Elvis myths/untruths you once believed

[PaleRider]

Sometimes, finding "truth" in the Elvis World can be a daunting task. What are some of the Elvis myths, misconceptions, or other untruths you once believed?

I'll get things started with a few I believed when I was growing up:

• Elvis recorded "That's All Right, Mama" as a gift for his mother
• The first record of the "Elvis In Concert" LP (and the TV special) contained his last concert
• I also somehow thought that "Are You Lonesome Tonight" was the flipside of "That's All Right." I think this was because I thought Elvis said, "...and then we did a song called 'Are You Lonesome Tonight'..." on the "Elvis In Concert" record right after he sang "That's All Right."

Try not to laugh too hard at that last one! All I know is, I sure was surprised to find out that he didn't record it until six years later.

[Raised on Rock]

When I was four years old I one saw a guy on cable TV (TTWII) and I taught that was the coolest guy I ever seen, I saw all the repetitions of that movie that week, then I asked my parents who he was, they say: ah thats Elvis.

Then somewhere that around that time I saw a photo from the Aloha From Hawaii SHow on a record store here in M?xico, and later on I saw a big poster of the photo used on the From ELvis Presle Boulevard LP. Little Bit Latter I saw on TV again some of the DORSEY TV apearences, I liked that too, they also played some early Beatles TV apearances on thatTV SHow... wow Im remembering my very early childhood now!

So, what is the myht in here? hahahahah... here it goes, when I was four years old I love the guy with sideburns and the wild fringe suit that I saw on TV Shakin all over (TTWII), and I thought the Guy of the poster in the entrance of the record shop in the mall near home looked very familiar and I feel some kind of empathy with him even if a I didn?t have any idea who he was (the photo is the one used on the cover of A Legendary Performer VOl 1)... what? haha yea I thought they were two diferent persons.

Then when I saw the photo used on the Cover of From ELvis Boulevar LP (I think it was a promotional poster for the THe ELvis MEdley Mix so that must have been 1985) I thought: Where Have I seen that man, he look prety Ill any way, he is sad... couldn?t realize that those three images on my mind where the same man, both somehow I knew they where part of the same mystery haha, sounds weird I know.

THe guy singing with his guitar in B&W (The Dorsey shows) was for me "A friend of the Beatles" ok ok I was only 4 years old! I liked and I liked the Beatles to, I had the Beatles 20 greatest hits cassette and I played all day, but for sure that one, the friend of the Beatles that I once saw on TV and for sure I enjoied his music, wasn?t related with the other three guys hahhahahahaha!!!

Weird isnt it? It was till '87 that a new Elvis album came out here in M?xico "ELvis PoP Hits", they advertised that on TV and for that they put fragments of Elvis singing, from the Dorsey Tv Shows, the TImex show, clips from some movies: TEddy Bear and Jailhouse ROck and Return TO Sender, stuff from the '68 comback (which capture all my attention I always expected that part of the comercial to happend), some clips from TTWII, and the Aloha, as long as some photographs of the man; and suddenly my friends, at my early seven years old, like a flashlight in my head, I realize that they were all the same guy, and all of a sudden I knew who the man was, I knew I liked that, i Liket for sure, so I when to my parents room and told them: I want that Album now, since then It was like my mission to get all of his albums and to know everything about that guy on the poster on the entrance of that record store.

How you like that?

My second Elvis Album was another mexican releas called: ELvis Baladas (Ballads) and another called: ELvis Rock!!!, then I get the ELvis Medley cassette and another Mexican release calledn ELvis Rock and ROll. THen I get the Golden Records VOl 1 and oddly enought the A legendary Performer Vol 1 and 2, as well as the Moody BLue. I was only seven years old, and I didn?t want toys, all I wanted was to get all Elvis records (And some Beatles records too) ON STage on cassette tape a year latter, I must have played that one around a million times, I still have it is all worn out, is such a presiuous memory for me...

You made myself remember so many things that were hidden on the memory vaults of my head man!

[0349054]

I saw Aloha when I was like 10, and about half way through my brother said it was pity Elvis had died. It took the rest of the concert for my whole family to convince me he was dead! I argued he was always on the radio, and that we had countless Elvis records in the house!

Thinking back, I remember finding it very hard to accept he was dead.

[Tommy]

I remember the first time I saw Elvis, it was on the Tommy Dorsey Show on TV. I thought to myself who is that boy, I was about 11 yrs. old. I thought to myself I better be watching for him. And Man did he ever come busting out!! I remember the radio station's playing Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel about 50 times in a row!!

