A swivel of the hip and a shake of the leg and the crowd
goes wild. Girls scream, there’s fainting in the front row, and concerned
parents are wondering what, exactly, is going on. Elvis is in town.
When Elvis Presley arrived on the scene in the mid-1950s,
the world of pop music changed forever. He brought a new sound and a new
aesthetic to rock ‘n’ roll, influenced by blues, Christian gospel, and Southern
country, and sung in his distinctive baritone voice with a three-octave range.
His high-energy performances, meanwhile, sent his fans into a frenzy, while courting
controversy among society’s more conservative elements.
Elvis was more than a singer, though. He soon became a
cultural icon, whose sense of style ranged from a slick James Dean look
(complete with signature quiff and sideburns), to outlandish diamond-studded
jumpsuits that inspired the likes of Elton John. He was endlessly colorful and
entertaining both on stage and off, belying his humble Memphis roots and the
shyness he felt as a child.
In his personal life, Presley had his ups and downs,
struggling with both drugs and his health (he had a well-documented love of
peanut butter, bacon, and banana sandwiches). Still, his comeback concerts
never failed to impress, and few doubted that he deserved the title of the
“King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” As Leonard
Bernstein once said, “Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the 20th
century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it’s a
whole new social revolution.”
Here are 15 quotes from the King himself, covering
everything from his famously provocative pelvis to his views on fame and
fortune.
Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people
sway back and forth. I just sorta do ‘em all together, I guess.
To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is
like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.
The first time that I appeared on stage, it
scared me to death. I really didn't know what all the yelling was about. I
didn't realize that my body was moving. It's a natural thing to me. So to the
manager backstage I said, “What'd I do? What'd I do?” And he said, “Whatever it
is, go back and do it again.”
Just because I managed to do a little
something, I don't want anyone back home to think I got the big head.
The image is one thing and the human being is
another… it's very hard to live up to an image.
In public, I like real conservative clothes,
something that's not too flashy. But onstage, I like ‘em as flashy as you can
get ‘em.
Money's meant to be spread around. The more
happiness it helps create, the more it’s worth. It's worthless as old cut-up
paper if it just lies in a bank and grows there without ever having been used
to help a body.
Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out
for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.
I'm not a loner, I don't think. But I've got
to admit. Sometimes I like just getting off by myself. You know. Just off
somewhere alone. No crowds or anything. Where it's just peaceful. And quiet.
And you can think.
I figure all any kid needs is hope and the
feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some
kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world.
Money can never buy everything your heart
desires. It won't buy love, or health, or true happiness.
My momma taught me one thing right from the
very beginning, and that's that everyone's got a right to his own opinion. I
believe that. And I also believe that you can't make everyone like you.
I watch my audience and listen to them, and I
know we are all getting something out of our system. None of us knows what it
is. The important thing is that we’re getting rid of it and nobody’s getting hurt.
I've had a pretty good lesson in human
nature. It’s more important to try to surround yourself with people who can
give you a little happiness, because you only pass through this life once,
Jack. You don’t come back for an encore.
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