Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Regina- Jewel]

From Gene Summers' 1977 album Ultimate School Of Rock And Roll come the song "Goodbye Priscilla (Bye Bye Baby Blue)" written from Elvis' view point to Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley:

You know I really have to go
But before I do please let me know
That there's no one in your heart but me
And in your heart I'll always be
Bye bye baby blue
I'll be seeing you

Well, it seems our love was hit and run
And you had to leave before we'd begun
Maybe it really was a crime
To want to have you all the time
Bye bye baby blue
I'll be seeing you

BRIDGE:
Bye bye baby blue
I hate to say goodbye
Bye bye baby blue
Must go before I cry

But before I go just hold me near
And that's all I ask from you my dear
Remember me whenever you can
And baby try to understand
Bye bye baby blue
Oh, I'll be seeing you
Goodbye Priscilla.

[Rainbow Light]

Thank you for sharing this with us and posting up, ReGina-Jewel!

[MaryInTheMorning]

Beautiful song Regina-Jewel. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

[Rainbow Light]

[Wanda June Hill]

The world is beginning to see Elvis for what he brought to all of it, the way he fronted everything-music, entertainment, styles of music, guitar interest-millions were bought because of him using one on stage. Movies were dying in Hollywood during those after Army days-Elvis kept many people in Hollywood working, his light hearted films gave life to the dying industry and that is a fact. If not for his films Paramount and MGM and film distributors including theatres they went out to, would have been dying on the vine! Then he blew out the door in Las Vegas, doing what NO other entertainer had ever done before-filled the show room twice a night for 30 to 31 days at a time straight, with no day off-not even a show off in those first 5 years. And he did it twice a year in the coldest part of the year and then the hottest time of the summer. He brought people to Las Vegas who wouldn't have gone at those times-but Elvis was there-they came-they continued to come and they stayed sometimes for several days, sometimes weeks and some for the entire stint he was there! These people went out and shopped, they ate and they gambled and Vegas was alive, kicking and exciting-Elvis was in town. Off times things were normal, okay but nothing exciting, no big groups of people out and about and the hotels would not be booked up. Elvis came to town and in those first early show times, you couldn't find a decent room close by, sometimes you had to pay double rates just to get a room and sometimes, you got lucky and got a really good room just by being on a cancellation list! Again, Elvis gave people jobs by the hundreds-all over Las Vegas and including, the booking agents and travel agents for hotels and trips. He sold nice clothing, people wanted to look good to see Elvis-after all, he might see them! And just mention his name to old timers who worked over there in the hotel and they light up, they remember Elvis, the guy who did extra private shows so they could come see him when they didn't have to work! Imagine that! He played free for the hired help and their families!!! And he loved doing it. That Elvis is becoming known, people can't believe anyone could be that "nice" but he was and it's beginning to get through. A guy on tv said the other day that he went to Uganda where ever that is, he was a reporter and he went to cover the unrest and all the terrible things that happen around in some of those areas of Africa etc:...one of the first things he is asked when he is not out working and just visiting with people, is Did you know Elvis Presley? Did you ever get to see him working? They don't know many other entertainers, John Wayne, Carey Grant etc:...but it's Elvis they are most interested in. When they learned that he lived in Bev. Hills they immediately ask about Elvis, did he live next door? It's every where-"that Elvis" thing as he would say, and it will always be-I have a feeling that 20 years from now, Elvis will be recognized as a great person, a wonderful man and great humanitarian and the world's Greatest Entertainer of our era. "Ten years after I'm gone, ain't nobody gonna know who the hell Elvis Presley is!" said Elvis. My, my-he was wrong! wjh

[MaryInTheMorning]

The world is beginning to see Elvis for what he brought to all of it, the way he fronted everything-music, entertainment, styles of music, guitar interest-millions were bought because of him using one on stage. Movies were dying in Hollywood during those after Army days-Elvis kept many people in Hollywood working, his light hearted films gave life to the dying industry and that is a fact. If not for his films Paramount and MGM and film distributors including theatres they went out to, would have been dying on the vine! Then he blew out the door in Las Vegas, doing what NO other entertainer had ever done before-filled the show room twice a night for 30 to 31 days at a time straight, with no day off-not even a show off in those first 5 years. And he did it twice a year in the coldest part of the year and then the hottest time of the summer. He brought people to Las Vegas who wouldn't have gone at those times-but Elvis was there-they came-they continued to come and they stayed sometimes for several days, sometimes weeks and some for the entire stint he was there! These people went out and shopped, they ate and they gambled and Vegas was alive, kicking and exciting-Elvis was in town. Off times things were normal, okay but nothing exciting, no big groups of people out and about and the hotels would not be booked up. Elvis came to town and in those first early show times, you couldn't find a decent room close by, sometimes you had to pay double rates just to get a room and sometimes, you got lucky and got a really good room just by being on a cancellation list! Again, Elvis gave people jobs by the hundreds-all over Las Vegas and including, the booking agents and travel agents for hotels and trips. He sold nice clothing, people wanted to look good to see Elvis-after all, he might see them! And just mention his name to old timers who worked over there in the hotel and they light up, they remember Elvis, the guy who did extra private shows so they could come see him when they didn't have to work! Imagine that! He played free for the hired help and their families!!! And he loved doing it. That Elvis is becoming known, people can't believe anyone could be that "nice" but he was and it's beginning to get through. A guy on tv said the other day that he went to Uganda where ever that is, he was a reporter and he went to cover the unrest and all the terrible things that happen around in some of those areas of Africa etc:...one of the first things he is asked when he is not out working and just visiting with people, is Did you know Elvis Presley? Did you ever get to see him working? They don't know many other entertainers, John Wayne, Carey Grant etc:...but it's Elvis they are most interested in. When they learned that he lived in Bev. Hills they immediately ask about Elvis, did he live next door? It's every where-"that Elvis" thing as he would say, and it will always be-I have a feeling that 20 years from now, Elvis will be recognized as a great person, a wonderful man and great humanitarian and the world's Greatest Entertainer of our era. "Ten years after I'm gone, ain't nobody gonna know who the hell Elvis Presley is!" said Elvis. My, my-he was wrong! wjh

