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PrintableHarlepolis said: MrSoulpower said: They don't have to speak for you. They spoke for themselves, and you've called that "Uncle Tomming" because you didn't agree with them.  Wrong again! Because they generalized a WHOLE group into being influenced by Elvis. "every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms" Disneylandish to the 8th power  I agree that this quote was a generalization - but the huge impact he had on the whole entertainment industry as such is undeniable. I really dig your musical taste and knowlegde, but to use the term "uncle tomming" in this context was plain wrong, IMO. | |
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MrSoulpower said: Harlepolis said: Wrong again! Because they generalized a WHOLE group into being influenced by Elvis. "every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms" Disneylandish to the 8th power to use the term "uncle tomming" in this context was plain wrong, IMO. Regardless, its how I felt when I read these quotes. I can't say I stand corrected,,,ain't no sense of sugercoating shit. | |
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jacktheimprovident said: pezdispenser said: If you want to listen to Elvis, go listen to Otis Blackwell - he wrote all of his songs, and songs for Little Richard. The greatest story I've heard, is that Otis Blackwell wrote and recorded these songs, and Elvis pretty much just Karaoke'd over the musicians. Even Otis' vocals inflect Elvis-like. Then when Elvis was huge, Otis put his album out, and got slammed for "sounding too much like Elvis"!!!! I think he ended up a quadroplegic or something. It's a bit sad. He wrote Fever, Return to Sender, Great Balls Of Fire, etc. You'd know 'em all - and his versions sound MUCH MUCH better than any other artists versions. Otis Blackwell also wrote great balls of fire. Very underappreciated man in rock history. Problem is I can't find any good compilations, or hell any material of his, I just know his reputation 
1 simple click @ google and there U go : 
1. Fever 2. Fever 3. Dont Be Cruel 4. VOICES CHATTERING 5. Great Balls Of Fire 6. All Shook Up 7. Paralyzed 8. Shadow Of Your Memory 9. Shadow Of Your Memory 10. Handyman 11. VOICES CHATTERING 12. Return To Sender 13. The Whole Worlds On Fire 14. The Devil Has Won 15. VOICES CHATTERING 16. Just Keep It Up 17. Heartbreak Hill 18. Breathless 19. Extra Added Attraction 20. Great Balls Of Fire It has been widely reported that Otis Blackwell penned songs that sold over 185 million records. Even in today's overly inflationary environment the figure seems staggering. Otis wrote songs like no one else. He pulled the artists who recorded them toward him not the other way around. His songs are as distinctive as Phil Spector's productions and less predictable than the Lieber and Stoller classics. Quite simply his best songs are about youthful explosive sexual images. Elvis Presley sounded like Otis. Otis was a black northerner reaching toward country music while Elvis was a white southerner reaching for three separate, black music art forms. When these two were coupled on vinyl the world literally shook. Otis was a talented record producer and had a keen eye for talent. His classic recording of "Don't Let Go" with Roy Hamilton also Jimmy Jones on "Handyman" and "Good Timin" are the most successful examples. He was the first to record Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Johnny Rivers. I once asked him what he considered his greatest accomplishment, "Producing a Mahaila Jackson Album." What kind of person was Otis? Complex. Small in stature but hugely funny. Haunted by fire breathing demons he attempted to excise through alcohol. Obviously there were several campfires of dispair burning in his soul. Through I was a close friend, I do not claim to be able to dissect the different sources of hurt. They were real to him, emotional rather than chemical, personal rather than racial. He saw the world in fairly real terms. What he was unable to do at least in his younger years, was to comfortably fit in without inner pain. Much of his problems had to do with the IRS and so called professionals who made his life a mess http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/otisblackwell 
1. Fever 2. Fever [Alternate Version] 3. Don't Be Cruel 4. Studio Chatter 5. Great Balls of Fire 6. All Shook Up Preview 7. Shadow of Your Memory 8. Shadow of Your Memory [Alternate Version] 9. Handy Man Preview 10. Studio Chatter 11. Return to Sender 12. Whole World's on Fire 13. Devil Has Won 14. Studio Chatter 15. Just Keep It Up 16. Breathless 17. Extra Added Attraction 18. Great Balls of Fire [Alternate Version] 19. Paralyzed [Demo for Elvis Presley] 20. Heartbreak Hill [Demo for Fats Domino] http://www.mp3.com/albums...mmary.html 
