Elvis Presley: interesting facts, best songs, biography, listen

Elvis Presley

The life journey of Elvis Presley was the embodiment of the American dream. An attractive young man from a poor family suddenly became the idol of the public, destroying the stereotypes of the music world. Singing like black, dressing like black, acting like black - how could a decent white American like himself to do such antics in the middle of the 20th century? Not. Elvis was destined to change this. But at what cost?

short biography

On January 8, 1935, a boy appeared in the Vernon and Gladys Presley family, named Elvis Aron. He was born in the small town of Tupelo, Mississippi. The family was not very prosperous. Rather, the money was almost always lacking - Vernon did not have a permanent job, condemning his wife and son to a PSS.

Despite the lack of funds, his father cared about the spiritual development of little Elvis. Every Sunday they went to church, where they listened to Negro gospels. At the same time, the boy enjoyed the blues performance of his black neighbors and enthusiastically listened to country music on the radio.

Studying at school, singing in the church choir and financial difficulties - this is how the future celebrity's childhood passed. The situation of the family and the rapid economic growth of the United States after World War II did not change. Poverty has not disappeared anywhere. Despite all the difficulties, in 1948 Presley moved to Memphis - the birthplace of the blues. Here the life of the young man began to change. He made friends, started dating girls and worked hard on his appearance. For starters, Elvis grew tanks, then nakriolinyl cook and changed the gray wardrobe to bright. In general, outwardly, he began to resemble a typical African American, which caused bewilderment to others.

Presley surprised everyone and at the graduation party. No one expected to hear his singing. But the fact remains: Elvis conquered the public and became a school celebrity.

After graduating from school, the young Presley is sent to work as a truck driver. At the same time, he decides to try his hand at music in order to hear his voice on the record. Elvis goes to a record company, which offered to sign up to everyone for a fee. During the recording, the young singer became very interested in the studio owner, Sam Phillips. He asked Presley for a phone and called back later ... a year. From that moment on, a new life began under the sign of rock and roll.

Initially, Sam offered Elvis to sing in country style, but the attempts were unsuccessful. Then the upset young man began to hum the old blues in an unusual rhythm. The musicians picked up the joke, which enthralled Phillips. He did not expect that white can play black music like that. It was decided to take the recording to a local radio station. As a result, there was a great public interest in the newly-minted singer, whom the listeners thought was black.

In July 1954, Elvis' first single, "That is all right, Ma", appeared on the counters, having received great commercial success. The 19-year-old boy begins to perform in local bars, conquering the hearts of young girls not only with his voice, but also with unusual dances.

In 1955, Presley breaks cooperation with Sam Phillips and signs a contract with a large record company "RCA". This advice was given to him by new manager Tom Parker, who had a huge impact on the career development of a talented musician. True, not all aspects are positive, according to biographers and critics.

Fans were waiting for new Presley songs. In the spring of 1956, the singer released his debut disc "Heartbreak Hotel", which was anticipated 5 singles. It was a real success. His popularity began to grow rapidly upwards. And not only in the music world. The contract with the Hollywood film company Paramount opens the door to the film industry.

In 1957, Elvis was drafted into the army - the young man was fit for service. Although the singer did not crave such development, he decided to fulfill his duty to the country and bravely endured all the complexities of military life. So that fans will not forget, Parker released new records and launched promotions with photos of the singer in military uniform.

Demobilized, Elvis returned to the filming of films and met Priscilla, the future wife. True, at the time of acquaintance she was only 14 years old. A popular musician had to wait until the girl reached the age of majority to get married. This happened in 1967, and a year later the couple had their only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

By the end of the 60s interest in Elvis began to fall. This was proved by the album sales and the lack of attention of ordinary passers-by on the street. The singer did not want to put up with this and decided to return his former glory. Instead of filming in films, he starts recording new albums and performing.

Tight schedule, leaving Priscilla led to the fact that Elvis began to abuse drugs, from which he developed dependence. Without them, he could not fall asleep and feel invigorated upon awakening. At the same time, the musician developed glaucoma, a poorly functioning stomach. Despite the health problems, Presley actively spoke. The last peak of his fame came in January 1973, when his concert in Hawaii was broadcast in 36 countries.

August 16, 1977 the world spread news: the King of Rock and Roll passed away. The official version says that Elvis died as a result of a heart attack. Near his estate "Graceland" a crowd of thousands of fans gathered who did not believe in the death of an idol.

