i know i just shouldnt get involved but i got into a discussion on facebook with one of my workmates and he is a huge elvis fan ( his nickname in work is elvis )..and he was going on about how great elvis was and blah blah blah ..he is the best selling..greatest artist of all time when i decided to post vh1 latest list of the 100 greatest artists of all time ..its here if you havent seen it.. http://stereogum.com/4953...time/list/

.

so i posted this list which has prince at number 7 and elvis at 8 and waited in anticipation for his reply...of course..he went ape shit....PRINCE ?...WHO IS PRINCE......i informed him that prince is widely regarded as one of the best musicians on the planet and he is a fantastic musical artist...

.

now i wasnt trying to say that elvis isnt one of the greats (he is) but i was just trying to make the point that there are other great artists who...imo...are greater than elvis....the beatles...bob dylan..david bowie..stevie wonder to name a few and prince of course and that the little minneapolis musician meant as much to me and a number of my friends than what elvis means to him....he couldnt understand this and i was going to point out why i believe prince is a better all round artist than elvis to me ( songwriting for a kick-off ) but i decided i would be wasting my time so i left him to his blue seude shoes...

.

i know...i should know better..

How old is your co-worker? He sounds like an old school Elvis fanatic from my Mom's generation. Never engage them in combat! He would probably kill for my late Mom's Elvis autograph...

I wouldnt try to argue with him either

I know I have told this story before but when somebody mentions Elvis I am always reminded of it. My mother has always been a huge Elvis fan, she saw him in concert twice. I took her and my father to see Prince at 3121 in 2007 and got them the VIP package. I did not get to talk to her after the show because they went back to their room while I when to the aftershow. I met them for brunch the next day and she had a big smile on her face, she said that Prince was better than Elvis. The next month I told her I was going back to Las Vegas to see him again and she said she wanted to go. She could not make it because of previous plans, but I thought it was cool that she wanted to.

rmartin70 said:

I know I have told this story before but when somebody mentions Elvis I am always reminded of it. My mother has always been a huge Elvis fan, she saw him in concert twice. I took her and my father to see Prince at 3121 in 2007 and got them the VIP package. I did not get to talk to her after the show because they went back to their room while I when to the aftershow. I met them for brunch the next day and she had a big smile on her face, she said that Prince was better than Elvis. The next month I told her I was going back to Las Vegas to see him again and she said she wanted to go. She could not make it because of previous plans, but I thought it was cool that she wanted to.

That's a story BlackBob should pass on to his co-worker--although it might cost him his head!

Everybody's got their favorites.

There's no point in this argument, but here is my input...Elvis, copycat. Prince, original. Are we done here?

bunnyscotcooper said:

There's no point in this argument, but here is my input...Elvis, copycat. Prince, original. Are we done here?

no surely not done. I'm a fan of both these men (bigger prince fan, but elvis is in my top 10). if there is 1 thing that elvis was not, it's a copycat. his voice and timing and choice in material (although that went missing in his awful 60's movies) and the feel of lots of his best work, NOT limited to the 50's as some snobs would have you believe, are awesome. he combined country and rhythm 'n' blues in a way no-one did before. his songs were deemd too white for black radio and too black for white radio. hey, does that sound familiar?

writing elvis off as a copycat is way too simplistic, even though he didn't write his own material.

[Edited 8/10/11 19:27pm]

I think the main criticism of Elvis, as well as other white artists, was that he did covers of songs which had been written by and/or already recorded by Black artists, which he subsequently recieved recognition and money for...and they didn't. The other criticism is that he adapted his style of singing from Black artists as well. (Preparing for bricks to fly.)

[Edited 8/10/11 20:52pm]

purplethunder3121 said:

purplethunder3121 said:

I think the main criticism of Elvis, as well as other white artists, was that he did covers of songs which had been written by and/or already recorded by Black artists, which he subsequently recieved recognition and money for...and they didn't. The other criticism is that he adapted his style of singing from Black artists as well. (Preparing for bricks to fly.)

[Edited 8/10/11 20:52pm]

purplethunder3121 said:

I think the main criticism of Elvis, as well as other white artists, was that he did covers of songs which had been written by and/or already recorded by Black artists, which he subsequently recieved recognition and money for...and they didn't. The other criticism is that he adapted his style of singing from Black artists as well. (Preparing for bricks to fly.)

