"There have been contenders, but there is only one King" ~Bruce Springsteen~
"If there had never been an Elvis Presley, there would never have been any Beatles..." ~John Lennon~
"..I learned very early in life that, without a song, the day would never end, wihtout a song, a man ain't got a friend, without a song, the road would never bend, so I just keep singing the song.." ~Elvis Presley~
On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aron Presley was born in a tiny clapboard shack in Tupelo, Mississippi to Gladys and Vernon Presley. Moments before Elvis was born, his twin Jesse Garon was born and died. Fear must have gripped Gladys' heart, but Elvis, her only child, would indeed live. I wonder if glady's ever suspected, someday this boy child would be a king.
Elvis grew and would sing in church, talent shows and fairs. Finally in 1953 he walked into Sun Studios and paid four dollars to record two songs for his mothers birthday, "My Happiness" and "That's Where Your Heartache Begins" and that is where our heartache began.
He scorched with explosion and lit the fuse of his own freedom. He shocked them and gave them courage to be free. But in giving they took his. He gifted them with his golden talent. And they enshrined and adored him and tragically imprisoned him. The world adulated and loved him and demanded -always- a piece of him. They became a mob. No mortal deserved godification during a lifetime. He gave, they took. They mourn him with the same sadness one morns lost youth. They mourn his now sealed talent. But more, they mourn the person they never allowed him to be. For IF the king is dead, then they loved him to death. Ironically Elvis once said, "If I can't move then I am dead" The only freedom one would/could find in his situation would be in "death"
I believe Elvis faked his death. You laugh now, being children of the 90's. Through the years the media and tabloids have talked so much about the "big hoax" that it has desensitized us. "Elivs is alive" has been heard so many times that people just shine it on. It's reflex to chuckle and roll your eyes when someone says "the king lives"..because you don't care. You weren't there, you didn't feel it..and it wouldn't change your life one way or the other. No, I wasn't there either, not really, but I feel it, I understand, and I believe..I can just hear Adrian laughing
Elvis is alive, and living the life we never allowed him to have. I almost hope we never prove this, let him live in peace and one day die in peace.
In closing...Elivs Presley's life was destined to be haunted by loneliness and the insincerity of hangers-on, his career was so glorious that today, nearly two full generations after he reached this peak, he is still hailed universally as the King of Rock & Roll. His mothers vision came true in her lifetime, and continues to be reaffirmed with each passing year as legions of new fans discover the sublime musical prowess of Elvis Aron Presley.
Stay tuned Elvis and closet Elvis fans..I'll be adding more links as I find them. Also be on the lookout for exerpts from Gail Brewer-Giorgio's book "The Elvis Files" which will prove to you (or reconfirm to you) that Elvis is alive...