Long live the KING of the King of Rock and Roll!

[FCTP]

 

 

I grew up as a teenager during Rock & Roll’s takeover of the music industry.  I was a pre-teen when rock and roll music showed up in movies with the rock and roll stars singing beach blanket bingo in their bikinis or Elvis singing and dancing on a Hawaiian Island cookout.

 

Every Saturday we would do our chores such as clean our rooms, strip the beds, wash the clothes, and vacuum the carpets until lanes of tracks could be seen throughout the house.  Once all the chores were done, we would hop into my dad’s Ford Fairlane and he would drop us at the Arlington Theatre for the rest of the day until the early evening hours.  This was a form of baby-sitting for my single dad and a get-away from real life for me. 

 

Back then you could go to the movies with two crisp dollars in your hand.  One to get into the movie and the other for popcorn, soda and a box of snow caps.  Not only would you see the main feature, but you would also get a couple of full-length cartoons and a bunch of up-and-coming movie previews. 

 

We would meet our friends there and the first time I held the sweaty hand of a young guy was sitting in the back row of that theatre.  I was never so scared in all my life to have this young man take my hand in his and hold it there throughout the movie.  Do you know how hard it was to eat popcorn and drink my coke with only one hand? 

 

I loved Saturday’s because I could escape from the woes of my childhood and become the one Elvis Presley sang to on the screen.  I could imagine myself as his girlfriend as he moved towards me with those dreamy eyes, curled up lip and slicked back hair.  He was a dreamboat and I fell head over heels in love with him.  I didn’t miss one Elvis movie.  I babysat to earn money to buy his 45 singles and I spent hours listening to them on my record player.  Each of those 45s were stacked on top of each other and one by one would drop on the player and Elvis would croon in my room as I did my homework.

 

I was crazy about Elvis.  Posters of him hung on my wall and anything with Elvis on it was purchased to sit on my dresser.   I saw Elvis in concert twice and my husband-to-be held me back as I tried to jump over three rows to the front to catch one of his scarves.  I wasn’t sure if we would survive as a couple that night but I married him anyway and forgave him for holding me back from the King.  When I walked down the aisle in 1975, Love me Tender was sung instead of the traditional waltz.  And two years later on August 16, 1977, my husband and I were heading to a birthday meal with a family member and the big announcement came over WAPE – “The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, … is dead.”

 

I cried all through dinner and for nearly 4 days in a row.  I took off from work and watched his funeral from beginning to end and could not believe that the world would keep on turning.

 

Why did I like Elvis so much?  First of all – he was danged cute!  Second – he came from humble beginnings and his parents were Southern people just like my family.  He loved his parents and he was a good boy.  He was well mannered.  He took care of those less fortunate.  He kept his friends around him and took care of their families.  He married the first girl he fell in love with and he could never fill the void of her leaving – even though he could have any woman in the world.  He loved America and he loved his God more than anything.  No matter what songs Elvis sang, he always had some gospel song in the mix.  Elvis made me feel special and helped me escape many heartbreaks caused by boyfriend breakups or  teen girlfriends with their mean-spiritedness.  He also helped me escape the void of my mother’s leaving by having a great cry to one of his songs such as “Are you lonesome tonight?” or “Don’t cry daddy” when I would hear my father sobbing alone in his bedroom. 

 

Although drugs took his life, Elvis made his mark on the world and it was a good one.  The songs he sang would fill your heart with joy, love or even sorrow but there was always a little hope at the end of each song.

 

Why would I write about Elvis on a tea party blog?  Because I can only imagine what Elvis would be singing if he were alive today.  I’m pretty sure he would tell us To Dream the Impossible Dream or he would be at a tea party singing The American Trilogy.

 

He would definitely sing America the Beautiful.   

 

Rest in peace Elvis.  The country that allowed you, a Southern, poor, country boy, to rise to success is still alive and well and we are still being held by  One Pair of Hands.

 

America is still the best country on the face of this planet and we Rock and Roll, thank you very much...

 

Thanks for the memories.

 

 

[Mary Jane Travis]

AMEN !

[DURWIN WALTER DAVIS]

Elvis was probably the first high profile victim of the hatred of the Major Media.  You're right in that he had faith in his doctors knowledge ot keep him well and was betrayed there.  He loved his country, served, was successful without being a potty-mouth, therefore he drew the ire and ilk from the satanic driven left liberals.  They couldn't fight him in Life, so they assaulted him in death.  I really enjoyed his gospels which benefitted from that voice graced from GOD.  R.I.P., Elvis.

[Patricia M. McBride]

You are point on Billie.  He was a nice man.  We lived in Memphis when he died, and the whole city was in mourning.  He did so much for so many people in the city, and he never wanted credit for it and made people promise not to say anyting about him helping them.  He gave people cars, houses, and money when they were in a bad place financially (and he heard about it).  He did not drink or smoke, and I was sick at heart that doctors got him addicted to pills.  He was a simple country boy his whole life and a good man, and the mark his death left was stained by pain pills and an over dose instead of the things that mattered for many.  The people of Memphis knew the mark of the man though and never waivered from their respect for him and his goodness.  So many people actually knew him personally through his good works, it was totally amazing.