ELVIS PRESLEY

 

Of course Elvis is easy to criticize. The schlock movies, the extravagance, the less than glorious swan song (which was actually extremely fucking glorious - you're not crying, I'm crying), the simple fact that he's the single biggest American pop star of the 20th century makes him an obvious target. By 1968, Elvis had seemingly run his course - the new rock 'n roll was taking over and he had a string of forgettable movie soundtracks in his wake and....he just wasn't cool. Or didn't feel cool. Or whatever. His first rebirth was this NBC special - campy, powerful, led by a voice that is pure fucking gold. The whole thing is worth watching, from the acoustic "sitting around the campfire in a leather bodysuit" segments to the over the top choreographed routines it's all quintessential Elvis and demonstrated that he was The King before anyone called him The King. Just twenty-one years from the release of "That's All Right" in 1956 to his death on this date in 1977 - to think that he needed to remind people who he was halfway through that run kinda boggles my mind. So yeah….Elvis is an easy target for cheap shots, if you’re trying to seem cheap. 

ELVIS

Also - the tape is pretty warbled and wrecked in a few spots but you should really be looking up the special and watching with your eyes anyway. There's a reason he's on a pedestal, y'all.