Friday, May 05, 2006

Walking in Memphis

I don't have anything to really add this week to the theme night discussion. I generally pontificate on some of my likes/dislikes regarding the theme, but everyone's familiar enough with Elvis already and has an opinion formed.

It's a fitting trip for the idols though, cause if anyone ever lived the American Dream, it's Elvis. I don't think anyone else in our history has ever come from such dirt poor beginnings to rise up and achieve the level of wealth and fame he did. And, of course, he paid one hell of a price for it, dying at age 42.

I did find this picture as I was surfing. I don't know who to give credit to for it, but I thought it was really cool, so I'm posting it.

Taylor - Elvis.



I do think it should be a good week for Taylor. He can get crazy with an upbeat number and show off his voice with a slow one, too. I think he'd be great with "Kentucky Rain." But I think Elliott would be great on that song, too. I haven't heard any rumors yet about who's picking what. But I do also see the potential for people to bomb big time. Not Taylor, so much. But Chris, Kat, and even Elliott will need to tread carefully when they step outside the ballad box for Elvis. A lot of his upbeat numbers that were huge hits (Jailhouse Rock) have become novelty songs, or kitschy. And even some of the songs that've weathered time and are still cool (Promised Land) aren't really "singer" songs.

But you never really know how something is going to come off. For example, [gratuitous Springsteen mention] I didn't expect it, but the last time I saw Springsteen and the E Street Band play in Vegas, The Boss opened and closed the show by doing Elvis's "Viva Las Vegas." It totally rocked. [end Bruce love]

Anyhow. The contestants are in Graceland right now with bigshot Tommy Mottola. I bet he's oogling Kat's boobs right now.

I went to Graceland once. It was a spur of the moment thing; a few of my friends were bored and it was after midnight and we had too much crap to do the next day that we didn't want to deal with so we took an all-night road trip to Graceland even though we had pretty much just crossed the line where we were supposedly too old to be doing irresponsible shit like that. I like Elvis okay, but that's about it, so it wasn't like a pilgrimage for me. However, it was a huge deal for one of my friends. The only thing better than experiencing something that's personally awesome for you is to watch someone you love experience something like that, and to be able to vicariously live it through their eyes. And that's what that trip to Graceland was like for me, so it was really quite powerful. So I'll always have a fondness for the place.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The singers also have to take the Elvis fans into consideration. No one is safe because the Elvis fans will turn on a dime if the King is not honored. The singers will have to walk the fine line between copying Elvis and making the song too much their own. The fans might like the memorex version but Simon won't. Getting individualist might get you Simon love but the fans will be indignant. Chris doing a Creed version of any thing Presley is a disaster waiting to happen

Donald Capone said...

It's going to be a cheese-fest, that's for sure. You're right, though, this might be the best week Taylor's ever had. Is Elvis going to coach the kids this week? Because he's really still alive right?

SusanD said...

Anon -- I really hope Chris pisses off the Elvis fans!! You're so right on the money with that.

Don -- well. If Elvis was coaching them, he'd be in better shape, and less embalmed, than most of the coaches they've had this year.