MantuaPharoah said:

Whoa...Elvis was NO racist, he was brought up in the deep south and lived alongside blacks, he LOVED their music and used to wander up Beale Street listening to all the blues music, and he was heavily influenced by gospel too. He was great friends with Mohammad Ali, I have NO idea where you got that quote from! But I know a LOT about Elvis and I've never heard such a thing. Exactly the opposite! Prince was asked during the Musicology tour if Elvis was an influence, he said something along the lines of "I admired great musicians and songwriters, more than 'performers'" (bit of a slight there I thought, and a little ungracious) but he was almost certainly influenced by Elvis to some degree, EVERYONE has been influenced by Elvis to a degree. Delirious is reminiscent of early Elvis, I doubt he would have recorded it later in his career though, he was kind of past the rock'n'roll stage by then! He'd already DONE that.

PS Public Enemy are WRONG, no idea where they got their info from either.. probably just made it up - and who hates John Wayne...
[Edited 6/21/09 17:04pm]

blackguitaristz said:

I've never heard that, but I wonder who it was 'quoted' by? There have been a lot of hate books written about Elvis, and I wonder if it WAS said, if it was in some kind of joking way or misquoted you know? Sometimes things get misconstrued, because he had people around him at Graceland who were black, people working there etc, right up to his death. And by them 'working' there, that meant they were friends, he trusted them and they were part of the family. His 'cook' was a black woman, oh oh... let's not get into the fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches!! He never seemed to forgot his roots, So that would really surprise me. I didn't know that about John Wayne...that's bad news. Yeah, I think some of his 'performing' was influenced by Elvis too

Knowing the dubious reputation of Sepia, Louie Robinson, the black associate editor of the black-owned JET magazine, decided to investigate the authenticity of the alleged statement and report to his readers. “Tracing the rumored racial slur to its source was like running a gopher to earth,” Robinson later wrote. “No matter what hole it dived back in, it popped out of another one.”

Running down Elvis was easier. In the summer of 1957, Robinson interviewed the star in his Hollywood dressing room on the set of Jailhouse Rock. Presley categorically denied making the statement. “I never said anything like that,” he declared, “and people who know me know I wouldn’t have said it.”

Robinson then talked with some blacks who knew Elvis and included their remarks in his JET article. “He faces everybody as a man,” said Dudley Brooks, a Los Angeles piano player who worked on Presley recording sessions. “I never heard of the remark, but even so I can’t imagine Presley saying that, not knowing him the way I do.”

Back in Tupelo, Dr. W.A. Zuber told Robinson, “I knew him when he was a kid. He used to play the guitar and go around with quartets and to Negro ‘sanctified’ meetings. He lived near the colored section, and people around here say he’s one of the nicest boys they ever knew. He just doesn’t impress me as the type of person who would say a thing like that.

Indeed, in heavily segregated Memphis of that day, Presley was regularly seen at black-only events. In June 1956, a Memphis newspaper reported that Elvis had attended the Memphis Fairgrounds amusement park on a designated “colored night.” The next month, he attended black radio station WDIA’s charity event, featuring all-black talent, including Ray Charles, B. B. King, the Moonglows, and DJ Rufus Thomas.

B. B. King defends Elvis

In a Sepia article, B. B. King supported Elvis. “What most people don’t know,” stated King, “is that this boy is serious about what he’s doing. He’s carried away by it. When I was in Memphis with my band, he used to stand in the wings and watch us perform. As for fading away, rock and roll is here to stay and so, I believe, is Elvis. He’s been a shot in the arm to the business and all I can say is ‘that’s my man’.”

In his 1957 investigative article in JET, Louie Robinson concluded that not only did blacks know Presley; he also knew blacks. “I always wanted to sing like Billy Kenny of the Ink Spots,” Robinson quoted Elvis. “I like that high, smooth style.” When Robinson asked about the origin of his “earthy, moaning baritone” singing voice, Presley responded, “I never sang like this in my life until I made that first record—That’s Alright, Mama. I remembered that song because I heard Arthur (Big Boy) Crudup sing it and I thought I would like to try it.”

Robinson did confirm that Presley was making more money singing rhythm and blues than black performers of the day. While Elvis’s nearest competitor, Fats Domino, was expected to earn $700,000 in 1957, Robinson suggested Elvis would earn twice that much.