Tommy

[Leroy]

Another myth to shatter: Many biographies and also EPE tried to make people believe Elvis recorded "That's Alright" as a birthday present for his mother. Gladys Presley celebrated her birthday in April while Elvis recorded the song in July. Although it was partly a gift or at least an ode the main reason was that he was just curious how he would sound.

[Tommy]

It was "My Happiness" that Elvis recorded for his mother as a birthday gift.

Tommy

[PaleRider]

I saw Aloha when I was like 10, and about half way through my brother said it was pity Elvis had died. It took the rest of the concert for my whole family to convince me he was dead! I argued he was always on the radio, and that we had countless Elvis records in the house!

I was two years old when Elvis died. My childhood memories go back to the day before my second birthday, so I can actually remember a little bit before he died (which was about four months after I turned two).

My Mom and my brother were both Elvis fans, so they had given me a couple of old Elvis 45s to play with on an old record player. I wish I could remember which ones, but I played them a lot and sang along with what I thought were the lyrics while holding the broken-off handle of a toy that resembled a microphone. A little bit later after he died, I remember they bought a new one and it was "My Way"/"America." That one I remember, I played the heck out of that little record. Those songs went right over my head, of course. I remember thinking that "...purple mountains...MAJESTY..." must've had something to do with Elvis being a king.

Anyway, I can remember my Mom crying one day and I asked what was wrong. She said Elvis had died. My answer was, "Who's that?" (or whatever the two-year-old version of that would be) and she told me he was the man on the records I was always playing. This made me sad, of course, and I ran away and started crying, too. Somehow, and I don't remember how, I already knew about death--at least enough to understand that meant the person was not coming back.

I went back and asked my Mom if his voice would be gone from the records. And she said, no, his voice would always be there. I remember finding that comforting. And you know what, I still do.

[PaleRider]

You made myself remember so many things that were hidden on the memory vaults of my head man!

Great story, Raised on Rock. I love reading this kind of stuff. Nice pictures, too, even though they are of about four or five different guys...

[Jungleroom76]

WHAT A GREAT THREAD PALERIDER!!!!

For me, the BIGGEST myth actually came from EPE!!!

For the longest time, I knew about the ELVIS IN CONCERT TV Special from 1977, but had never seen it. In my early correspondence with EPE, I was basically told because Elvis was in poor health, the show would not be released on video or shown on TV! (Which of course is the same line they use today, still!!!)

The more I researched the CBS Special, the more I learned about Elvis' health at the time and how Elvis didn't perform as well as he had in past! But for me, the myth was completely shattered when I was finally able to obtain a copy of the TV Special and realized that despite the obvious physical changes that Elvis had gone through, that he still put on one FANTASTIC show!! And when I was able to see the outtakes from the Omaha and Rapid City shows which came out years later, they only served to further cement my belief that although his health was clearly an issue, Elvis was still able to deliver a solid performance!!! And the voice....oh yes, the voice was STILL there!!!!

TCB!
Mike

[cutiepie]

I was about 2 years old when I saw the Aloha special with my family. I thought Elvis was Santa Claus!

[0349054]

WHAT A GREAT THREAD PALERIDER!!!!

For me, the BIGGEST myth actually came from EPE!!!

For the longest time, I knew about the ELVIS IN CONCERT TV Special from 1977, but had never seen it. In my early correspondence with EPE, I was basically told because Elvis was in poor health, the show would not be released on video or shown on TV! (Which of course is the same line they use today, still!!!)

The more I researched the CBS Special, the more I learned about Elvis' health at the time and how Elvis didn't perform as well as he had in past! But for me, the myth was completely shattered when I was finally able to obtain a copy of the TV Special and realized that despite the obvious physical changes that Elvis had gone through, that he still put on one FANTASTIC show!! And when I was able to see the outtakes from the Omaha and Rapid City shows which came out years later, they only served to further cement my belief that although his health was clearly an issue, Elvis was still able to deliver a solid performance!!! And the voice....oh yes, the voice was STILL there!!!!

TCB!
Mike

For me, seeing Elvis sing, "I really don't want to know", during the CBS special, is amazing. Yes, he wasnt that well, yes he sure looked in better shape in 68', 70', 72' and 73'. And he probabaly would of looked better in 74' had the Gospel Television special come off at that stage. Although the TV executives, in their infinte wisdom, thought that a re-run of Aloha would give them an idea of the market for a new Elvis special. Dumb idea, as not enough tuned into an Elvis re-run. I'm sure had they stuck on a new Elvis show, the numbers would of tuned in. Anyways, some of Elvis' performances in the CBS special are extraordinary.

