| Commentary and Philosophy Non-Fiction posted August 28, 2022 |
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Not everyone was Elvis's fan.
Rotten Tomatoes
by prettybluebirds
Elvis Contest Winner
In the spring of 1956, Elvis Presley quickly became a national phenomenon. Everywhere he performed, his sultry looks, swinging hips, and dynamic vocal style drove teenage audiences wild. However, not everyone was a fan of Elvis Presley, especially my mother.
My mother was a typical fifties woman; she grew up in an era where women wore dresses, marriage was until death do us part, and rock music was evil. Johnny Cash was her favorite singer; she considered Elvis a blight on humanity. Mom turned the radio off whenever Elvis started singing. Later, after we got a television, it was the same, no Elvis.
It wasn't just Elvis's noxious caterwauling (Mother's words); it was his pelvic-swinging gyrations, leg shaking, and what Mom called 'suggestive' moves Elvis made as he performed. I can't recall how often I listened to my mother's rants, "That man should be in jail. His actions are lewd and shouldn't be allowed in public. What's our world coming to when someone can carry on like that in front of our children? If that boy ever comes to our town to sing, I will go see him so I can throw rotten tomatoes at him." Mom considered Elvis a distasteful individual who needed a haircut and an attitude adjustment. She would have taken him to the woodshed if he was her kid.
My mother wasn't alone in her opinion of Elvis. Most of the older generation felt the way she did. They were appalled by Elvis's lack of musicality, vulgarity, and animalism when he performed. Parents were concerned Elvis might change the values of the young and create more juvenile delinquency. The Catholic Church added to the criticism when they presented a written piece titled Beware Elvis Presley. Some radio stations refused to play his records.
Ed Sullivan, whose variety show was one of television's most popular, declared he would never have Presley on his show. However, Steve Allen, the host of the Tonight Show, resisted pressure from NBC to cancel a performance already booked with Presley by guaranteeing he would not allow the singer to offend. At Steve's insistence, Elvis agreed to spoof his image, dressed in a white suit, and sang Hound Dog to a Basset Hound. The show received high ratings.
Later, Ed Sullivan reversed his decision and announced he had signed the young star to a three-year contract. In Elvis's first two appearances with Ed, there was no effort to control what he did on stage or his music, although the cameras pulled far back to show Presley's moves at an unthreatening distance. But for the final show, CBS cameras only revealed Elvis from the waist up, even when he sang a gospel tune. When the show was over, Ed Sullivan put his arm around Elvis's shoulders and complimented him for being a fine, decent boy.
None of this changed my mother's opinion the least little bit. She wondered how an intelligent man like Ed Sullivan could show such a lack of common sense. Now we could no longer watch the Ed Sullivan show because Mom put Ed on her blacklist along with Elvis.
Despite the condemnation of my mother and a large portion of the older generation, Elvis's popularity among America's youth made him one of the first media superstars. His music, combining rhythm and blues with 'black music' influences, helped launch rock and roll. By Presley's untimely death 20 years later, he had 90 record albums and 149 singles, acted in 31 films, and performed live before countless fans. Now, 45 years after passing, Elvis remains an unmatched cultural icon.
Elvis died on August 16, 1977. The cause of his death was heart failure, believed to have been caused by his long history of prescription drug abuse. Toxicology reports showed a high level of opiates in his blood at the time of his death. My mother was still alive when Elvis passed away, and of course, she had to get in the last word. "I knew that boy would come to a bad end."
In the spring of 1956, Elvis Presley quickly became a national phenomenon. Everywhere he performed, his sultry looks, swinging hips, and dynamic vocal style drove teenage audiences wild. However, not everyone was a fan of Elvis Presley, especially my mother.
My mother was a typical fifties woman; she grew up in an era where women wore dresses, marriage was until death do us part, and rock music was evil. Johnny Cash was her favorite singer; she considered Elvis a blight on humanity. Mom turned the radio off whenever Elvis started singing. Later, after we got a television, it was the same, no Elvis.
It wasn't just Elvis's noxious caterwauling (Mother's words); it was his pelvic-swinging gyrations, leg shaking, and what Mom called 'suggestive' moves Elvis made as he performed. I can't recall how often I listened to my mother's rants, "That man should be in jail. His actions are lewd and shouldn't be allowed in public. What's our world coming to when someone can carry on like that in front of our children? If that boy ever comes to our town to sing, I will go see him so I can throw rotten tomatoes at him." Mom considered Elvis a distasteful individual who needed a haircut and an attitude adjustment. She would have taken him to the woodshed if he was her kid.
My mother wasn't alone in her opinion of Elvis. Most of the older generation felt the way she did. They were appalled by Elvis's lack of musicality, vulgarity, and animalism when he performed. Parents were concerned Elvis might change the values of the young and create more juvenile delinquency. The Catholic Church added to the criticism when they presented a written piece titled Beware Elvis Presley. Some radio stations refused to play his records.
Ed Sullivan, whose variety show was one of television's most popular, declared he would never have Presley on his show. However, Steve Allen, the host of the Tonight Show, resisted pressure from NBC to cancel a performance already booked with Presley by guaranteeing he would not allow the singer to offend. At Steve's insistence, Elvis agreed to spoof his image, dressed in a white suit, and sang Hound Dog to a Basset Hound. The show received high ratings.
Later, Ed Sullivan reversed his decision and announced he had signed the young star to a three-year contract. In Elvis's first two appearances with Ed, there was no effort to control what he did on stage or his music, although the cameras pulled far back to show Presley's moves at an unthreatening distance. But for the final show, CBS cameras only revealed Elvis from the waist up, even when he sang a gospel tune. When the show was over, Ed Sullivan put his arm around Elvis's shoulders and complimented him for being a fine, decent boy.
None of this changed my mother's opinion the least little bit. She wondered how an intelligent man like Ed Sullivan could show such a lack of common sense. Now we could no longer watch the Ed Sullivan show because Mom put Ed on her blacklist along with Elvis.
Despite the condemnation of my mother and a large portion of the older generation, Elvis's popularity among America's youth made him one of the first media superstars. His music, combining rhythm and blues with 'black music' influences, helped launch rock and roll. By Presley's untimely death 20 years later, he had 90 record albums and 149 singles, acted in 31 films, and performed live before countless fans. Now, 45 years after passing, Elvis remains an unmatched cultural icon.
Elvis died on August 16, 1977. The cause of his death was heart failure, believed to have been caused by his long history of prescription drug abuse. Toxicology reports showed a high level of opiates in his blood at the time of his death. My mother was still alive when Elvis passed away, and of course, she had to get in the last word. "I knew that boy would come to a bad end."
Elvis Contest Winner |
 Recognized |
#56 August 2022 |
It is estimated that Elvis recorded some 710 records. I tried to get an exact number, but every article said something different. My mother really did despise Elvis and forbade us to listen to his music. Of course, we listened to it anyway at our friend's homes or parties.
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