Yesterday was the anniversary of Elvis’ death and I really wanted to write a great tribute post but, as my New Band Day post made clear, I was in a bit of rush. I figure that any time is a good time for a tribute, so I guess today will be fine.
To most people, Elvis is just Graceland and glittery jumpsuits, but he was so much more. It’s easy to forget that he was just a guy who had his own problems and his own life and wasn’t only a big Vegas show. Musically, he changed everything. You could argue that he ripped off unrecognized black artists, but you could also argue that he brought some focus to artists that the world would’ve ignored forever if someone hadn’t shoved them in their faces. (How many people of my generation knew about Son House before The White Stripes told us about him? I didn’t and I discovered a whole new world through them.) Elvis worshipped those musicians; as far as I understand, he didn’t set out to steal their sound, he just wanted to sound like them.
Elvis’ life and career were so complicated that it took the amazing music historian (and one of my personal heroes) Peter Guralnick two volumes to cover it completely. I’m finding myself floundering to write anything about him that can even cover a fraction of his importance and influence. I think I’ll just say that if you only know Elvis as the logo that we see plastered everywhere, you should give his music another chance. There’s never been anyone like him and there probably never will be again. Those early Sun recordings are some of the most thrilling music that’s ever been recorded - they’re full of that fire that comes from youth and the excitement of doing something new and different.
Elvis Presley - Baby Let’s Play House
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