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Elvis Pros And Cons

Better Essays

Gianni Sbarro
Professor Torff
MU 0102
May 4, 2015

Elvis: Satisfying the Expectations Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in a small, two-room ranch in Tupelo, Mississippi. His parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, lost Elvis’s twin brother, Jessie Garon, at birth, leaving Elvis an only child. Elvis and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, in which he attended Humes High School for 5 years. Shortly after his graduation in 1953, Elvis began his extraordinary singing career with the renowned Sun Records Label. In 1955, Elvis met his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, after booking an opening act for the Canadian singer “Snow”. Colonel Parker recognized the limitations of Sun Studios and decided to sell Elvis’s recording contract …show more content…

He broke the chains of the puritanical lifestyle of 1950s America. Despite the media constantly ridiculing him for being vulgar, incompetent, and a bad influence on society, the power of his music was too overbearing to suppress. He signaled to the masses that a new age has come. Mark Bernardo points this out in his book “Elvis Presley: Memphis”, in which he writes, “In the United States, rock ‘n’ roll had outgrown Memphis and become a national phenomenon. Elvis’ influence was evident in the new crop of teen idols that appeared on the scene, including Fabian, Frankie Avalon, and Paul Anka. All the while, the Colonel worked feverishly to keep Elvis’ music in the national spotlight, releasing singles at well-planned intervals; for the most part, his strategy was successful. But to the legions of Elvis fans who continued to listen to his tunes and read about his army exploits in magazines, nothing could compare to the thrill of seeing the King return home” (Bernardo, “Elvis Presley: Memphis”, 134). As a white Southerner performing blues mixed with country and gospel music, Elvis united American music in all aspects, including race and color, making him one of the most import social and cultural figures in history. Elvis had a way about him, in that his performances moved the masses, using a natural sexuality that drew teens to adore him, as well as attracting a generations of rebels as an international …show more content…

He used this charm and capability to his advantage, allowing him to gain unending love from his fans. His magnetism extended so far that Colonel Parker saw an opportunity to use his “Pretty Face” on the Hollywood screen. Colonel Parker saw this as an opportunity to redefine Elvis’ image as a more mature, and profitable extension. From the beginning, the changes did not appeal to his supporters. The people who loved Elvis for his charisma and uniqueness felt as though he was pulling away and “selling out” to the mainstream media expectations. Eventually, Elvis’ maturing persona was recognized nationwide, particularly by the film director Norman Taurog, who saw opportunity in a more professional Elvis, who did more than just shake his hips and pick a guitar. Taurog was recorded saying to Elvis, “Whatever change you’re going through, keep going. You finally came of age.” From this single quote, we can see what Elvis’ business associates and the public expected of him, a man with a bigger burden to carry. Elvis was extremely self-conscious when it came to satisfying the expectations of others. He payed close attention to how people perceived him, and Taurog’s awareness of his expanding maturity was very important to Elvis. While Elvis knew that the music industry had tremendous respect for his talent, he was insecure as to how the rest of the entertainment

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