40 years have passed since that tragic moment. But this does not diminish the popularity of Elvis now. Fan clubs, weeks of memory, the release of new albums after death, symbols with the image of a great musician confirm one thing: Elvis Presley is a true legend of rock and roll.

Interesting Facts

• Elvis was one of the twins who survived childbirth. He always felt guilty that he was destined to see the light.
• The parents of the King of Rock and Roll secretly married in 1933. To get permission to marry, they had to go to Pontococ. In Tupelo, young people were not destined to tie themselves together by family ties - the barrier was the age of Vernon, who at the time was 17 years old. Gladys was 21.
• What only nicknames did not give Elvis. Fiery eyes, a country cat, the king of hearts, Mr. Security - this is a small list of the nicknames of the famous American.
• In three years, Elvis was the owner of long hair, the love for which will last until his death. But my mother decided to cut his son, which caused his tears. Gladys did not dare to throw out the trimmed curls and put them in a box. The next serious haircut was waiting for Elvis in the army. The box that mom sent him with love has brightened the longing for the old hairstyle. This simple and simultaneously touching moment is the best evidence of the warm relationship between mother and son.
• Elvis Presley loved animals very much. In childhood, he was the owner of his own rooster and two dogs. The singer’s army service was brightened up by the Champaign poodle, and his life after the army resembled the fate of a zookeeper. Having moved to the estate of Graceland, he got monkeys, dogs, chickens, goats, donkeys and cats. The only musician who escaped was a snake who panicked him.
• Costumes in the work of the king of rock and roll played an important role. He dressed brightly and brightly. The most expensive costume, made especially for the concert of 1974, cost 10,000 dollars. For its manufacture was used gold thread.
• To assess the scale of Elvismania, it is enough to get acquainted with the results of the 12-hour marathon of Presley songs. It was launched by a Chicago radio station in 1956. In order not to miss a single composition, the musician's fans refused to go to work, canceled visits to the doctors and called the studio to find out - there would be at least a short break to hang out the laundry.
• When Elvis was 10 years old, a primary school teacher turned her attention to his voice while singing the morning prayer. She persuaded the boy to take part in a talent contest. For his first performance, he chose a country-style song and finished second. Although there is a version that he got only the fifth line.
• On his 11th birthday, the future musician wanted to get a bike, but he got a guitar. Strongly the boy was not upset, because he was waiting for exciting evenings while singing gospels.
• Elvis Presley's school graduation party was one of the happiest moments in the life of his parents. That's because neither Vernon, nor Gladys had a chance to finish high school.
• After high school, Presley went to an electrician course. He was advised to get further education by his mother and the head of the church in which he sang.
• When the first song of Elvis was launched into the rotation (1954), everyone wanted to know the artist's skin color. The musician was invited to the radio for an interview. The only question solved all disagreements: "What school did you study at?" "Humes School," Elvis took. Black in this institution did not take.
• Elvis was part of the school football team. But not for long. The coach was not satisfied with the wayward character of the young man and his long hair, which he did not want to part with. In the army, Presley became interested in karate and was able to get a black belt. Sports successes were reflected in the artist's stage image: many of his concert costumes in the 60s outwardly resemble kimono. Currently, karate tournaments are held in honor of Elvis in Memphis every year.
• No fan could believe in the sudden death of a musician. After all, Elvis at that time was only 42 years old. To ensure the death of the singer, some even tried to open the coffin. It was also rumored that in fact Presley made a bogus demise to escape from the world of show business.
• In 1965, Elvis and the Liverpool Four met, who considered Presley their idol. Communication musicians passed behind a closed door. The King of Rock and Roll himself explained this by a desire to talk in an informal setting. After a few tricks from John Lennon, the conversation was over. Elvis disliked the Beatles, in which he felt competitors.
• Frank Sinatra is another famous musician who has been unflattering about Elvis. Sinatra called him a "dirty and uncouth idiot." The singer changed his point of view after Presley served in the army. Together they sang a duet "Love me tender".
• The daughter of the King of Rock and Roll, Lisa Marie Presley, in 1994 married the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
• The debut role in the film "Love me dearly" ends with the death of the hero Elvis. This fact upset the singer's mother very much, after which they decided to no longer appear in such films.

Elvis Presley best songs

• "Blue Suede Shoes". This composition was first recorded by Karl Perkinson. Elvis just quail it, accelerating the pace. Despite all the troubles, the single is considered one of the most recognizable in the work of the King of Rock and Roll.

