First Time for Elvis' Music

[ehollier]

Please share with everyone the first time you heard Elvis Presley's music, what was the first song that you remember listening to and how you first discovered his music?

I am especially interested in those fans who are from other countries.

[Tommy]

I saw him on TV on the Dorsey Show. It was electrifying! I thought to myself, who is this singer with the odd name of Elvis, I had never heard that name before, I thought to myself, I will remember his name and hoped to see him again.

Of course the rest is history!

[ehollier]

Being born in late 1967, right before Elvis made his legendary comeback in 1968, historical recordings at American and return to Vegas, I remember that Elvis was just always on the stereo at home. My parents owned "From Elvis In Memphis" and "Elvis From Memphis to Vegas" and "On Stage". Of course, my first recollection were hearing the 2 most famous of those LP's -- "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto" played throughout the house. When the LP with "Burning Love" was released, I can remember getting my "own" record to play and recall playing that song over and over again.

My grandparents were also huge fans of his music having seen him in concert in the mid 50's when he toured the south. He appeared at some of the local clubs near Baton Rouge, Louisiana and they would go to see him perform. I can also recall hearing them talk about their trips to Vegas (usually 4 per year) in the early 70's to see him at the Hilton and in concert when he was anywhere near their home. They traveled to Houston, Dallas, and everywhere he performed in Louisiana during the 70's.

Their love of The King extended to the grandchildren. It inspired one of my cousin's to become a musician who is still working in Nashville today. I can remember visiting my cousin who had every single album ever produced by RCA which he tacked to his wall as sort of an Elvis mural. He was always listening to one of his albums, carefully removing from the sleeve on his wall, dusting it off, and placing it on his turntable. I recall the local paper even doing several articles about his love for Elvis' music when The King passed away. I recently asked him what it was about Elvis that made him such a huge fan. His response was that after seeing Elvis in concert in the early 70's, he was in complete awe of the audience's response to Elvis' music. He told me "I wanted to be the object of all of that love and adulation."

[utmom2008]

My first memory of his music was when I was 4 years old, and not yet in school. Even at that age I LOVED music...during the day my mom would let me play 45's on the big stereo console. I couldn't read yet, but I quickly learned to associate a certain song with it's label. There were 2 songs that even I can remember playing over and over and over. One was "Bossa Nova Baby" and the other was "Good Luck Charm". I LOVED those songs...it would be a few years before I saw the face that went with that voice. When I did, the rest as they say was history.

[cibetty]

I love this thread Elizabeth! Really great idea. I have already written about it to you, but I can write it again here. I heard about Elvis first in 1992, when I was 14. I saw and heard him first on TV, when a movie channel (HBO) came to our country and I saw "This Is Elvis" documentary on it. And after that I saw one of the sitdown shows from the 68 Comeback, (on the same movie channel) I don't remember which sitdown show, the 1st or the 2nd. But I remember clearly there was Hungarian subtitle on it. "This Is Elvis" was Hungarian subtitled (all of the songs too) as well. It was the long version of the movie. It was on the 15th anniversary of his death. I loved the movie, it totally amazed me and touched me deeply. But I wasn't an Elvis fan in that time, I became a fan later, in 2007. I recorded "This Is Elvis" documentary to VHS in 1992, I still have it, although it is not too good quality. But I didn't record the subtitled version of the 68 Comeback Special in that time, and I'm really sorry... (Anyways we made cancelled that TV channel from our service later, because it was not too good after that, there wasn't any good movie on it and it was quite expensive.) Later we bought a music casette, (it was not an original casette, we bought it on a market), so finally I heard his voice on casette, it was wonderful, I still have it. The truth is there are not too many things about Elvis in my country unfortunately. I ordered a 4CD collection in 2006, for Christmas, from TV Shop, I saw its commercial on TV. Later in 2007, in April I bought the "That's The Way It Is" DVD, the restored version from 2001, the original movie from 1970 didn't come out here. I saw that DVD by an accident, in a supermarket. I didn't know anything about it, I just thought it must be a good movie, so I bought it. And that was the first movie what I saw about him on DVD and what made me a fan. The rest is history...

[Diane]

Boy do I feel old!!! I first heard Elvis singing That's All Right Mama on a radio station from New York (WPTR or WKBW...not sure which) when I was 12. I fell in love with his unique voice and I also thought Elvis Presley was a strange name.