[Tommy]

This was such a great idea!

Anybody I love reading your stories, touching and kind.

Thank you for them all,

Tommy

[Scottishthistle]

wow cool storys thanks for sharing

[Raised on Rock]

Yea the CBS Special, physicaly lets not deny it, Elvis looked pretty bad, and in some of his performances he is not there at all, but some of them are great great performances for sure: That´s All Right Mama is ok, I Really Don´t Want to know is superb, and Early Morning Rain is a must... there are some portions in the show that appart his illnes are amazing performances...

[PaleRider]

Another Elvis myth and a misperception I believed way back when:

• I thought the "Aloha From Hawaii" concert was actually beamed LIVE to every country in the world. I kind of imagined it as the Elvis version of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't even seen live in many countries, and it wasn't shown at all in the US until nearly three months later. I even thought that he stopped the show between certain songs so they could take commercial breaks, hah.
  
• My sister and I both thought "Rock-A-Hula, Baby" was about hula-hoops... "My hula baby's got a hula-hoop from Honolu, that rock-a-hula baby of mine..." was how we heard the lyric. In fact, my sister actually to this day refuses to believe those are NOT the words! I, on the other hand, have come to my senses (I think).

***

Great comments about "Elvis In Concert." The fact that EPE HIDES it is what makes it seem worse than it actually is. They should embrace it. They have a genuine piece of history there, and they don't even know it. EPE treats Elvis like he died on October 9, 1973. And, sometimes, they actually treat him like he died either when he went into the Army (total BS in my opinion) or immediately following the Comeback Special (also BS).

They could market Elvis to such a new level if they considered his *entire* career and not just what "they" consider highlights.

[geordie]

the biggest myth i can rememberis is that elvis coudnt play the guitar.

eveytime someone found out i was an elvis fan the first thing they said was HE COUDN,T EVEN PLAY THE GUITAR,they soon shut up when they saw the 68 comeback

p.s. really great post

[PaleRider]

the biggest myth i can rememberis is that elvis coudnt play the guitar.

eveytime someone found out i was an elvis fan the first thing they said was HE COUDN,T EVEN PLAY THE GUITAR,they soon shut up when they saw the 68 comeback

Elvis himself even contributed to this particular myth in "Elvis In Concert," when he said, "I'm going to actually play the guitar...I know three chords, believe it or not...but I faked them all for a long time. They may catch me tonight."

One of my favorite parts of the Comeback special is when Elvis asks "Are we on television?" and then tears into "Baby, What You Want Me To Do." We have no way of knowing what he was thinking but, to me, this was Elvis addressing the myth that he couldn't play the guitar. As you said, he shuts down that myth right there. I might have to watch that again tonight...

[cutiepie]

I've read in several books that said Elvis was very superstitious, like he was some kind of backwoods hick...

Elvis comes across as super intelligent, able to make connections and draw conclusions from different philosophies, etc. To me, that is very smart--would some people consider that "superstition"??

[Raised on Rock]

One of Elvis favoutite books was: "The Stranger" by Albert Camus; Elvis contrary to the myth as someone who died reading cheap esoteric stuff, was a guy who love reading heavy stuff (meaning by that that he didnt was into kind of "light" lectures), and he read not just as a passtime, he acctualy underlined carefully and make notations on books and related this notations with other books, when we was not working, its been said he spend entire weeks just into his books.

As almost every young person living trough the mid 60's for a while much of his reading was about eastern philosophy and religion, but that was just a phase, his reading interest was wider than that; don´t remember which book mentions that he enjoyed reading Kafka and Dostoievsky sometime during the '60s to.

[Cryogenic]

Until I became a fan, I never realised that:

1) Elvis dyed his hair.
2) Took martial arts seriously.
3) Was so humble and approachable.

Now, in ways aesthetical and psychological, these are all essential parts of the person. Hard to believe I never originally knew!

Mark me down as being another 70's convert: Although there are many, many, many sloppy moments from this decade, Elvis' voice has a strength and majesty in it - right to his last ever concert - that the media would never have you believe.

To turn this topic on its head, slightly, I want to mention one thing that's never mentioned but was a massive revelation when I discovered it: that Elvis had a heart attack identical to the one that killed him in 1973! That's FOUR years before he died! They sure kept this one under wraps! It says a lot about a person that would have a near-fatal attack and not be shocked enough into changing their ways. It also puts the 1977 attack into its proper context: Elvis did not commit a literal suicide; he'd been heavily depressed for some years and let his vices take control.