[Edited 8/10/11 20:52pm]

But if an artist wanted Elvis to record their song, they had to sign half the publishing over. Over time, this has since been rectified.

Elvis recorded a lot of songs for a lot of people. All the Sun Sessions had nothing to do with this, and some of them were black songwriters.

When he went to RCA, Tom Parker had worked things out with a publishing company called Hill and Range, which would credit Elvis as a songwriter. But in reality, it was mostly Tom Parker's doing with publishing head Freddy Bienstock. Otis Blackwell wrote "Don't Be Cruel", but either he had to play the game and give up some of his publishing, or Elvis wouldn't record it. And Elvis changed a line or two.. like he did with "Hound Dog'. Keep in mind - Elvis was selling a million singles. That's a pretty nice chunk of change, even if you're giving some of it up. It also means other people would see your name on those singles and record your work.

The Sun Sessions didn't put Elvis' name on the publishing. They got their credits. It's only when he hooked up with Tom Parker that if someone wanted Elvis to record their songs, they had to give half their publishing up. But if you take into consideration he sold a million singles, it would still be more money than having some other singer do it.

I think Elvis would've loved Prince's music in due time. If Tom Jones has covered "Purple Rain" and "Kiss", you can bet Elvis would've looked into covering a Prince song or 2.

Elvis fans are just as deluded as Prince fans.

TheDigitalGardener said:

Elvis fans are just as deluded as Prince fans.

i agree hardcore elvis fans are deluded if they think elvis is the best of all time...come on....he was good but he took music was already there and made it popular because,,,lets face it...he was a good looking white guy in 50s america...he deserves props for making it popular and changing the music scene in the late 50s but his music talent was hardly overwelming...hardly wrote any songs...not a great musician..limited music range...for me ...he doesnt compare to prince as an overall music artist and i would rate many others as better than elvis ...he deserves to be in the top ten of all time but not above guys like prince,stevie wonder, the beatles, david bowie or bob dylan...

Let him be. He love his Elvis, you love your Prince. You realize you can't mingle like that. Just move on. Not worth it. I'm not gonna convince someone to love Prince or Michael or Tina if they feel Elvis is better.

blackbob said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

Elvis fans are just as deluded as Prince fans.

i agree hardcore elvis fans are deluded if they think elvis is the best of all time...come on....he was good but he took music was already there and made it popular because,,,lets face it...he was a good looking white guy in 50s america...he deserves props for making it popular and changing the music scene in the late 50s but his music talent was hardly overwelming...hardly wrote any songs...not a great musician..limited music range...for me ...he doesnt compare to prince as an overall music artist and i would rate many others as better than elvis ...he deserves to be in the top ten of all time but not above guys like prince,stevie wonder, the beatles, david bowie or bob dylan...

well said, but i think top 10 might even be pushing it... maybe in terms of being an idol or something

blackbob said:

i know i just shouldnt get involved but i got into a discussion on facebook with one of my workmates and he is a huge elvis fan ( his nickname in work is elvis )..and he was going on about how great elvis was and blah blah blah ..he is the best selling..greatest artist of all time when i decided to post vh1 latest list of the 100 greatest artists of all time ..its here if you havent seen it.. http://stereogum.com/4953...time/list/

.

so i posted this list which has prince at number 7 and elvis at 8 and waited in anticipation for his reply...of course..he went ape shit....PRINCE ?...WHO IS PRINCE......i informed him that prince is widely regarded as one of the best musicians on the planet and he is a fantastic musical artist...

.

now i wasnt trying to say that elvis isnt one of the greats (he is) but i was just trying to make the point that there are other great artists who...imo...are greater than elvis....the beatles...bob dylan..david bowie..stevie wonder to name a few and prince of course and that the little minneapolis musician meant as much to me and a number of my friends than what elvis means to him....he couldnt understand this and i was going to point out why i believe prince is a better all round artist than elvis to me ( songwriting for a kick-off ) but i decided i would be wasting my time so i left him to his blue seude shoes...