Can't remember when I finally saw a picture of him in the section of Weekend in our local newspaper. I still have that picture as I cut it out and glued (yes glued ) in my scrapbook immediately...it made that much of an impact on me. It was a coloured publicity photo of him in Love Me Tender in the pink plaid shirt with his chin resting on his arm.

Diane

[KPM]

The first song I recall was "Don't" My aunt is a huge Elvis fan and she played it over and over. She took me to see "Blue Hawaii" at the drive-in at the age of 7. That was the first film I recall seeing by Elvis. Although my mom tells me that she took me at age 1 with her to see "Love Me Tender" that I do not recall.

[littlesister3]

When I was younger the Disney Channel had a thing called "DTV". It was supposed to be like MTV and they took songs and put disney cartoons to them. One of the songs they did was G.I. Blues. I was only about 3 or 4 but I still remember it and I still have the VHS we used to tape it off t.v. It was my favorite of all the songs they did. At the time I didn't know who Elvis was but then when I was about 11 years old I heard "Devil in Disguise", by this time I had of course heard of Elvis but I never heard this song. I fell in love and the rest is history.

I couldn't find the G.I. Blues one that I remember, but here is 5 different DTVs and one of them is Teddy Bear. It starts around 5:40

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AUEtARkzFQ

It's so great hearing all these stories from people who were around when Elvis was around. I'm jealous!

[midnight]

My very first memory of Elvis Presley was when I saw the "Aloha Special" in 1973. I was 8 years old. I just remember being glued to the T.V. He left an impression on me that has stayed all these years. I can remember talking about him constantly and driving my parents nuts! I remember my parents saying, "Ah it has just been a few days, she`ll forget about him." But....I never did forget!!! So I guess my first song that i heard was C.C Rider!

[Unchained Melody]

The first time I heard Elvis back in the summer of 2001. I was staying with my Grandma after my papa had passed away and we were going through some old stuff and found the newspaper from Memphis August 1977. I looked through the photos and found them fascinating and we found this tape my papa had on VHS he taped off of tv a year before of That's The Way It Is Special Edition, and the second film was Jailhouse Rock. I Found them both great, TTWII captured me forever as an Elvis fan, I went home found 2 cds my mom had called Elvis The Top Ten Hits and I wore them cds out over and over.

[Merry]

I noticed Elvis when I was around six years old. I recognised and loved his eyes, loved his smile, and his personality. "Return to Sender" was the first song that I heard, and I'd sing it over and over, in Nana and Grandad's front yard, while picking up the mail, or playing in the yard.

My mother and step-father played "Blue Hawaii" at their wedding, when I was around seven. My cousins and I danced and danced, having a wonderful time. We'd swim, race into the carport, put on the album again, and dance.

[Unchained Melody]

I noticed Elvis when I was around six years old. I recognised and loved his eyes, loved his smile, and his personality. "Return to Sender" was the first song that I heard, and I'd sing it over and over, in Nana and Grandad's front yard, while picking up the mail, or playing in the yard.

My mother and step-father played "Blue Hawaii" at their wedding, when I was around seven. My cousins and I danced and danced, having a wonderful time. We'd swim, race into the carport, put on the album again, and dance.

Great story Jess, I remember very well that Return To Sender was a song off that Top Ten Hits CD I played over and over

[ehollier]

Besides hearing Elvis as a young child on the stereo console (big, huge, piece of furniture), I do recall seeing him in the Aloha Special when I was 5. Since I had heard him before, the songs didn't sound strange to me. But after seeing Elvis in Aloha, watching other performers perform seemed strange to me because the other performers didn't close their eyes and dance around like Elvis did on Aloha. I couldn't understand what was wrong with the other performers. It was a little strange making this connection at such a young age - I remember asking my Mom what was wrong with (whoever was on TV) "Why doesn't he close his eyes like Elvis when he sings??" Try and explain this to a 5 or 6 year old. I really didn't fully understand it until I was older, but everyone that has seen Elvis perform will attest to the fact that his performances are much different than anyone else.

[Unchained Melody]

Besides hearing Elvis as a young child on the stereo console (big, huge, piece of furniture), I do recall seeing him in the Aloha Special when I was 5. Since I had heard him before, the songs didn't sound strange to me. But after seeing Elvis in Aloha, watching other performers perform seemed strange to me because the other performers didn't close their eyes and dance around like Elvis did on Aloha. I couldn't understand what was wrong with the other performers. It was a little strange making this connection at such a young age - I remember asking my Mom what was wrong with (whoever was on TV) "Why doesn't he close his eyes like Elvis when he sings??" Try and explain this to a 5 or 6 year old. I really didn't fully understand it until I was older, but everyone that has seen Elvis perform will attest to the fact that his performances are much different than anyone else.