And as for the accusation that Presley was making buckets full of money off songs written by blacks, who earned very little for their songwriting talents, Robinson quoted Otis Blackwell, writer of two huge Presley hits “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up.” Without giving specific numbers, Blackwell confirmed, “I got a good deal. I made money. I’m happy.”

Elvis — "I always liked that kind of music."

Robinson was impressed with Presley’s honest evaluation of his contribution to the genre. “A lot of people seem to think I started this business,” Elvis explained, “but rock ’n’ roll was here a long time before I came along. Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let’s face it; I can’t sing it like Fats Domino can. I know that. But I always liked that kind of music.”

As for the “shine rumor,” it was easy for Robinson to discard the Sepia magazine allegation that Elvis made the remark in Boston, since the twenty-two-year-old singer had never been in that city. Robinson had also heard, by “word of mouth,” that Elvis made the infamous comment to Edward R. Murrow on his CBS-TV show. Since records verified that Presley had never appeared on “Person to Person,” Robinson ultimately concluded that no proof existed that Elvis had ever made the alleged racial statement anywhere.

Thus, JET magazine, highly respected among American blacks in 1957, not only cleared Elvis of voicing the racist comment, but also portrayed him as a young white man who fostered race equality in both his professional and private life.

Elvis probably thought he had put the rumor to rest for good. Little did he know that 30 years after his death it would continue to live on as an urban legend. The idea of Elvis racism would not die so easily. — Alan Hanson (January 2008)

Jeffiner said:

Thanks, Jen. I'm glad I read others' posts before posting.

This sick rumour has been around 4 MANY years, and couldn't be further from the truth.

It's been disproved many times, and in a few ways.

Also, he and Redd Fox were good friends.

In terms of Prince, I gotta call him out BIG TIME on this one, because he was CLEARLY influenced by Elvis, in both song and dance.

To be honest the Prince quote about "Performer" is something I've always thought of EP. Yes he has a huge place in history in terms of race barriers but Ironically confirmed what was going on at the time-white men singing black music. Prince is right-as with MJ, EP is a performer-its about the package and presentation-not necessarily about the music. Thats not a criticism-its just what some people like. Also Delirious would be too gimmicky for Elvis-its meant to be fun-also it would be too rude with its metaphors. I know Elvis was shocking in his day with the hips etc but can you imagine him singing about going up and down in and out about your lake?

I'm not for or against if Elvis made the racist comment...
nor am I sayin that he was indeed racist or not racist...
but some of u defended Elvis on him not being racist based on his association and where he grew up?
Look at government officials and how they'll associate themselves with anyone to get where they wanna be.
Jus wanted to point out that it was a tunnel-view vision of defence.

Carry on...

jcurley said:

I think Elvis' talents as a musician and producer are often downplayed because of his focus on singing and performing. While he was not a musician on the level of Prince, Elvis knew his way around several instruments including piano, drums, guitar and bass guitar. He also pretty much produced all of his own recording sessions from the fifties and sixties. Perhaps one of the best stories capturing Elvis' musical ability depicts the recording of the song "baby, you're so square" from the movie Jailhouse Rock. Bill Black, the bassist in Elvis' band was unable to play the electric bass line, got frustrated and threw his base down on the ground. Elvis laughed, picked it up and played the part himself and then overdubbed the vocal on a separate take.

As far as Elvis doing racy lyrics, I don't know if Delirious is really any racier than the version Elvis did of Shake, Rattle and Roll or One Night of Sin back in 56 and 57.

jcurley said:

I think Elvis' talents as a musician and producer are often downplayed because of his focus on singing and performing. While he was not a musician on the level of Prince, Elvis knew his way around several instruments including piano, drums, guitar and bass guitar. He also pretty much produced all of his own recording sessions from the fifties and sixties. Perhaps one of the best stories capturing Elvis' musical ability depicts the recording of the song "baby, you're so square" from the movie Jailhouse Rock. Bill Black, the bassist in Elvis' band was unable to play the electric bass line, got frustrated and threw his base down on the ground. Elvis laughed, picked it up and played the part himself and then overdubbed the vocal on a separate take.

