Flashback Friday: The life and death of Elvis Presley
August 16, 1977 was a dark day for us all when Elvis Presley died. This week’s Flashback Friday is in dedication to the king of rock ‘n’ roll.
There’s a story my mom always likes to tell about Elvis Presley that doesn’t put him in the greatest of lights. But it shows how much Elvis was struggling with his addiction. It goes like this: My mom was at a concert on New Years Eve and Elvis was supposed to perform. She was so excited because she loved him and took the time out to find a sitter for my brother so she could go.
Unfortunately for her, Elvis came out so drugged out that he didn’t even perform and she waited three hours extra just to see him. Now again, it’s not the best story but it would lead into our Flashback Friday for this week: The life and death of Elvis Presley.
The day of
Elvis fans were some of the original fangirls. From Beatlemania to the way girls reacted to Elvis and his hips, One Directioners have nothing on these ladies. Rose Phillips, an Elvis superfan back in the day, recalled being one of the first to find out about his death for Variety:
"We had finished and we were walking through the parking lot and we heard this ambulance go by. I remember Arlene joking, ‘They’re coming after us.’ It was just a joke. Right after that we saw [Elvis’ security chief] Sam Thompson and his dad just flying through the parking lot.We got back to her house, which was only a block away from there. We’re only a quarter of a mile from Graceland. We just got settled in the room, and the phone rang. Arlene went to answer the phone, and it was Pauline, one of the cooks up at Graceland. And she said, ‘Arlene, Elvis is dead.’ And I heard Arlene yell, ‘No! I knew it I knew it!’"
The best of
Okay, so this isn’t the best Elvis song to most people. Not because it’s bad but because it’s just not what you think of when your think of Elvis Presley. But it’s my favorite and I wanted to talk about it.
Especially in today’s world, this song is precious. It is just Elvis dreaming of a better land and a better place for everyone. It’s one of his best sounding songs and there is no hip shaking in sight. Just a beautiful song with a beautiful message.
The legacy of
Elvis is a name that everyone knows and loves. You can simply utter it and everyone has a favorite song or memory of the King. So while he is gone, he is most definitely not forgotten.
Next: Flashback Friday: Remembering Robin Williams three years later
Go out there and listen to your favorite Elvis song today. And shake your hips. Elvis would have wanted you to.