Reply With QuoteYou are right....charisma isn't tied to how much a person weighs. You either have it, or you don't...simple as that. And, let's be honest....he had more than 10 men put together.Originally Posted by Sonny
"1977 is pure Elvis".
That comment still kills me, all these weeks later!
You are right....charisma isn't tied to how much a person weighs. You either have it, or you don't...simple as that. And, let's be honest....he had more than 10 men put together.
You need to re-read the posts again.
None of us who "dwell"
Or how anyone can say he never lost his energy on stage. It's the rose-coloured glasses thing rearing its ugly head once more.
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
There are some fleeting moments in 1977 where Elvis put on a a good show, however we do have to get in the real world! What could be considered good in 1977 is way below 1973-74-75 and a far cry from 69-70
I don't doubt that Elvis gave the best that he could but you only have to watch the CBS shows to see that Elvis was struggling with his health and that was detrimental to his performances.
Seeing snapshot photographs do not tell the whole story, they catch a moment in time, he may look good in some but comparing them to even 1974 show a marked difference.
There is a marked difference in all of us as we age, looks, energy etc. but Elvis had the extra load on his back of the addiction and poor health.
Diane
I just don't get it what are we trying to prove here.Elvis was the way he was supposed to be and what made him the person he is,what made him that much of an important and needed figure,even 30 years after his death,was no one but himself.Do we need to re-create him,or can we say there's another way in every human beings life that they can change to, whenever they wish? That's why I believe we do not disappear after the passing we call death.As an existed being,whatever or whoever we are,we need to go on a higher stage of awareness and enlightment and this is a long journey.As long as there's not a crime which hurts or endangers others,why we judge such a nice person as if we know or do,better than him,at least in this lifetime of ours.No need to be sad or mad for having a huge source of happines in our lives.I'm only thankful for such a person existed,and I'm sure he had a large perspective in life and knew more than we think, what and why he did,whatever it was.
Nice post theDoc.
Diane
I'd like to say something. I saw Elvis on May 31, 1977 in Baton Rouge, LA. HE was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. When he came on stage, there was an energy about him that is hard to explain. Call it presence, call it charisma, call it aura, call it whatever you want, but that energy was there with him until the end. His voice was wonderful and he may not have moved as well as we had seen in the past, but you knew you were seeing someone special.
I am disturbed that there is not more sympathy voiced for Elvis. He had his problems but he did not put them out like some of the celebrities do now. Now rock stars put their drug use out in your face and seem to be applauded for it. Let's give him some credit.
There's no doubting he still had `IT' right till the very end
rick
There is no doubt Elvis had charisma, there is no doubt he had talent, there is now doubt he had an aura.
I have said this a million times, I would still give my eye, teeth to see Elvis in his worst show! We have analysed and criticised his worst and best efforts, we are still fans through the highs and lows of his life, that is why we are here.
What we should never do is hide the fact that the lows were extremely low, if you compare other stars of Elvis standing nobody has exhibited such a visible decline in terms of appearance and quality of show. We may not like to admit the fact that this is the case, but we have to look at the facts without having to be too critical or overly biased from a fan stand point.
By wearing rose tinted glasses and by being over protective, we are as guilty as those that were around Elvis and allowed this decline to happen without stern intervention! I can just hear Joe saying after the CBS show in the car "Great Show Elvis, Great Show" But was it that great compared in context of the Aloha show? No, I don't think any evidence can be brought to show that this is the case. In fact the Aloha show has been generally described as a subdued show for 1973, so 1977 can only be described as lacking the awe inspiring experience that was displayed only three years previous. Fans of Elvis were attracted to his looks, appearance, vitality and voice, some of these things were effected in later years.
Yes there are moments of brilliance in 1977, Yes there were flashes of the king, but by admitting that he was less than God like is not being sacrilegious. There are several pictures out there from 1977 that capture Elvis in a good light, however this is generally the exception to the rule.. I'm not saying he looks bad, but he does look ill. Elvis' visible decline from 1975-77 does not show a normal man over the same period of time, you only have to look at the likes of Tom Jones to see that this is not the case. People generally change slowly over a period of 5 years, the Elvis of 72 cannot be compared to the Elvis of 77.
I think the problem we have as fans is that we have different time periods which we kind of zone in on and that is the rub, there are many, many fans who love 76/77 whereas there are those who like the 70's but prefer the 70-75 period. Horses for courses I guess.