As far as Elvis doing racy lyrics, I don't know if Delirious is really any racier than the version Elvis did of Shake, Rattle and Roll or One Night of Sin back in 56 and 57.

Haven't you ever heard Prince sing heartbreak hotel? Trust me it's great.

kalelvisj said:

Elvis was his own type of musician. He wasn't a great technical musician but Johnny Cash pointed out in his last autobiography how he was amazed how people never payed any attention to how great a rhythm guitarist he was. That guitar was the heart of his sound, and if you doubt his ability to translate his feel into it, just watch some 68 special with him doing "baby what you want me to do" he tears it apart. I'll take the simplicity and feel of that playing over just about anything else. I and a former musician friend were discussing his musical ability, he said "he was terrible" and you could see why he would think this when you consider how limited he was. He put it down to "laziness" but I don't think that was it, it's just not that easy staying focussed on a serious craft when you are that big of a star. Especially when there really is no need to. It's sad, but musical ability really means nothing in terms of the music business, then or now. Anyway, I don't feel Elvis was lazy, just very very hardworking and busy. His life was fastpaced and hectic. Movies, tours, the army, he was one of the hardest workers in the business, laying down hundreds of tracks before he died.

Much has been made of Elvis' stilted ambitions and I think they are true for the most part. You know, I met Peter Guralnick and the one question I forgot to ask was why on earth, having written THE Elvis biographies, would he put the kid gloves on when speaking of the colonel? Elvis was basically a very humble and introverted man, I would have to assume a little in awe of the ELVIS phenomenon himself. His fears and insecurities did lead him to hang around some very poor company, Colonel and the Memphis Mafia. However, I think he accomplished a helluva lot, don't you??

Yeah, I agree. I am sure Elvis felt like he let himself down, but you know what? Everyone feels that way. I wish he could at least get a glimpse over how much he actually accomplished. I do think he would be at peace with it. Most of us musicians will never accomplish a thousandth of that. And as for silly rumours, the rumour I heard was that Colonel had a film of him with underage girls and that's how he maintained control. I don't believe it for a second, Elvis was generally just a humble good ole' boy and was raised to obey his elders, just one of the many gigantic contradictions which costructs the Elvis mystique.

Yeah, I agree. I am sure Elvis felt like he let himself down, but you know what? Everyone feels that way. I wish he could at least get a glimpse over how much he actually accomplished. I do think he would be at peace with it. Most of us musicians will never accomplish a thousandth of that. And as for silly rumours, the rumour I heard was that Colonel had a film of him with underage girls and that's how he maintained control. I don't believe it for a second, Elvis was generally just a humble good ole' boy and was raised to obey his elders, just one of the many gigantic contradictions which costructs the Elvis mystique.

mozfonky said:

Oh, what did you think of Peter Guralnick? And has Elvis inspired you musically?

But moreover, this business is a very dirty, cutthroat business and music is a hard way of life. I can't say it's been rewarding financially BUT...it's more important that I found myself as a man and Elvis was a huge part of that. The idea that you could invent yourself into what you want to be. And with all the downs of this business, I consider Elvis home, I listen to him when I need centering, when I need inspiration, when I need hope.

mozfonky said:

I think Elvis could have been so much more than he was, by that I mean creatively... but I think he actually lacked confidence, and was so 'tied in' and controlled by the Colonel, he found it hard to break free and explore other areas of his talent. He could even have been a good actor if he'd been given the right material, his acting in King Creole was promising. But I think he just kind of gave up and went with the flow, with what everyone seemed to want from him, ie a money making machine. It's quite a sad story, his frustration and boredom is ultimately what led him to self destruct, I believe. I actually think Prince must have learned a lot from Elvis's experience at the very least...

Jeffiner said:

Right on. 'King Creole' was his best movie, and Elvis had the skills 2 grow as an actor. The Colonel put a stop 2 that...

Colonel Tom Parker refused lead role offers 2 Elvis 4:

"West Side Story"
"Midnight Cowboy"
"A Star is Born"

That's all very sad and the saddest part was, Elvis had a personality and character which needed to constantly reach and grow, otherwise he got bored. It happened every time he reached a plateau, his vision was just so big and so grand that it was a travesty that he ended up with people who could do nothing but suck the life right out of him. Who knows how much more he could have done had he been around good people.