1. All Shook Up 2. Fever 3. Back Trail 4. Daddy Rollin' Stone 5. Great Balls of Fire 6. Don't Be Cruel 7. Searchin' 8. Let's Talk About Us 9. Hey Little Girl 10. Breathless 11. Handy Man 12. Return to Sender 13. Hello Bottle 14. One Broken Heart for Sale 15. Sleep Is Just Around the Corner 16. Clinging to a Dream http://www.mp3.com/albums...mmary.html 
1. All Shook Up 2. Fever 3. Back Trail 4. Daddy Rollin' Stone 5. Great Balls of Fire 6. Don't Be Cruel 7. Let's Talk About Us 8. Hey Little Girl 9. Breathless 10. Handy Man 11. Return to Sender http://www.cduniverse.com...t+Hits.htm 
1. Wake Up Fool 2. Fool That I Be 3. Number 000 4. Please Help Me Find My Way Home 5. Tears, Tears, Tears 6. Daddy Rolling Stone 7. On That Powerline 8. Don't Know How I Loved You 9. You're My Love 10.Go Away Mr. Blues 11.Bartender Fill It Up Again 12.I'm Travelin' On 13.My Josephine 14.Ain't Got No Time 15.I'm Coming Back Baby 16.Nobody Met the Train 17.I'm Standing at the Doorway to Your Heart 18.I Face This World Alone 19.O-O-O-Oh! 20.Oh! What a Babe 21.Here I Am http://www.allmusic.com/c...r67uy040j0 THE OTIS BLACKWELL INTERVIEW ( Time Barrier Express Magazine - July 1979 ) : http://www.kyleesplin.com...8apage.htm - interviewed by Brandon Harris & Ralph Newman - Further info on Google : http://www.google.nl/sear...eken&meta= . . . [Edited 9/15/06 13:08pm] | |
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100MPH said: jacktheimprovident said: Otis Blackwell also wrote great balls of fire. Very underappreciated man in rock history. Problem is I can't find any good compilations, or hell any material of his, I just know his reputation
1 click @ google and there U go :
1. Fever 2. Fever 3. Dont Be Cruel 4. VOICES CHATTERING 5. Great Balls Of Fire 6. All Shook Up 7. Paralyzed 8. Shadow Of Your Memory 9. Shadow Of Your Memory 10. Handyman 11. VOICES CHATTERING 12. Return To Sender 13. The Whole Worlds On Fire 14. The Devil Has Won 15. VOICES CHATTERING 16. Just Keep It Up 17. Heartbreak Hill 18. Breathless 19. Extra Added Attraction 20. Great Balls Of Fire It has been widely reported that Otis Blackwell penned songs that sold over 185 million records. Even in today's overly inflationary environment the figure seems staggering. Otis wrote songs like no one else. He pulled the artists who recorded them toward him not the other way around. His songs are as distinctive as Phil Spector's productions and less predictable than the Lieber and Stoller classics. Quite simply his best songs are about youthful explosive sexual images. Elvis Presley sounded like Otis. Otis was a black northerner reaching toward country music while Elvis was a white southerner reaching for three separate, black music art forms. When these two were coupled on vinyl the world literally shook. Otis was a talented record producer and had a keen eye for talent. His classic recording of "Don't Let Go" with Roy Hamilton also Jimmy Jones on "Handyman" and "Good Timin" are the most successful examples. He was the first to record Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Johnny Rivers. I once asked him what he considered his greatest accomplishment, "Producing a Mahaila Jackson Album." What kind of person was Otis? Complex. Small in stature but hugely funny. Haunted by fire breathing demons he attempted to excise through alcohol. Obviously there were several campfires of dispair burning in his soul. Through I was a close friend, I do not claim to be able to dissect the different sources of hurt. They were real to him, emotional rather than chemical, personal rather than racial. He saw the world in fairly real terms. What he was unable to do at least in his younger years, was to comfortably fit in without inner pain. Much of his problems had to do with the IRS and so called professionals who made his life a mess http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/otisblackwell
1. All Shook Up 2. Fever 3. Back Trail 4. Daddy Rollin' Stone 5. Great Balls of Fire 6. Don't Be Cruel 7. Let's Talk About Us 8. Hey Little Girl 9. Breathless 10. Handy Man 11. Return to Sender http://www.cduniverse.com...t+Hits.htm It's NOT everyday that I learn something 2 add 2 my musical knowledge base. Thanks. | |
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Graycap23 said: It's NOT everyday that I learn something 2 add 2 my musical knowledge base. Thanks.