.

i know...i should know better..

Lady Cab Driver

Head

When You Were Mine

Sexy Dancer

Just As Long As We're Together

Pop Life(Extended)

Temptation

Crucial

Dream Factory

Peach

Something In The Water

Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

Give him that CD.It'll change his outlook on Prince.

TylerHippie said:

blackbob said:

i know i just shouldnt get involved but i got into a discussion on facebook with one of my workmates and he is a huge elvis fan ( his nickname in work is elvis )..and he was going on about how great elvis was and blah blah blah ..he is the best selling..greatest artist of all time when i decided to post vh1 latest list of the 100 greatest artists of all time ..its here if you havent seen it.. http://stereogum.com/4953...time/list/

.

so i posted this list which has prince at number 7 and elvis at 8 and waited in anticipation for his reply...of course..he went ape shit....PRINCE ?...WHO IS PRINCE......i informed him that prince is widely regarded as one of the best musicians on the planet and he is a fantastic musical artist...

.

now i wasnt trying to say that elvis isnt one of the greats (he is) but i was just trying to make the point that there are other great artists who...imo...are greater than elvis....the beatles...bob dylan..david bowie..stevie wonder to name a few and prince of course and that the little minneapolis musician meant as much to me and a number of my friends than what elvis means to him....he couldnt understand this and i was going to point out why i believe prince is a better all round artist than elvis to me ( songwriting for a kick-off ) but i decided i would be wasting my time so i left him to his blue seude shoes...

.

i know...i should know better..

Lady Cab Driver

Head

When You Were Mine

Sexy Dancer

Just As Long As We're Together

Pop Life(Extended)

Temptation

Crucial

Dream Factory

Peach

Something In The Water

Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

Give him that CD.It'll change his outlook on Prince.

most of those songs took me a while to appreciate, i dont think that cd would be a good idea in this situation

blackbob said:

hardly wrote any songs...not a great musician..limited music range...for me ...he doesnt compare to prince as an overall music artist and i would rate many others as better than elvis ...he deserves to be in the top ten of all time but not above guys like prince,stevie wonder, the beatles, david bowie or bob dylan...

interesting topic. i'm a huge fan of both of them. elvis played piano and guitar. he could change an existent song and made it a whole lotta better. I never heard anyone sing "bridge over troubled water" the way elvis did. amazing song when he sings it, a boring song sung by others, even the original. he also recorded very old traditionals in a new way. so his back catalogue is a good mix of well known covers, old bluegrass songs, newly written songs just for him. an amazing artist. even the bad 60's movies had his interesting songs and scenes. the famous song return to sender was featured in a "silly" movie. the remixes of rubberneckin' and a little less conversation were very popular; both songs previously featured in 2 of his less known movies.

[Edited 8/11/11 12:02pm]

bunnyscotcooper said:

There's no point in this argument, but here is my input...Elvis, copycat. Prince, original. Are we done here?

Oh, come now.

We all know the 'Elvis took everything he ever did from black folks' argument, and probably rightly so, but Prince is original? Really now.

NouveauDance said:

bunnyscotcooper said:

There's no point in this argument, but here is my input...Elvis, copycat. Prince, original. Are we done here?

Oh, come now.

We all know the 'Elvis took everything he ever did from black folks' argument, and probably rightly so, but Prince is original? Really now.

Agree. Prince has too much James Brown in him.

It's easy to forget how much Elvis changed the music world, John Lennon once said "Before Elvis there was nothing" and he was maybe 99% right.

Elvis didn't write any songs his name might be on the credits but he didn't write or co-write any of them, that's why I always believe Buddy Holly in some way to be the better artist.

Elvis understood music he wasn't just a singer he could play the guitar and the piano he had a great knowledge of music, he had the voice the looks he had it all and he done it all before anyone else.

The problem is we have this image of the 70's Elvis big and fat in the jumpsuits if you want to see something that will blow your mind watch the '68 Comeback Special and remember here was a man who was the biggest selling artist in the fifties, went into the army, his mum had died, made loads of not so good movies and was considered old news "The British had come" and he is just amazing I've watched it more than 50 times and it still surprises me every time.

Prince should be in the top ten but ELVIS should be no.1