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| From Wikipedia |
Experience #1:
I've just finished reading Jennifer Crusie's Bet Me (again!) with Michelle Douglas. Reading it together was fun, especially since we live in different states. If you haven't read the book, our heroine is Min Dobbs and she loves Elvis Presley (she even names her cat Elvis). Our hero is Cal Morrisey and he loves Elvis Costello. Gorgeous way to show us the differences in their personalities.
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| From www.elvis.com |
Experience #2
My sister is an Elvis fan too, and for Mother's Day a few weeks ago, I bought an Elvis DVD for her daughter to give her. My five year old niece loves to give her mother Elvis CDs and DVDs, and her personal favourite is "the one where he sits on the chair and plays the guitar when he sings". Yeah, I love that one too. =)
Experience #3
I was at my mother's house yesterday and I was playing some Elvis on my iPod, as I'm known to do. My mum is another huge Elvis fan, and there are certain Elvis songs that make us pause the conversation to listen. Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of these, and we played it three times yesterday. And then I heard it more times last night because I went looking for youtube clips to show everyone here (see below). Oh, the velvety richness!
And another one, just because I feel like sharing. :) In The Ghetto.
So tell me, which Elvis do you prefer - Presley or Costello? Or are you more a Frank Sinatra or a Johnny Cash kinda person? Who's the biggest legend of all?
And, I couldn't resist - I'll leave you with another one. :) This is a very young Elvis singing Love Me Tender.
Oh, dear ... dare I confess that I don't actually know who Elvis Costello is? And that, while I know who Elvis Presley is, I know nothing about his music? Shame on me! Clearly I need to do a little musical self-education!
ReplyDeleteI know who Jenny Crusie is, though! LOVE her books!
Hey Rachel - there really is only one "Elvis", right? :)I have dozens of The King's songs on my Ipod, my favorites are Memories & Kentucky Rain . . . sigh. The man sure did know how to do a ballad.
ReplyDeleteBut I love all the old crooners too. They just don't make them like that anymore . . . well, except for Mr Buble :)who can both sing and look totally hot at the same time.
Rachel
ReplyDeleteI too am very fond of "The King" love his music such great songs and I remember watching all his movies on the black and white TV every Saturday afternoon LOL, but my favourite will always be Rod Stewart I love his voice I have everyone of his albums and CDs and have seen him everytime he has toured Australia since I was 15 (and that is a long time LOL)
Thanks for the songs this morning loved them
Have Fun
Helen
Emily, there's no time like the present to start your Elvis self-education! Start with the little clip above of Bridge Over Troubled Water (because that's my favourite today - it changes every few days ;)).
ReplyDeleteThen reread Bet Me. Remember the scene when Cal sings to Min at the restaurant? That was Love Me Tender (clip above). And the cat keeps playing Elvis tunes on the stereo. (Loved that!)
Then, when we're at the RWA conference in Melbourne, I'll play you some more on my iPod. :) Sound like a plan?
Elvis Costello plays very different style music to the other Elvis. One of my favourites is Veronica, about a woman in an old age home looking back on her life. Here's a clip of it with the lyrics at the bottom: http://youtu.be/zifeVbK8b-g
And here's the gorgeous She. It's the one that's played a lot in Bet Me: http://youtu.be/OCkCUuILlEM
Helen, a kindred spirit! Memories - GREAT song. Kentucky Rain - what a ballad!
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, I'm also loving his version of George Harrison's Something, and a few I hadn't heard before (so they're like new releases to me!): And I Love You So; I've Lost You; Just Pretend; and When I'm Over You.
Oh, yes, Michael Buble. On the soundtrack to the book I'm writing now are all the Elvis songs listed above, and some MBs: Dream A Little Dream Of Me, and the old Bee Gees song: At This Moment. Happy sigh.
Helen, those B&W movies were so cheesy, but they're great on a Saturday afternoon, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteRod Stewart - you know, I always think of him as 'not for me' because when I was young, one of my big sisters was into RS and used to play an album she had of his. Funny, you'd think that would introduce me to his work, but instead I always thought of him as 'hers'!
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such wonderful music from the legend of all time, Elvis Presley!
Nas, you're welcome! Of course, my secret reason for blogging about Elvis was so I could justify all that time on youtube looking at video clips of him singing. ;)
ReplyDeleteRobyn Grady is having trouble posting for some reason and asked me to post her comment:
ReplyDeleteRachel, I still remember watching "Love Me Tender" when I was perhaps 6. I sobbed at the end because he died. And I think there began my love affair with all things Elvis. My dh and I were watching a little of Harem Scarem the other night. I really do understand why Elvis didn't like making some of those movies, but, damn, he was hot!!!!
Rachel, I had so much fun reading Bet Me with you, and the Love Me Tender moment in the book was a highlight. To everyone out there who hasn't read Bet Me, then do. It's fabulous!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I love his voice, I don't have a passion for Elvis the way I do, say, on ABBA. But, one of my favourite songs when I was a kid was Little Egypt because whenever it came on the radio etc, my father (who can't hold a tune) would belt it out at the top of his lungs. Of course, my sister and I would have to join in with equally off-key harmonies :-).
Rachel, I still remember watching "Love Me Tender" when I was perhaps 6. I sobbed at the end because he died. And I think there began my love affair with all things Elvis. My dh and I were watching a little of Harem Scarem the other night. I really do understand why Elvis didn't like making some of those movies, but, damn, he was hot!!!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, oh yes to ABBA. In fact you should do an ABBA post one day!
