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Long live the KING of the King of Rock and Roll!
I grew up as a teenager during Rock & Roll’s takeover of the music industry. I was a pre-teen when rock and roll music showed up in movies with the rock and roll stars singing beach blanket bingo in their bikinis or Elvis singing and dancing on a Hawaiian Island cookout.
Every Saturday we would do our chores such as clean our rooms, strip the beds, wash the clothes, and vacuum the carpets until lanes of tracks could be seen throughout the house. Once all the chores were done, we would hop into my dad’s Ford Fairlane and he would drop us at the Arlington Theatre for the rest of the day until the early evening hours. This was a form of baby-sitting for my single dad and a get-away from real life for me.
Back then you could go to the movies with two crisp dollars in your hand. One to get into the movie and the other for popcorn, soda and a box of snow caps. Not only would you see the main feature, but you would also get a couple of full-length cartoons and a bunch of up-and-coming movie previews.
We would meet our friends there and the first time I held the sweaty hand of a young guy was sitting in the back row of that theatre. I was never so scared in all my life to have this young man take my hand in his and hold it there throughout the movie. Do you know how hard it was to eat popcorn and drink my coke with only one hand?
I loved Saturday’s because I could escape from the woes of my childhood and become the one Elvis Presley sang to on the screen. I could imagine myself as his girlfriend as he moved towards me with those dreamy eyes, curled up lip and slicked back hair. He was a dreamboat and I fell head over heels in love with him. I didn’t miss one Elvis movie. I babysat to earn money to buy his 45 singles and I spent hours listening to them on my record player. Each of those 45s were stacked on top of each other and one by one would drop on the player and Elvis would croon in my room as I did my homework.
I was crazy about Elvis. Posters of him hung on my wall and anything with Elvis on it was purchased to sit on my dresser. I saw Elvis in concert twice and my husband-to-be held me back as I tried to jump over three rows to the front to catch one of his scarves. I wasn’t sure if we would survive as a couple that night but I married him anyway and forgave him for holding me back from the King. When I walked down the aisle in 1975, Love me Tender was sung instead of the traditional waltz. And two years later on August 16, 1977, my husband and I were heading to a birthday meal with a family member and the big announcement came over WAPE – “The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, … is dead.”
I cried all through dinner and for nearly 4 days in a row. I took off from work and watched his funeral from beginning to end and could not believe that the world would keep on turning.
Why did I like Elvis so much? First of all – he was danged cute! Second – he came from humble beginnings and his parents were Southern people just like my family. He loved his parents and he was a good boy. He was well mannered. He took care of those less fortunate. He kept his friends around him and took care of their families. He married the first girl he fell in love with and he could never fill the void of her leaving – even though he could have any woman in the world. He loved America and he loved his God more than anything. No matter what songs Elvis sang, he always had some gospel song in the mix. Elvis made me feel special and helped me escape many heartbreaks caused by boyfriend breakups or teen girlfriends with their mean-spiritedness. He also helped me escape the void of my mother’s leaving by having a great cry to one of his songs such as “Are you lonesome tonight?” or “Don’t cry daddy” when I would hear my father sobbing alone in his bedroom.
Although drugs took his life, Elvis made his mark on the world and it was a good one. The songs he sang would fill your heart with joy, love or even sorrow but there was always a little hope at the end of each song.
Why would I write about Elvis on a tea party blog? Because I can only imagine what Elvis would be singing if he were alive today. I’m pretty sure he would tell us To Dream the Impossible Dream or he would be at a tea party singing The American Trilogy.
He would definitely sing America the Beautiful.
Rest in peace Elvis. The country that allowed you, a Southern, poor, country boy, to rise to success is still alive and well and we are still being held by One Pair of Hands.
America is still the best country on the face of this planet and we Rock and Roll, thank you very much...
Thanks for the memories.
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Comment
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Comment by FCTP on August 22, 2011 at 4:37pm
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Wow Glen -- can I touch you? You are the man and I hope your mom still has the black jacket. Elvis was a true gentleman and loved his fellow man.
Awesome story!
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Comment by Marty Cleghorn on August 22, 2011 at 1:28pm
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What a wonderful story - and thank you for sharing with us, Glen. Beautiful.