U R welcome ... there's gonna be added more . | |
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Listen to In The Ghetto, listen to Kentucky Rain, those things are amazing. All you others say Hell Yea!!  | |
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MrSoulpower said: whoknows said: Errr, Elvis broke through in 56, so wouldn't it be a bit more appropriate to give us a breakdown for 55 rather than 54. It was in 55 that rock and roll broke through. Giving a best sellers list from the year before that is disingenuous to put it mildly.
We were talking about when Elvis recorded first and released his first material, and that was "That's alright Mama" in 1954. In 1956, Elvis already dominated the charts - which proves my point. No, we were talking about rock and roll being mainstream phenomenon before Elvis. None of his Sun recordings were mainstream hits. | |
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whoknows said: Tessa said: He wasn't just an imitator. He LOVED that music and was very respectful of it. And performed it very well. He didn't sing those songs to cash in on the backs of black songwriters and musicians. He did it because he had a passion for the music. I'm sure he did love the music, but the point is doors were opened to him that would have been closed were his skin a litle darker. Just as with Eminem, his love for hip hop, and his talent are plain to see, but as he said himself in one song, "Hmmm, let's do the math, If I was black I woulda sold half, I didn't have to graduate from Lincoln High to know that!" The same was true for Elvis. So you would prefer that the music not be heard on a large scale, and the people that did the music get absolutely no recognition whatsoever 50 years later than for a white man to do the music and elevate it to the point where you actually know what it is? "I don't need your forgiveness, cos I've been saved by Jesus, so fuck you." | |
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whoknows said: MrSoulpower said: We were talking about when Elvis recorded first and released his first material, and that was "That's alright Mama" in 1954. In 1956, Elvis already dominated the charts - which proves my point. No, we were talking about rock and roll being mainstream phenomenon before Elvis. None of his Sun recordings were mainstream hits. I thought That's Alright and Good Rockin' Tonight did fairly well...? Or did those songs not get big until Elvis was popular? "A Watcher scoffs at gravity!" | |
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Tessa said: whoknows said: I'm sure he did love the music, but the point is doors were opened to him that would have been closed were his skin a litle darker. Just as with Eminem, his love for hip hop, and his talent are plain to see, but as he said himself in one song, "Hmmm, let's do the math, If I was black I woulda sold half, I didn't have to graduate from Lincoln High to know that!" The same was true for Elvis. So you would prefer that the music not be heard on a large scale, and the people that did the music get absolutely no recognition whatsoever 50 years later than for a white man to do the music and elevate it to the point where you actually know what it is? This is one ignorant reply. You're one of many on this website who misunderstand points and respond to what they imagine was said rather than what actually was said. Where the hell did I say I'd prefer the music not be heard on a large scale? What I'd prefer was if we didn't live in the kind of society that needs to put a white face on something in order for it to be deemed palatable to the masses. As I've already made clear, I have no quarrel with Elvis or any white artist making black music because they love it. My quarrel is with the system that elevates white artists above black ones for unfair reasons. | |
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meow85 said: whoknows said: No, we were talking about rock and roll being mainstream phenomenon before Elvis. None of his Sun recordings were mainstream hits. I thought That's Alright and Good Rockin' Tonight did fairly well...? Or did those songs not get big until Elvis was popular? There's a difference between "doing well" on regional charts and doing well on the national pop charts. The average American would never have heard of Elvis or his songs until 56 when RCA put their muscle behind him. Meanwhile, Rock Around The Clock and other rock and roll songs had already caused a sensation. Elvis became the poster boy for r&r, but the revolution was already well underway before Elvis broke big. He was the right man in the right place at the right time. | |
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whoknows said: Tessa said: So you would prefer that the music not be heard on a large scale, and the people that did the music get absolutely no recognition whatsoever 50 years later than for a white man to do the music and elevate it to the point where you actually know what it is? This is one ignorant reply. You're one of many on this website who misunderstand points and respond to what they imagine was said rather than what actually was said. Where the hell did I say I'd prefer the music not be heard on a large scale? What I'd prefer was if we didn't live in the kind of society that needs to put a white face on something in order for it to be deemed palatable to the masses. As I've already made clear, I have no quarrel with Elvis or any white artist making black music because they love it. My quarrel is with the system that elevates white artists above black ones for unfair reasons. I wasn't responding only to you. Yours was the first post that was handy to reply to. "I don't need your forgiveness, cos I've been saved by Jesus, so fuck you." | |