ReplyDeleteHow cool that you have that memory of your dad singing. I didn't remember that song title, so I just watched it on youtube and yep, I sure remember the song! "Wearing nuttin' but a button and a bow." =)
Robbie, you made it!
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention that he didn't like making some of those movies - I was reading on wikipedia that he was offered A Star Is Born with Barbara Streisand and West Side Story, among others, but Col Parker stopped them. I bet Elvis would have loved those roles! And a duet between Elvis and Barbara S? Wow, I'd have liked to have heard that!
Hi Rachel "Elvis-loving" Bailey,
ReplyDeleteI'm not an Elvis fan but I do love his voice. I distinctly remember the day Elvis died. My Dad must have been an Elvis fan because I remember his shock and horror when he told us - not that I had a clue who he was talking about! Then he played his records for us to appreciate the loss. And like Michelle's Dad, he sang his heart out (badly!) with my Mum's help. LOL. Thanks for dredging up that memory for me.
Cath
OOOOOOH! I love Elvis Presley! I grew up watching his movies at the picture theatre and then on TV. My brother and I would role play and he was Elvis and I was Ann Margret :) Oh we were young so the lovey dovey stuff didn't come into it - we'd pretend to water ski, etc :) I loved all his movies and all his songs. There are a couple that are special to me - "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and "She's Not You".
ReplyDeleteI do like Elvis Costello, but he doesn't have the charisma and Elvis Presley had. SIGH.
Thanks for the memories!!
Hugs
Catherine, how interesting that your dad was a fan too. The media implies it's usually women, but here we have proof that he appeals to both genders.
ReplyDeleteLove the memory you have of your parents singing to the records on the night Elvis died so you could appreciate the loss. I hope you had more nights of the same afterwards. :)
Rachel! Another Elvis Presley fan here! I just had to go over to You-Tube and trawl through the clips for Elvis Presley. Man, what a voice!
ReplyDeleteI'm hard pressed to pick a favourite song... I adore Heartbreak Hotel... and Suspicious Minds... and Love Me Tender... and Jailhouse Rock... and In the Ghetto and isn't Bridge Over Troubled Water gorgeous!
(happy sigh)
I confess I wasn't a fan of his movies, though!
;)
Sharon
Serena, how cute that you and your brother played Elvis and Ann-Margaret! And of all his costars, she was a fascinating one to choose. I was reading on wikipedia that one of his girlfriends claimed Ann-Margaret "was the love of his life."
ReplyDeleteAnd that AM said in her autobiography that Elvis had been her soul mate. She apparently remained close to him for the remainder of his life and also attended his funeral.
Fascinating. :)
Sharon, another fan! =)Yep, I agree it's hard to pick a favourite, since his voice is so fabulous in most things he sings.
ReplyDeleteRe: movies, yeah, they weren't fabulous, but imagine if Col Parker had let him be in West Side Story or A Star is Born? How amazing would that have been!
Elvis Presley, without a doubt - he was gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAn impersonator will be re-marrying my hubby and I in Vegas in about a month's time, which should be fun. I'm hoping the Elvis we get is a hunka, hunka burnin' love ;-).
Hugs,
Mon
There really *is* only one Elvis :) Sorry, Elvis C, you're great, seriously, but Elvis P is the one of the most remarkable creatures this world has ever seen. Him singing "Bridge" makes me cry, esp. when he hits the "Sail on, silver girl" line. The power in his voice? The way he uses his whole body to sing. He took S&G's lovely sweet song and arranged it into a gospel masterpiece--and looked SO damn hot while wearing it. That suit? I'm stealing that suit. It will be mine one day. Wait....who's Elvis C again? ;)
ReplyDeleteMon, you're getting remarried by an Elvis impersonator in Vegas? How fabulous are you?!? I'll cross my fingers for your hunka hunka burning love too. :)
ReplyDeleteGabrielle, yes! That sail on silver girl line. Sigh. I love the S&G version, but Elvis's is something else altogether. The deep notes, the power - I can't think or do anything else, I have to stop and listen. In fact, I think I'll put my iPod on again now...
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteThis is your sister who didn't get any Elvis for her birthday. Perhaps you could help your nephew choose a CD for his mother's birthday next year. Especially as I'm the one who was obsessed by the cheesy movies as a teenager! Listened to the clips you posted and now I'll have to add some to my ipod along with our other obsession - Josh Groban. Btw, a duet with Elvis and my alltime favourite female singer Barbra would have been the ultimate!
Dear sister who is posting as anonymous. Unfortunately, yes, it was our other sister who received the Elvis dvd, but your point about helping your son choose some Elvis for your birthday has been noted. :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, maybe we need a weekend of back to back cheesy Elvis movies in our near future...?
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteThis is your sister that DOES get the Elvis DVD's and CD's - and I LOVE them!
How could anyone NOT love Elvis?
That velvety voice and smouldoring looks to melt me......
I do also enjoy Elvis Costello music somethimes - it's interesting and groovy.
Just a note for you for future reference - one can never have too much Elvis music in hand.....
x
Dear other sister,
ReplyDeleteGee, I post about Elvis and the whole family comes out to play! =)
Your very true comment about never having too much Elvis has been noted. You know, I might call on your help in the Elvis education of our other sister's son this school holidays. ;)