Elvis Presley Review -N. Lacey

Elvis Presley Review

Though many people may have disliked Elvis Presley, I believe he was one of the greatest artists that has ever lived. This is so because he made history with his musical style and lyrics, his stage presence and performances, his album, “Jailhouse Rock” and even his lifetime as a whole was truly amazing.
First of all, Elvis Presley was very musically talented when it came to his rock-and-roll style and lyrics. Elvis set the marker for rock-and-roll music. He was an international sensation and his sound and style combined all of his own musical influences such as pop, country, gospel, and black R&B. His lyrical style was yet another among his many talents. When Elvis sang, he got to the point which made his lyrics so easy and fun to listen to. The notes and pitch he produced were always on key and yet his sense to go crazy with any song he sang especially in one of his songs titled,” Devil in Disguise”;
“You look like an angel
Walk like an angel
Talk like an angel
But I got wise
You're the devil in disguise
Oh yes you are
The devil in disguise
You fooled me with your kisses
You cheated and you schemed
Heaven knows how you lied to me
You're not the way you seemed”

In addition to that, Elvis had amazing stage presence and his performances were landmark. Whenever Elvis got on stage, the crowd went wild. Fainting would occur, mainly from the love-crazed women who adored him, as would uproarious applause, and even tears from those who were so excited to see him. Not only could Elvis sing, he could dance as well. Many would do anything to see the sway of those legendary hips. However, some people thought that his movements were controversial and too sexual for audiences of the time to see, but that didn’t stop him. Also, Elvis had a unique style of dress. He would get on stage dressed in lavish costumes that sparkled in the spot light. His most famous costumes were all jumpsuits; these were always a crowd pleaser.
Next is a little about his background that led up to his fame. Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tulepo, Mississippi on January 8th, 1935 to Vernon and Gladys Presley. He was born in a two-room shot-gun house, which is basically a gun room, that his father had readied for his birth. Jesse Garon Presley, his identical twin brother who was born thirty five minutes prior to Elvis, was sadly a stillborn, which made him an only child. His family was just above poverty so they could not afford lavish things but still managed to get Elvis a decent education. His first performance was at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair & Dairy show at ten years old and at eleven he received his first guitar. As Elvis got older, many noticed his strong interest in music. He played at lunch time during school and began taking guitar lessons in high school. Though he had many musical influences such as Roy Acuff, B.B. King, and the Statesman Quartet, his initial inspiration was the Assembly of God church he attended as a child, he would frequently crawl out into the aisles and walk up to the choir and try and sing with them Soon Elvis grew and began trying for record deals. After many tries with different companies, he finally got a break with Sun Records and recorded his first hit, “That’s Alright Mama’’. He continued to live an amazing career in music, acting, and he was also an Army Sergeant for two years. As a film star he made thirty-one movies including “Jailhouse Rock”, which introduced the hit song “Jailhouse Rock”. Also on that soundtrack was “Treat Me Nice”, “I Want to Be Free”, “Don’t Leave Me Now”, “Young and Beautiful”, and “Baby I Don’t Care”. The most popular being,” Jailhouse Rock”.
Lastly is how amazing his album, “Jailhouse Rock”, is and how it really incorporates everything that made Elvis, Elvis. One of Elvis’s most famous albums was the, “Jailhouse Rock”. This song incorporates all of his signature things: lyrics, his famous “jail-bird attire”, and dance moves. Elvis made this song a hit with all of these things combined just as he did with every endeavor. These lyrics may seem cheap to some,but the way the song flows and how it sounds is really what got to most of his fans;
“The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing.
You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock”
Click here to visit Jailhouse Rock video on Youtube.

These lyrics definitely show his get-to-the-point style and the scene in the movie shows every attribute Elvis can dish out. This song and album are truly a great addition to the Elvis collection of songs because if you like some of his original work, then listening to this song will surely bring joy to your ears.There is not a better song or album anywhere.
All in all, many may have and still do dislike The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, but I believe he was one of the greatest artists that has ever lived. This is true because he made music history with his style and lyrics, his stage presence and performances, his lifetime before fame, and his album, “Jailhouse Rock”.
Elvis had an outstanding life and career that sadly ended August 16th, 1977 from a drug overdose. Even after his death, his albums still continue to gross millions each year, it seems true that the great ones never truly die.


Image link- http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2324205056/tt0050556
Audio clip-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRu3tw9fYxE