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Tessa said: whoknows said: This is one ignorant reply. You're one of many on this website who misunderstand points and respond to what they imagine was said rather than what actually was said. Where the hell did I say I'd prefer the music not be heard on a large scale? What I'd prefer was if we didn't live in the kind of society that needs to put a white face on something in order for it to be deemed palatable to the masses. As I've already made clear, I have no quarrel with Elvis or any white artist making black music because they love it. My quarrel is with the system that elevates white artists above black ones for unfair reasons. I wasn't responding only to you. Yours was the first post that was handy to reply to. Fair enough.  | |
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Disgraceland Lyrics
Artist: Alice Cooper Album: Dragontown I wanna tell you a story It happened long ago About a redneck boy Down from tupelo I got the slick black hair I played a rock guitar I liked to shake my hips, man Then i went too far He ate his weight in country ham, Killed on pills and woke in disgraceland Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land I had a lot of girls I had a lot of guns When they found me dead The whole world was stunned Went to the pearly gates Said, "I'm the hippest thing" And Peter said "Well son, We already got ourselves a king" He lived on southern deep-fried spam, Killed on pills and woke in disgraceland Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land He finished his short life, Sweaty and bloated and stoned (A-Hey-Hey) He ruled his domain and he died on the throne No "Yes-Men", no colonel, he went... ...all alone... (Hey, man, that looks like me down there on the floor) I heard the devil cry Real loud and clear "You were the big man, there You're just a sideman here Well, I know your face And I've heard your name Looks like heaven's loss Is gonna be my gain" (I've got plans for you, man) He ate his weight in country ham Killed on pills and woke in disgraceland Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Dis-Grace-Land Well, I woke up, right here In dis-grace-land Thank ya. Thank ya very much "Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system" - Bruce Lee | |
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Elvis is a target either way, either of love or hate, admiration or scorn
He's over-rated and he's under-rated. Really, he was just a singer and given way too much credit whether it's for something good or for something bad. My Legacy
http://prince.org/msg/8/192731 | |
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whoknows said: meow85 said: I thought That's Alright and Good Rockin' Tonight did fairly well...? Or did those songs not get big until Elvis was popular? There's a difference between "doing well" on regional charts and doing well on the national pop charts. The average American would never have heard of Elvis or his songs until 56 when RCA put their muscle behind him. Meanwhile, Rock Around The Clock and other rock and roll songs had already caused a sensation. Elvis became the poster boy for r&r, but the revolution was already well underway before Elvis broke big. He was the right man in the right place at the right time. The same can be said for anybody who's made a name for themself. There are plnety of talented people in the world, but sheer luck is the defining line between a music legend and the guy flipping burgers at McDonald's. "A Watcher scoffs at gravity!" | |
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NDRU said: Elvis is a target either way, either of love or hate, admiration or scorn
He's over-rated and he's under-rated. Really, he was just a singer and given way too much credit whether it's for something good or for something bad. 
He's the King or he's the scapegoat, but either way the man never really won. [Edited 9/17/06 0:23am] "A Watcher scoffs at gravity!" | |
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pezdispenser said: Hound Dog was a Leiber/Stoller song. I think they wrote it for him. Rufus Thomas' song was a response to this, and was intended to make fun of Elvis. Big Mama Thornton's was a cover recorded after the Leiber/Stoller original was released. It had nothing to do with Elvis or Rufus.
MrSoulpower said: The Rufus Thomas song in question was "Bear Cat (Answer to Hound Dog)", released on Sun 181 in 1953. It was actually an "answer" song to the 1952 release "Hound Dog" by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton (on Peacock 1612), not an answer to the Elvis tune, which was released a year after Rufus' tune, in 1954, on Sun 210. Rufus making fun of Elvis therefore is another legend, as his tune was recorded before that of Elvis.
morningsong said: I don't know that much about Elvis but his song "You ain't nothing but a hounddog" is pretty deep. It makes me want to listen more closely to his songs, because there seems to be a substance as oppose to doing something with a great "popular" beat for the the time.