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Billie, here is a real Elvis story. A young man was stationed outside of Memphis when in 1973 a movie came out Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. This young man on a Wednesday night drove his 66 vette into Memphis to see this movie. Now back then theatres were HUGE and with three or four entrances into the auditorium. This young man bought his usual coke, popcorn and FLICKS and went into the auditorium and sat in the very back row. It was movie time and not one soul was in the theatre, Thinking the movie may be cancelled two men stepped into the theatre looked around and left. Next came an entourage of guys and in the midst was the king Elvis Presley!! They all went to the middle of the auditorium when one of the guys noticed this lone young man in the very back. He said, "you have to get out of here this theatre been reserved". The young man said, "I don't think so, I already bought my ticket and can only be here tonight to see this movie." Just then Elvis got up and told the guy to wait a minute and asked the young sailor his name where he was from and then said "come on down here with us and watch the movie". The young sailor did just that, sitting right next to Elvis Presley for the entire movie!! The young sailor was from the west and Elvis wasn't as popular as in the south although, the sailors Mom loved the gospel singing of Elvis. After the movie an invitation was extended to come to the mansion and shoot pool so on and so forth. The young man was a loner at the time and didn't take the offer but, he told Elvis of his moms love of his gospel music and could he have an autograph to send home. The king laughed and replied, "we can do better than that, he took off his leather jacket and told me to send this to my mom!" Yes he did and so did the young sailor....me!!!
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Comment by Carol Griesbaum on August 17, 2011 at 9:14am
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Just got in from Illinois and on our way back, Bill and I stopped in Memphis - Monday. Went to a Memphis Redbirds game - Beale Street and then to the candle light vigil for Elvis. It was AWESOME ! We have been to Graceland many times. I loved the memorials set up in street in front of his mansion. It was a beautiful evening - cool, clear and a beautiful moon overhead. They said not as many people this year but I'm sure next year - 35 years - will be different. We were thinking it won't be long before many of us are "too old" and will there be many younger ones who remember.
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I can only say, that most guys of my age (late 1950's) did not like Elvis, to start with. Why? Elvis was getting more attention from the girls, all girls, than all of their boyfriends (combined) were getting. However, I was stationed in Memphis in 1960, and my younger sister asked me to go to Graceland. It was majestic, even at that time (which was long before it became the absolutely HUGH memorial that it is now). It was majestic to ME at that time, and totally changed my opinion of Elvis. I chipped a piece of the stone wall around Graceland and sent it to my sister. The reason my opinion of Elvis changed that day, was because Elvis bought Graceland for his mother, whom he loved and felt that she deserved much more. That was when I learned to appreciate Elvis Pressly the man!
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Thanks for sharing. Spent some time in Germany ( US Army ) with him in the mid 50's. A great person and truly an American Idol. His richness is truly missed in todays music field.
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Thanks (as always) Billie. My family just rolls their eyes when this date comes around 'cause they KNOW how I had to pull my car into the parking lot of the K-Mart on Blanding Boulevard when I heard the radio announcer say, "Folks, The KING is dead." When the words, "From Memhis" came on I just felt sick. It really was a devastating moment and as the years go by I think about what a simple time that was and how even famous people like Elvis contributed to their country as was expected (U. S. Army service), often helping the less fortunate, and being proud to be American. I think lots of us who grew up with Elvis records are the ones with the energy and indignation about the spending going on at the Federal Government level. We need to keep more money local and improve our own communities, establish and maintain standards and then let that pattern move up the chain. Uncontrolled Federal spending has been going on way too long and we definitely can unite to make it happen. Tea Party Strong.
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Comment by Hugo Morales on August 16, 2011 at 11:32am
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I remember when Elvis was to perform at the Florida Theather in Jacksonville, we were such prudes in those days, Judge Mack Gooding forbib him from any "hip girations" or the performance would be cancelled. My father was a mechanic in those days for Langley Oldsmobile on Phillips Highway.
He actually worked on elvis's legendary pink caddy.
My wife actually spent a day with him when he was filming "Follow that Dream"
He touched many lives and left an indelable memory behind.
I loved his music, I had a sister that passed away many years ago, they played Elvis gospel music at her funeral.
Good night Elvis, say Hello to GOD for me, I will see you all again soon.
Tom Wright
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Comment by Patricia DeFazio on August 16, 2011 at 8:24am
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Well said...
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