I know what you mean kind of thought the same thing when I first seen ttwii se when i was 11, i had never seen a performer perform with the intensity like elvis did it was just unbelievable.

[azur]

Oh! To talk about me, it took me really much time to get involved. A good friend of mine is a great fan, so she used to get me listen to Him rather often. And I thought I understood, but.. once I stayed alone with His "Just pretend" It was a huge wave of everything that's called LOVE in this world..I was shoked how I didn't feel it before?

[kathy parkinson]

My first memory of his music was when I was 4 years old, and not yet in school. Even at that age I LOVED music...during the day my mom would let me play 45's on the big stereo console. I couldn't read yet, but I quickly learned to associate a certain song with it's label. There were 2 songs that even I can remember playing over and over and over. One was "Bossa Nova Baby" and the other was "Good Luck Charm". I LOVED those songs...it would be a few years before I saw the face that went with that voice. When I did, the rest as they say was history.

Roseanne, i don't believe it!!! My story is the same as yours apart from the song, how cool is that?
I was four when i heard ''Heartbreak Hotel'' on the radio, after it finished i waited to hear it again, when it didn't come on i went back to playing with my doll.
I too didn't see a picture of him for a long time, so i truly can say that for me it's always been the music first, everything else is an added bonus.
I have watched this incredible young mans journey and i have enjoyed the ride, i'm very proud to have been there from the beginning.

[Unchained Melody]

Its funny because years before i seen ttwii se and started being a fan i had seen the ending of this is elvis during august of 2000, i remember watching it american trilogy and just thinking hoe magical this man was it was just amazing that i would become such a fan after that a year later.

[Cliff]

As I've stated elsewhere I liked Elvis before hearing him sing or seeing him act. But my earliest recollection of hearing him was on the radio singing "Heartbreak Hotel". Quite often I would be playing outside and my Mom would yell out "Elvis is on the radio!!" and I'd drop what I was doing,run inside at breakneck speed and listen to him.Luckily this stopped in my latter years. Could you imagine me saying a tender goodnite to a girl and then have my Mom yell out the window"ELVIS IS ON THE RADIO!!!."
Any way,in 1958 one of my Auntys bought me the 45" "Hard Headed Woman" for my Birthday and that was the start of my Elvis record collection.
It was hard to get to hear him on the radio in New Zealand in those days. You usually had to wait for the request shows or the Hit Parade. Radio was controlled by the Government then and they had pretty strict broadcasting standards,and this did not include playing Elvis Presley without being asked.
I'll alway remember that they put a ban on "Big Hunka Love" "cause they thought it was too rowdy. My,how times have changed.l

[buttonhead]

I was born and raised in Indonesia, and moved to USA in 2004.

I was only 12 or younger when one of my elderly neighbour introduce me to Elvis music and movies..

She was in her late 60's , her husband passed away, her kids were all out of town on their own with their families..

Anyway.. I remember she always came to say hi to my mom and daddy..and at the end she would politely asked my mom if she could have us the kids to came to her house, she said she have some movies but she didnt know anyone to keep her company while watching ,...anywho, to make story short....

Here i was sat in the living room with my bro and that lady watching Elvis Thats The way it is...

I was stunned , and start asking her about who the guy on TV was...
when i heard Elvis Presley, i thought it was the most unusual name i heard....

Then before we got back home... she handed me a copy of a cassette.. no CD back then ... one of the song i remember kept ringing in my head was :

" Baby Let's Play House"... I thought that it was a cool tune... even back then i didnt know what the lyric suppose to mean

The rest is history..

[Lisarose]

The first movie I saw was Tickle Me and I immediately fell in love with the rodeo man. I had to make sure I saw all his other movies, too. The songs I remember from the 60's were all movie songs - Little Egypt, He's Your Uncle, Not Your Dad.
Of course, Crying In the Chapel was a big hit and played on the radio all the time as was Burning Love and Suspicious Minds, and I remember we all watched the Elvis Christmas show and the one thing I remember most from that special was Elvis singing Love Me Tender and fooling around singing "you have made my life a wreck - uh-complete". I was glued to the TV set then.
I had a few 45's and I played them to death. If they are still at Mom's house, they surely couldn't be listened to anymore!