NDRU said: Funny you should mention that. I like Elvis just fine, but that's one song I could see people having a problem with. It sounds good, rocks just fine, but the lyrics are mixed up.
It was sung by a woman previously, and her lyrics comparing the man to a dog "sniffin round" make a lot more sense than a man singing it. The way Elvis does it kind of makes no sense. 1952: HOUND DOG, Thornton recording 1953: HOUND DOG, Thornton recording released - credited performers Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, Kansas City Bill and Orchestra, credited composers Leiber, Stoller, Otis on Peacock 1612 1953: BEAR CAT (Answer to Hound Dog), recorded, released - credited performer Rufus "Hound Dog" Thomas Jr, credited composer Phillips on Sun 181 1955: HOUND DOG, rewritten, recorded, released by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys on the Teen label as a novelty tune, credits unknown APRIL 1956: Elvis Presley performs at the New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. Presley also attends a gig by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, afterwards asking Bell if he can cover their HOUND DOG. JUNE 5, 1956: Presley performs HOUND DOG on the Milton Berle show, slowing the ending to finish off with a burlesque bump & grind, and causing a frenzied media outcry. JULY 1, 1956: Presley performs HOUND DOG on the Steve Allen show as the 'tame' Elvis, wearing a tuxedo and singing to a live basset hound. JULY 2, 1956: HOUND DOG, recorded by Presley, credited performer Elvis Presley, credited composers Leiber, Stoller on RCA Victor 47-6604. Presley, reportedly angry over the media attacks, the disdain of Steve Allen and the prior night's appearance, produces the session himself and goes 31 takes creating the propulsive HOUND DOG. Eileen | |
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Graycap23 said: 100MPH said:
1 click @ google and there U go :
1. Fever 2. Fever 3. Dont Be Cruel 4. VOICES CHATTERING 5. Great Balls Of Fire 6. All Shook Up 7. Paralyzed 8. Shadow Of Your Memory 9. Shadow Of Your Memory 10. Handyman 11. VOICES CHATTERING 12. Return To Sender 13. The Whole Worlds On Fire 14. The Devil Has Won 15. VOICES CHATTERING 16. Just Keep It Up 17. Heartbreak Hill 18. Breathless 19. Extra Added Attraction 20. Great Balls Of Fire It has been widely reported that Otis Blackwell penned songs that sold over 185 million records. Even in today's overly inflationary environment the figure seems staggering. Otis wrote songs like no one else. He pulled the artists who recorded them toward him not the other way around. His songs are as distinctive as Phil Spector's productions and less predictable than the Lieber and Stoller classics. Quite simply his best songs are about youthful explosive sexual images. Elvis Presley sounded like Otis. Otis was a black northerner reaching toward country music while Elvis was a white southerner reaching for three separate, black music art forms. When these two were coupled on vinyl the world literally shook. Otis was a talented record producer and had a keen eye for talent. His classic recording of "Don't Let Go" with Roy Hamilton also Jimmy Jones on "Handyman" and "Good Timin" are the most successful examples. He was the first to record Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Johnny Rivers. I once asked him what he considered his greatest accomplishment, "Producing a Mahaila Jackson Album." What kind of person was Otis? Complex. Small in stature but hugely funny. Haunted by fire breathing demons he attempted to excise through alcohol. Obviously there were several campfires of dispair burning in his soul. Through I was a close friend, I do not claim to be able to dissect the different sources of hurt. They were real to him, emotional rather than chemical, personal rather than racial. He saw the world in fairly real terms. What he was unable to do at least in his younger years, was to comfortably fit in without inner pain. Much of his problems had to do with the IRS and so called professionals who made his life a mess http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/otisblackwell
1. All Shook Up 2. Fever 3. Back Trail 4. Daddy Rollin' Stone 5. Great Balls of Fire 6. Don't Be Cruel 7. Let's Talk About Us 8. Hey Little Girl 9. Breathless 10. Handy Man 11. Return to Sender http://www.cduniverse.com...t+Hits.htm It's NOT everyday that I learn something 2 add 2 my musical knowledge base. Thanks. Thanks for passing this information along. I've just never seen any of these in any of the places I could obtain it. | |
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whoknows said: That phrase "white establishment" is a very vague one. The people who would have scorned him for embracing black music ultimately weren't the ones in charge of the star making machinery. The music industry couldn't have cared less whether or not Elvis was "lost". They knew he would have a much further reach than any black artist at the time could have had. Bill Haley had demonstrated that 18 months earlier and he wasn't even good looking. The phenomenon of white artists scoring with cover versions of black songs was also well underway and clearly very lucrative. You can understand why record execs at the time would have creamed their pants when they saw Elvis.
