He never understood the artistic claims that were made for him, probably thought very little of the nature of his appeal, or his music; yet, as author Greil Marcus points out in "Mystery Train", it is possible to see (all that) as a positive factor; Presley viewed "rock and roll" as for the body, not the mind, so he recorded and performed accordingly; and, if much of his rock music sounds superficial, it was thanks to his undoubted vocal talent and extraordinary charisma that, at least, it was all gloriously superficial and celebratory; he knew better than to take it seriously and, in doing so, he become the consummate rock figure, one that defined its spirit by delighting in its very limitations.
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Stephen Barnard, in his book "Popular Music, Volume I: Folk or Popular?Elvis Presley
» Elvis Presley - all quotes »
But it is Presley's singing, halfway between a western and a rock 'n' roll style, that has sent teen-agers into a trance; they like his wailing in a popular song like "Blue Moon" or such western tunes as "I'll Never Let You Go", but they go crazy over the earthy, lusty mood of such rock 'n' roll numbers as "Money Honey"; and the reason is simple enough: Presley sings with a beat; and you can be certain that there'll always be music with a beat and that, whether you like it or not, there will always be an Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley
A royal hall was made for art and queens but not for rock'n' roll. A theater was made for plays and so on but not for rock'n'roll. Outside was made for the weather but not rock'n' roll. If we really want to save music let alone rock'n'roll then go to those techno dance clubs, I mean they have all these loud-ass speakers, everyone is always there partying, and so that's how rock is saved from unwanted capitalistic corporation music. And also if all those metal, grunge, rock, and hey even those gangstas want to play then why not start off like the Beatles in cafes, pubs and bars instead of MTV?
Lou Reed
Arguably the finest recording found in all the Sun sessions, "Trying To Get To You" (1955), is a song that Presley made his own due to his hugely committed vocal, and the simple carefree abandon with which he performs it; at first, it feels like a classic country song with simple, elegant lyrics; but it is at the bridge - where Elvis really lets fly -, that the song is transformed from a lovely country lament, into deep blues; although the 1955 version is magnificent, Elvis manages to better it on his "1968 Comeback Special", in which he sings the song with so much intensity, it prompted critic Greil Marcus to exclaim "this is probably the finest rock and roll ever recorded.
Elvis Presley
"The music I like to play is Rock 'N Roll. I like to rock like a wild animal. I like to rock it well enough to whip a yak's ass. I love to rock it good on a horse's ass. I like to rock it real hard. I love to rock it all the way to Russia. I like to kick out the Jazz and kick it out all the way."
Wesley Willis
Presley, Elvis
Pressel, Wilhelm von
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