What a beautiful and wonderful post dear Wanda! AMEN to your feeling my sweet friend--I feel the exact same way and my oh my how wrong he was indeed!!

[Regina- Jewel]

He was wrong people will remember him!!! I know my kids will know who he is!!! I'll make sure of it

[Rainbow Light]

Well, adding another 20 years on after Elvis left the Earth and he's still so very much remembered so he got that ever so slightly wrong then, bless him!

[MaryInTheMorning]

[Sarena]

That post of Wanda is indeed bautiful!!!

"Ten years after I'm gone, ain't nobody gonna know who the hell Elvis Presley is!" said Elvis. My, my-he was wrong! wjh

I think deep down inside Elvis knew that it would be DIFFERENT!!!!

[Rainbow Light]

I think deep down inside Elvis knew that it would be DIFFERENT!!!!

YES!!

[Wanda Mc]

Wanda JH wrote:

And just mention his name to old timers who worked over there in the hotel and they light up, they remember Elvis, the guy who did extra private shows so they could come see him when they didn't have to work! Imagine that! He played free for the hired help and their families!!! And he loved doing it. That Elvis is becoming known, people can't believe anyone could be that "nice" but he was and it's beginning to get through.

Are you serious? I've never heard that! When in the world did he have time?! I'd love to hear more about this if you know any specifics! (What a sweetheart!)

[Rainbow Light]

I'd love to hear more about this if you know any specifics! (What a sweetheart!)

Right on, that would be great and I'd love to hear more about this also!

[MaryInTheMorning]

I'd love to hear more about it too. I had never heard this before either, but can't say that I'm surprised as it sounds just like the type of selfless gesture that our wonderful guy would do.

[Wanda June Hill]

Hi,
One of the friends we used to have and saw alot of back then, went to concerts with etc: now lives in Henderson, Nev. and was close with one of the waitresses who worked at the International before it became the Hilton. Elvis liked talking with the "hired help" because they were "regular, normal people" like he thought of himself as being but knew he wasn't, of course. Apparently Elvis did lots of rehearsing during the day before opening his show and no one could get in there other than those whose job it was and Elvis learned that they couldn't get to see his shows because the weekends they worked and during the week the place was always sold out and being the hired help, they didn't count for much with the hotel etc: regarding seeing him work. The ones who worked the shows loved it because they got to see him everynight-and some wouldn't take off even when sick -and miss him!
Anyway, when he found out they couldn't get in to see him etc: due to working and etc:...he did his whole show with everyone too, for the hotel workers! Even some from other hotels got to come see him free! Now that is a nice guy-his band and everyone else up there got paid, but he didn't- he considered it a rehearsal. Well, if the colonel paid them, they got paid. They were supposed to get paid because Elvis said so-but you know him....according to Col. T. his "light wasn't too good etc:". Anyway, some of the people working on stage with Elvis were not paid by the hour and if Elvis wanted to rehearse they had to do it. A few were paid by Elvis who had them on a revolving contract kind of thing-they made a bit more but not much. Musicians are union and were back then as well and were supposed to be paid a certain way but the Col. had his ways also. Elvis lost some piano players on account of certain issues about the wages they were being paid. At least one piano player complained and took other jobs that paid more!
Still, they got to eat and stay in nice rooms and whatever they wanted, they could probably get from Elvis if they got the chance to ask him anything or talk to him about it. That became difficult for some too.
Elvis was from early in the Vegas days, slowly being more and more isolated from just about everyone and everything that could be controlled one way or another.
I think now, that it was even worse than I thought back then and I don't know if Elvis ever realized just what was going on around him. He wouldn't think of it that way, and most likely didn't question much of it because it "seemed natural" to him after all those years. It was easy to "hoodwink" him in some areas I guess, and maybe in others as well, like keeping long time friends, especially those in the business end of recording and etc: away from him. Felton Jarvis was with RCA and he was about the only one Elvis saw often and had around him as he was supposed to be his "producer etc:" but it was Elvis who produced his own recordings more than anyone else. He did what he liked and what he wanted was done-even though RCA/Col Tom was handy at making changes on his recordings-that riled him up plenty for days! I just imagine a few doors or walls or chairs got busted a time or two!
I believe that I read in some book that has come out by someone who was well known to him, maybe it was John Willkerson's book? I don't recall now-but it has been in print and public, just not circulated very much since the book wasn't that big a seller maybe? I wish I could remember if I saw it on a website too quite a long time ago-when my computer was working well. I don't go elsewhere now, it will freeze up. wjh