Elvis was the best from the beginning, and maybe of all time. His impact on modern music and culture should not be underestimated. It was his "shaking pelvis" that opened the door for many other changes in our modern culture. Which at times is a blessing and other times a curse.
Even though his music and act was exciting entertainment, he opened a Pandora’s Box that allowed numerous "losers and abusers" to make their way to the top by "out shocking" the previous year's rage in an attempt to grab attention at any cost. Along with the progression of regressed human behavior has been the increase of negative lyrics. If one was to chart the dispersion of negative lyrics on a time line, they would find that, in general, that the volume of negative lyrics has spread and increased with every passing year and generation since the 1950s.
A lot of this has to do with the illusion that each new generation has in that they have to out-do (and out-retard) the previous generation in attempting to establish a superficial identity. It is interesting how they then turn around and complain about the "ignorance and errors" of previous generations and make great promises that their generation will "set things right." After thirty five years of making flaky false promises, the world is still waiting for a generation to step up and lead by example. Can the Jerry Springer Generation be the ones to set things right?
From a musical perspective, Elvis was phenomenal. Do not let 30 and 40 year old records be intimidating. There is some serious rocking and rolling, particularly among his early works. If there is any doubt, try "Elvis' Golden Records, 50 Million Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong, Number One Hits, The Top 10 Hits, or 50 World Wide Gold Award Hits." Women always talked about his sex appeal, but his strength was his voice and delivery (which was cultivated and formed through influences of Gospel, Country, and Rhythm and Blues music). When he sang, it struck a chord with listeners because it seemed like he was singing from deep within his soul by delivering honest, sincere, smooth, and passionate pleas.
Elvis was a sort of tragic figure in American history. On one extreme he lived the American dream of rags to riches. He went from growing up in poverty in Mississippi to selling more than 50 gold records over his career. The tragic aspect of his life is that he was trapped by his own fame and obsession to stay in front of the spot light, to the point were it jeopardized his mental and physical health. He then attempted to offset his personal pain by pill popping and over indulging. It was this drug addiction that ultimately led to his early and wasteful death at a young 42 years of age.
Although Elvis had his controversies and personal problems, it needs to be made clear that Elvis tried to maintain a standard of good-will in his music and public life, which is more than can be said about some entertainers.
In tribute to Elvis Aaron Presley, the following is a collection from other people’s songs that pay homage to the one and only, King of Rock and Roll.