Today marks the 35 anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. A record 75,000 fans were on hand at Graceland for the candlelight vigil held every year beginning last night. This morning, his ex-wife Priscilla and their only daughter Lisa Marie were interviewed side-by-side for the first time inside the mansion. Remarkably, Elvis’ biggest fear was that he would be forgotten as quickly as his fame rose. Obviously, it can be argued that he is at least as popular today as he was in his prime.
Also highlighted in a 24 hour marathon is the Hollywood years. 31 movies made in only 13 years (in 1968 he made at least 4 movies). A few show what he could have become. Many are fun to watch while a lot are painful to watch and for him, personally, to make. This afternoon while sick in bed, I tried to watch Double Trouble. In one scene, he sings “Old MacDonald” to a 17 year-old girl who throws herself at him every chance she gets. I gratefully rolled over and went back to sleep.
This morning, I also heard a rendition of one of my 3 favorite Elvis songs performed as a duet with Lisa Marie and found a video of it to share. Almost remarkable how much daughter resembles father. Over the years, I have come to not only appreciate the power and heart that he brought to the more “meaningful” songs but to prefer them. What a loss at only 42 years of age.
I like this version of In the Ghetto too. Lisa Marie has a nice voice, but I read somewhere what a struggle its been for her to be able to get out from her father’s shadow and also how difficult it was for her to be forced to record whatever kind of music that people made her. She felt she didn’t have a whole lot of creative freedom.
Hmmm…. trying to think of a major musical celebrity who didn’t record a post-mortem duet with an offspring 🙂
I don’t think Elvis is as popular today as he was in his heyday. I might try to ask my youth group girls if they know who he is or if they can name 1 of his songs. But I agree with you that he needn’t have worried about being forgotten, that’s for sure.
At least people seem to have gotten over insisting he is alive as the great Elvis sightings of the ’80s have gone extinct. 🙂
Well… As popular is probably stretching it a bit but I imagine most of your youth group kids know who he was.
So that gentleman in Kalamazoo who I saw last Sunday was not the real thing?! 😉
Can’t really think of anything in reply here. I’m not an Elvis fan and never was. Nice song though. I remember a certain somebody singing this in a certain Idol parody, if my memory serves me correctly that is.
Oh Wooly Shhep! That is a one of Morat’s favorite songs! Right u a there withe the livin viva loca! EVERYONE WINS!