I usually don't post. I kind of just like to read and consider what others are saying, but I want to respond to this thread because I saw Elvis in concert in November 1976. I agree, he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen before or since. I had been reading about how bad that he looked so I was prepared for the worst. When Elvis walked on stage all concern left, he was absolutely the best looking man that you could imagine. Pictures and television do not do him justice. He was even better looking in person if that is possible. He was not fat by any stretch. No, he didn't look like he was 21, but he wasn't 21. He wasn't supposed to look 21! Yes, he was not healthy and I was aware of that, but when people say that he lost his looks, it is simply not true. I was within 5 feet of him and I looked at his beautiful face. His eyes were sparkling with that special twinkle that only he had. He looked right at me and flashed the most fantastic smile that I had ever seen. I don't even have words to describe the feeling of having him look at me and smile. In that moment, Elvis was the only person that existed in this whole big world. The pictures also make him look much heavier and worse than he was. The camera sure did not do him any favors. By 2007 standards, he was not fat at all. For a 41 year old man, he was below the average weight of the other men his age that I knew. If I had not read that he was overweight, I would have never thought that he was. He gave a wonderful show! His voice was fantastic and the "energy that was Elvis" was still there! I don't understand why "Elvis fans" seem to enjoy dwelling on the negative things that have mostly been put out there by the media at the time of Elvis death and by the MM because they are trying to sensationalize to make money. Elvis was a very ill man. I think we should treat him the way we would want to be treated if we were ill. We would want people to understand that there are reasons that we are not quite up to par. Even being as ill as Elvis was, he still was the best looking man alive. He was still working his tail off and giving all he could to his fans. We should bend over backwards to give back to him by giving him the benefit of the doubt. We need to accept the fact that he was ill, but not make it out as anything but that. He was a human, and his illness took his life. I sure have never seen another man so close to death that was that appealing. I know that I sound like I have on rose colored glasses, but I do not. I saw Elvis with my own eyes and I am speaking from seeing him face to face, and I did not have on any glasses...Elvis was sick and he was dieing, can't we cut him some slack?
I think Michael Jackson's changes have been more dramatic than Elvis' ever were. All Elvis did was to get fat ... but MJ? That's a whole other kettle of fish. And a whole other raft of personal issues!
As to the rest of your post: spot on!
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
When one considers the two people posting who actually saw Elvis live were enamored with what they saw, then what more can be expected of Elvis?
It is very easy for many to sit behind a computer keyboard 30 years later and intellectualize and over analyze Elvis's performances from his later years by way of second rate soundboard and audience recordings (that I am sure Elvis would not have dreamed would be released all these years later) and the zillion photos that exist (some of which show a 42 year old man looking better than most of his age).
For the most part his public were more than happy (at the time) and the very few times they were not, for that I forgive him.
How can anybody say that Elvis looked fine in 76-77? The man was sick and overweight, he wasnt his normal self.
"When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was a hero in the movie. So every dream that I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times. I learned very early in life that without a song, the day would never end; without a song, a man ain't got a friend; without a song, the road would never bend; without a song. So I keep singing a song." - Elvis Presley
Has anyone actually said Elvis looked fine during all of 76/77?
There you go Kris. This is not to start trouble. Someone said Elvis looked great in the rough days and I disagreed.
"When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was a hero in the movie. So every dream that I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times. I learned very early in life that without a song, the day would never end; without a song, a man ain't got a friend; without a song, the road would never bend; without a song. So I keep singing a song." - Elvis Presley
Thank you See See........Then I would disagree with presley31, though he/she is still entitled to there own opinion, as subjective as that may be.
My original point still stands, ie:
Agreed that MJ's changes surpass that of EP but that change has taken 20 years to reach meltdown, Elvis' decline was far from catastophic in terms of looks etc.I think Michael Jackson's changes have been more dramatic than Elvis' ever were. All Elvis did was to get fat ... but MJ? That's a whole other kettle of fish. And a whole other raft of personal issues!
As to the rest of your post: spot on!
Mate, check this thread and other postings again.
There are people on here who go absolutely ape for the "pure 1977" Elvis, and they believe he looked fine in the last two years.
Getlo - cute'n'cuddly
As has been pointed out to me Getlo.................though I think the gist of the thread is that Elvis did, on occasion (the frequency is open to debate as well as subjective opinion) look like a better than average, even handsome, 42 year old adult male.
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