I just saw a film I'd seen before --"Elvis On Tour" -- spliced-together clips that revealed all the aspects of Elvis -- great moments, embarrassing, amusing moments -- his enormous ego, his kindness, his amazing awareness of others, his amazing connection to music.
Golly, his gestures, his fingers, his hands that said that he was into whatever he was singing -- the song itself -- the words, the idea; his dancing -- the knee that kept time, the trucking feet and legs -- sudden bursts of full out, full body movement -- he mesmerizes me now as he did the first time I saw him.
I was a fan. I am a fan, who is still embarrassed, even annoyed by all those weepy, thrilled, young and old females who loved him, truly loved him. I know that kind of love. (Hey, I married a man who has an inner thing like Elvis had. When you see a performer who has it, you fall in love -- it’s nutty, it's crazy, adoration.)
Sure, I saw again how Elvis changed as he aged -- the film emphasized all that, as we saw him, again and again, mop himself, toss his scarves to his fans, and drive them crazy when he bent down and kissed a female in the front row. What he wore -- his taste, rings, capes, low-hung glittering gold belt -- those gaudy, outrageously studded, bejeweled outfits -- did I look down on them? Sure. But I loved everything about those outfits because I knew Elvis picked them out and loved to wear them.
I haven't mentioned that voice of his -- the range, the control he had -- his lower register, wow. Like a Stradivarius, his voice was somehow encased in him perfectly, so perfectly that the tone was ... His voice was thrilling.
After his movie career, Elvis went back to touring and touring -- it's a killer way of performing and earning a living. (I know from my experience as dancer.)
All that we’ve learned about Elvis's death, August 1977, at age 42 -- awful that we had to know that he died on the toilet -- it was shocking to learn about his pills and medications, and why he was hooked on them.
None of this ugly reality was on my mind when I heard him again, in this film.
I am a writer, and as I work on what I write I feel out what’s on my mind. I loved his music, loved what came out of that voice. Elvis was to me, still is, a preacher in song.
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4 comments:
Every time I hear him, I think about what a great musician he is.
Great one Em! I loved Elvis...It is a shame we lost him so early.
He was such an influence on others that songs have been written about him and people have played many roles based on his character and the actual man he was too. Maybe he was ready at the end and maybe he wasn't? I hope that he didn't ever think that time was passing him by because he left an impression on so many people that remains strong; timeless actually. As the generations roll, he may become just a foot note, a bright spot that's highlighted in the historical records of the 20th Century? He's kinda our Fredric Chopin, isn't he? Well, there really isn't an equivalent entertainer but a lot of people emulate his ways and why not. I can't claim to have been in his Army like John Trudell and you Emily but I appreciate his leadership and the goodness that he brought to his fan's hearts. sez Dustspeck
He had that sexy mojo; sensual something extra. As you write" that inner thing" Yes, he did, and After his death so many artists credited him as an influence who rocked, the old boundaries. And his death had people acknowledging, and questioning their own use and over use of prescription drugs.I learned that they weren't so safe . They weren't so harmless. This was a wake up call for me. just wish it hadn't cost the world such magic to learn that lesson. Thank you for sharing this, very fine writing,
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