RCA didn't seem to know anything of the sort, going by first hand accounts and memos written at the time. Elvis's first #1 hit was actually "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" on the Billboard country chart in 1955. The list of songs RCA sent to Elvis for his first recording sessions was mainly country and ballads. Elvis didn't record most of them IIRC. RCA execs wouldn't provide photographer Al Wertheimer with color film for photographs of Elvis because they thought it would be a waste of money on a "flash in the pan". They told one of the Jordanaires, his backing group, to "get your money quick as he won't be around for long". They blanched over his recording of "Heartbreak Hotel" and threatened the job of the A&R man who'd signed him, Steve Sholes - the single was released only at Elvis's insistence. They placed frantic calls to Sam Phillips because Elvis wasn't selecting or recording the type of songs they expected and they didn't know what to do with him. Eileen | |
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Harlepolis said: Motherfuck him and John Wayne - Chuck D
CORRECTION: THAT was Flavor Flav's line!  | |
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Harlepolis said: guitarslinger44 said: Everyone's a product of that which they listen to. Miles Davis's "Sketches Of Spain" is a result of his listening to classical music. In fact, he rarely listened to anything but classical music around his house (until he got into the funk and rock stuff later on). Does that mean he "stole" from the composers whose music he "borrowed?" There's a THICK line between "being influenced" and "ripping the hell off". Now when you've been influenced, you don't over-shadow it on your character(Like Miles). But when you're ripping-off, you steal another person's WHOLE character(Like Elvis). When I hear a Miles song, I know who's playing regardless what song or style he's adobting. But when I hear Elvis, I hear a cheap parody of Chuck, Ike, Little Richard and Jackie Wilson,,I don't really hear whats Elvis all about. And don't forget about Big Mama Thorton, who perform the original You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog. | |
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pezdispenser said: If you want to listen to Elvis, go listen to Otis Blackwell - he wrote all of his songs, and songs for Little Richard.
Elvis recorded a half-dozen Otis Blackwell songs. As outstanding as most of those compositions were (well, at least two of them were), that is a miniscule percentage of his nearly 800 masters. Eileen | |
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WildStyle said: I got quotes too!
“A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.” Jackie Wilson “Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.” Al Green “There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.” Bruce Springsteen “When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.” Bob Dylan “He was a unique artist - an original in an area of imitators.” Mick Jagger “I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. Last time I saw him was at Graceland. We sang Old Blind Barnabus together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There’ll never be another like that soul brother. James Brown "Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me." Elton John "Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business." Isaac Hayes "I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness." B.B. King “You have no idea how great he is, really you don’t. You have no comprehension - it’s absolutely impossible. I can’t tell you why he’s so great, but he is. He’s sensational.” Phil Spector “So what it boils down to was Elvis produced his own records. He came to the session, picked the songs, and if something in the arrangement was changed, he was the one to change it. Everything was worked out spontaneously. Nothing was really rehearsed. Many of the important decisions normally made previous to a recording session were made during the session. What it was was a look to the future. Today everybody makes records this way. Back then Elvis was the only one. He was the forerunner of everything that’s record production these days. Consciously or unconsciously, everyone imitated him. People started doing what Elvis did.” Bones Howe Now where are the quotes from Little Richard & Chuck Berry. | |
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TonyVanDam said: WildStyle said: I got quotes too!
