“DID YOU LOVE ELVIS PRESLEY?” That was the question that popped up on Quora on Friday and that I ignored over the weekend. It seems kinda dumb but this morning it caught my attention again and I thought I’d check out whatever answers had been posted in the past few days. One answer from a young man signed in as Zeek Street stood out from the others:
“I wasn’t born in that time period and I’m not much of a rock and roll sort of guy. However, he was an innovator in his own right and paved the way for artists like Ed Sheeran and the likes.” 1
This is actually a favorite topic of mine, although not a topic I have addressed at any length in any of my essays. Nonetheless, I immediately responded to his comment:
“Zeek, most people—or maybe I should say ‘most record buyers’—do not now or ever did genuinely like genuine rock & roll. What most (white) record buyers like/liked was pop music with a beat and a little rhythm.”
To the original Quora question, “Did you love Elvis Presley?” I answered, What’s with the past tense “did”?
Finally, to read the entire thread, click HERE.
FEATURED IMAGE: The photo at the top of this page is of Elvis the Pelvis, Steve Allen, and Sherlock This photo was taken during rehearsal, prior to the broadcast where Elvis was legendarily angered or embarrassed or humiliated by having to sing to a dog. He doesn’t look remotely put off by the dog in this photo. As for Allen’s get-up and props (10-gallon hat, 6-shooter, and fake guitar), Elvis also took part in his first and only comedy skit titled “Range Roundup” with Allen, Imogene Coca, and Andy Griffith. 2
FOOTNOTES:
1 Hah! I didn’t have to look up who Ed Sheeran is because I saw the movie Yesterday!
2 I suppose you could count Presley’s performance with Frank Sinatra on the latter’s 1960 television special as a comedy skit of sorts.