"Blue Suede Shoes" (listen)

• "Jailhouse Rock". This song can be heard in the movie "Prison Rock", although it was released a little earlier than the film. For seven weeks, the single held the top spot in the US charts.

"Jailhouse Rock" (listen)

• "Little less conversation". The composition was written specifically for the movie "Girls! Girls! Girls!" in 1968. It is believed that with its help, Elvis captured the attention of young people of that time. The song is known for remixes and use in advertising by Nike. She also sounded at the 2002 Football Championship.
• "Love Me Tender". Single, which became gold, not having time to go on sale. This happened thanks to Presley's performance on a TV show. The public liked the song so much that literally the next day a million orders for the purchase of the composition came into the studio.

"Love Me Tender" (listen)

• "Heartbreak hotel". Initially, no one believed in the success of the song, except Elvis, who listened to the demo tape several times. He was even discouraged at the studio from the choice, but, fortunately, the musician insisted on his and did not lose. The single topped the chart and was always a welcome composition at every concert.

Finally, I would like to mention a few songs that Elvis never sang, although the public is trying to prove the opposite: "Umbrella", "Oh, Pretty Woman", "Only You" and "I Feel Good".

Films about Elvis Presley and with his participation

Elvis's career can be divided into three periods. In the first, he was intensely engaged in music and his development as a singer, in the second he gave preference to the film career. Having failed to succeed in the cinema, he again devoted himself to music.

Total Presley starred in 31 feature films. None could do without his lyric baritone and the singer’s original dance movements, although he sometimes resisted it. The films were mostly mediocre. The musician was ready for the difficult roles that he was repeatedly offered, but Tom Parker, the artist's manager, set his own conditions when signing contracts with directors. The fee should not be lower than a certain amount. This moment did not allow Elvis, who fully trusted Parker, to develop acting talent and show himself from the other side. So consider the biographers of the musician.

Presley's film career began in 1956 with the filming of the movie "Love Me Tenderly." In this romantic tape, he played Clint Reno, who marries his brother's lover.

Then we note a few more films with the participation of Elvis:

The last Elvis film was released in 1969 and is called "Change of Habits." Unlike previous films, it is dramatic, not comedic.

Documentary films allow you to learn more about the personal life of a musician, to become part of the history of rock and roll. So, the 1970 tape "Elvis: Just Like It Is" tells the story of a tour in Las Vegas. Directed by Denis Sanders filmed the singer, not only directly on the stage, but also behind the scenes, and in an informal setting with his friends.

In 1972, the film Elvis on Tours appeared on the screens. Noteworthy is the 1973 Aloha from Hawaii teleconcert recording of Presley's performance in Hawoli, Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii.

The rest of the documentary biographical tapes were issued after the death of the singer. In one of them, "Presley on behalf of the Presley family," was attended by Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla, the former wife.

Elvis Presley music in movies

The list of films in which the work of Elvis is involved can be endlessly listed. Note the most famous, except for the movie, where he plays the King of Rock and Roll.

Features creativity Elvis Presley

What is the legend of Elvis Presley? Why was he given the title of King of Rock and Roll? Answers to these questions give an idea of ​​the significance of the musician’s creativity in the development of modern music.

The merit of Elvis is simple. He popularized music, aroused public interest in it. Before his appearance on the scene, few had dreamed of becoming a musician. Acting was much more popular. But his style of singing, courage in mixing styles led to the opposite effect. “There was nothing before Elvis” - the phrase said by Lennon reflects this fact.

Presley helped transcend conservatism that prevailed in the music world at the beginning of the 20th century. Yes, it is pleasant to listen and watch the recordings of Frank Sinatra or Louis Armstrong. But they lack the lightness, freedom and energy that was in Presley's music. That was what the youth of that time demanded. Elegant tuxedos replaced the bright images, high collar racks with bare breasts. Audacity was to face a young rebel.

A separate moment deserves the voice of Elvis Presley, velvet, strong and fascinating. His baritone seemed to be created by nature for the lyrical ballads, which made up a significant part of the musician's work. Add to this the ability of the singer to masterfully play with his voice and the desire for continuous improvement in order to understand the success of Elvis Presley.

That was Elvis Presley, brave, charming and talented. But only in public. Inner circle notes that he was a shy person who made new friends with difficulty. But this did not prevent him from becoming the first, which proves the interest in his work so far.