“A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.” Jackie Wilson “Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.” Al Green “There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.” Bruce Springsteen “When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.” Bob Dylan “He was a unique artist - an original in an area of imitators.” Mick Jagger “I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. Last time I saw him was at Graceland. We sang Old Blind Barnabus together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There’ll never be another like that soul brother. James Brown "Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me." Elton John "Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business." Isaac Hayes "I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness." B.B. King “You have no idea how great he is, really you don’t. You have no comprehension - it’s absolutely impossible. I can’t tell you why he’s so great, but he is. He’s sensational.” Phil Spector “So what it boils down to was Elvis produced his own records. He came to the session, picked the songs, and if something in the arrangement was changed, he was the one to change it. Everything was worked out spontaneously. Nothing was really rehearsed. Many of the important decisions normally made previous to a recording session were made during the session. What it was was a look to the future. Today everybody makes records this way. Back then Elvis was the only one. He was the forerunner of everything that’s record production these days. Consciously or unconsciously, everyone imitated him. People started doing what Elvis did.” Bones Howe Now where are the quotes from Little Richard & Chuck Berry. how're these "Blacks didn't have the airwaves Elvis had. He delivered what he obtained beautifully"-Chuck Berry "He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music."-Little Richard | |
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meow85 said: A lot of the things Elvis is criticized for were the Colonel's idea's. The King of Rock n Roll title, the awful movies, the "borrowing" of black songs even.
What some people either don't realize or choose to ignore in all this is that Elvis, especially earlier in his career, had little to nothing to do with the decision making process. Elvis made a lot of the early decisions (and most of the best ones IMO). The "King of Rock n Roll" title was bestowed by Variety magazine near the end of 1956 based on (according to them) Elvis having broken records in numerous areas including chart stats, record sales, merchandise sales, ticket sales, tv ratings, etc. Prior to that time Elvis had been billed occasionally as "The Atomic Powered Singer" and "The Hillbilly Cat". Elvis didn't like the "King" title by all accounts. Parker had nothing to do with Elvis selecting songs written or recorded by black artists, he didn't understand or like rock'n roll or r&b. uPtoWnNY said: But Elvis grew up in the Jim Crow South, so who knows how he really felt about black folks, deep down?
Didn't he say blacks should buy his records and shine his shoes? Shapeshifter said: No, he never said that:
http://www.snopes.com/mus...esley1.asp And from this article, there's a section on Chuck D's recent visit to Graceland.... True, and there was a thread on this board to "put this issue to rest" not too long ago: http://www.prince.org/msg/8/178844? Eileen | |
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TonyVanDam said: And don't forget about Big Mama Thorton, who perform the original You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog.
There are numerous posts on that topic, including my detailed post a bit above yours. Eileen | |
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NDRU said: Elvis is a target either way, either of love or hate, admiration or scorn
He's over-rated and he's under-rated. Really, he was just a singer and given way too much credit whether it's for something good or for something bad. Amen. | |
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Eileen said: whoknows said: That phrase "white establishment" is a very vague one. The people who would have scorned him for embracing black music ultimately weren't the ones in charge of the star making machinery. The music industry couldn't have cared less whether or not Elvis was "lost". They knew he would have a much further reach than any black artist at the time could have had. Bill Haley had demonstrated that 18 months earlier and he wasn't even good looking. The phenomenon of white artists scoring with cover versions of black songs was also well underway and clearly very lucrative. You can understand why record execs at the time would have creamed their pants when they saw Elvis.
RCA didn't seem to know anything of the sort, going by first hand accounts and memos written at the time. Elvis's first #1 hit was actually "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" on the Billboard country chart in 1955. The list of songs RCA sent to Elvis for his first recording sessions was mainly country and ballads. Elvis didn't record most of them IIRC. RCA execs wouldn't provide photographer Al Wertheimer with color film for photographs of Elvis because they thought it would be a waste of money on a "flash in the pan". They told one of the Jordanaires, his backing group, to "get your money quick as he won't be around for long". They blanched over his recording of "Heartbreak Hotel" and threatened the job of the A&R man who'd signed him, Steve Sholes - the single was released only at Elvis's insistence. They placed frantic calls to Sam Phillips because Elvis wasn't selecting or recording the type of songs they expected and they didn't know what to do with him. Eileen From what I understand, RCA payed a hell of a lot of money for Elvis. Did any black artist at the time get anywhere near as big an advance? Of course not. They don't give big advances unless they expect to make their money back. | |
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Elvis was the only person who could challenge Prince as far as stage presence, charisma, etc....
The guy had it, like it or not. [Edited 9/17/06 6:14am] Thanks for the laughs, arguments and overall enjoyment for the last umpteen years. It's time for me to retire from Prince.org and engage in the real world...lol. Above all, I appreciated the talent Prince. You were one of a kind. | |
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