist. I don't think serving in the Army in the days of the universal draft was that outside of his character. I also think he would have gone more middle-of-the-road whether he joined the army or not. He signed with RCA and the Hollywood studios. That had more to do with it than military service. The rockabilly thing was limiting his audience.

I wonder what John would have said about the world today

He'd be shocked at what a world of dobbers it has become ....



ROCKMAN

One could also say that Lennon died the day he met Yoko.

Quote
stonehearted
One could also say that Lennon died the day he met Yoko.

Ouch