42 Years Ago We Lost The King

JF-30

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Elvis died 42 years ago. I remember my parents dropping me off at my Grandparents house in the early 70's. They were going to Reno to see The King.
 

Guildedagain

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A string of hits the likes very few have ever been able to come close.

Hound Dog

Jailhouse Rock

Little Sister

Blue Suede Shoes

Heartbreak Hotel

Rest in Peace brother, you will always be with us, in our hearts.
 

adorshki

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An often overlooked classic, one that "lit me up" when I realized it was live, no lip-synch.
Didn't even discover it 'til '98.
From King Creole, the title track:


And he drove a lot of cool cars too:

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elva-mk-vi-04.jpg

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Elvis-507-roadster-2.jpg
 
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D30Man

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I have said many times when the great debate around iconic voices comes up, Elvis in his prime had one of the most beautiful and dynamic voices in popular music.. No one could cover the ground quite like him.. Whether a gritty / bluesy rock number, love ballad or a gospel song, he could deliver.. He is in my top 5 favorite voices of all time..
 

Guildedagain

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Not included in the original list, but dawning on me now, Caught in a Trap. Probably one of the last Elvis videos are of him singing it in Vegas, he was caught in trap, and it's so very sad... give it a watch.
 

dreadnut

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That was big news, and hard to believe at the time. I was 25.

I have a VHS video that I shot when I was in Japan in 1990, at a park in Tokyo, about 25-30 Elvis impersonators were taking turns dancing in the center of the circle to Elvis songs blasting from the boom box. Bizzare. I shall have to digitize my vhs tapes so I can share it.
 

Quantum Strummer

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I like Sun-era Elvis along with some of the early RCA stuff and the sitdown part of the '68 Christmas special where he borrows Scotty Moore's guitar.

-Dave-
 

adorshki

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Not included in the original list, but dawning on me now, Caught in a Trap. Probably one of the last Elvis videos are of him singing it in Vegas, he was caught in trap, and it's so very sad... give it a watch.

"Suspicious Minds"
The first tune of his I ever actually liked, as at 14 I had no taste for the early rock'n'roll stuff or movie tunes.
Never really lit up for him until I saw that acoustic jam in the '68 special as Quantum mentioned, like 20 years after the fact
Yep. "That's All Right" nails it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZe_8u-rGWE
 

Rich Cohen

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Elvis was literally consumed by our hedonistic culture and economy. He was a vulnerable country boy and got swallowed unfortunately, as did so many others around that time, and continue even today. There are many lessons to be learned from his experience. May his soul rest in peace.
 

richardp69

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He sang a song called "One Pair Of Hands" which was very meaningful to many, including me. I play that one at Church occasionally but obviously, Elvis I ain't. I didn't really follow him back in the day but have come to appreciate his voice and talent as I've grown older.
 

adorshki

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Elvis was ONLY 42 years old when he took his life! There's a lesson in it.

Do you really think he took his own life?
The most credible reports I recall (IIRC, such as from his brother who lived with him) indicated it was accidental.
But regarding your earlier post about being consumed, I never realized until just now that from 1960 through '68 continuous he was cranking out 3 movies a year (with the exception of '60, '61 and '63 with only 2 each).
Yeesh.
And sure he was known to have had a "lot of fun" over the years, but considering his "crew" was known as the Memphis Mafia there IS a dark connotation about all the covered up escapades.
I'm sure there WAS some feeling of isolation on his part, "having it all" in the security and privacy of Graceland but being largely unable to just go out in public as an anonymous regular joe.
Yeah that could drive a person to self-medicating for emotional rather than physical pain..but I think he still wanted to live.
 
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Westerly Wood

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Do you really think he took his own life?
The most credible reports I recall (IIRC, such as from his brother who lived with him) indicated it was accidental.

yes, totally agreed. Elvis did NOT take his own life.
 

Westerly Wood

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By the time of his death, Presley was rather overweight. His fondness for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches and other unhealthy foods was well-known and he suffered from several ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, and glaucoma...

and

Between 1975 and 1977, the doctor had written prescriptions for 19,000 doses of drugs for Presley. From just January to August of 1977, he had prescribed more than 10,000 doses.

I am surprised he lasted to 42.
 
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adorshki

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Westerly Wood

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Trying to come back to happier memories, and speaking of escapades, I'll trot out the story of the time Jerry Lee Lewis was turned away from the gates of Graceland not once but twice in 24 hours:
https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/jerry-lee-lewis-arrested-at-the-gates-of-graceland.shtml
And "Elvis Stops For Gas":
https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvis-stop-in-vickers-gas-station-memphis-october-4-1976.shtml

thanks for that Al, I never heard of the Million Dollar Quartet before. 1956. what a ride. gonna go wiki that one.
 

dreadnut

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Definitely another wonderful person's life cut short by excesses and addiction. Fame and fortune are fleeting things.

Nonetheless, he was The King! Nobody was ever bigger than Elvis. And it wasn't like he didn't have any competition - Roy Orbison, Del Shannon, Ricky Nelson, Ray Charles, Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Chuck Berry, The Killer, Johnny Mathis, Chubby Checker, Dion DiMucci, Bobby Vee, Bobby Vinton, Gene Pitney, Frankie Avalon...on and on; Elvis was bigger than any of them.
 
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