Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[maia]

There is a min-series documentary on the National Geographic cable channel called "10 Days That Changed The World." Each episode is an hour long and last night I watch one segment that was Elvis' first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. To put this into perspective, the ones they have shown so far are the dropping of the atomic bomb, etc. -- on THAT level of importance...and yet they include in their precious "10 Days"...our Elvis!

To fill an hour, they only climaxed the show with the Ed Sullivan appearance. It was really about the early Elvis and his effect on the world. It was an excellent presentation. Interviewed were Jerry Schilling, George Klein, DJ Fontana, the remaining Jordanaires, and even an old clip of Sam Phillips. But they also had statements from professors of universities and others not associated with Elvis....even someone from the NACP (hope those letters are right - the National Association of Colored Persons).

The only minus in my opinion, was the emphasis of sex, making it seem as if Elvis was intentionally being sexual (which was ok with them - they liked that idea). I do not believe that he was. He was simply moving in his unique way to the music.

Typical of cable channels they will show this segment again and again for awhile, so if you missed it the first go-around, keep a look-out for it. Definately worth watching.

[Rainbow Light]

Thanks for the information on this, Maia!

[Wanda June Hill]

Thanks Maia, I had it on the first segement that was showing old war stuff so didn't stay with it. Will keep an eye out. Yeah, they would like the sex angle-but Elvis didn't start out trying to do that-his momma would have "whupped" him... He did learn though, to do things to tease and create squeals-and he learned fast how far to take it after losing his clothes and some skin! I tend to believe him when he said he wasn't even thinking that way, he was just trying to get them to like him and to remember who he was... and buy those records so he could eat! And buy gasoline...and maybe a guitar string or two. He was too upset over all that was said-still and to that last time he talked about it-he came back to that saying "it broke ma heart" and "liked to broke my heart" several times- and included his family in that heartbreaking. So I believe him...he would have blushed so much trying to be sexy- it would have been like a joke or something- So the natural movement and the rythum in his soul and body was plenty good enough...
He just put on a show-and just standing there singing would not have had the impact that is for certain. Didn't he wear the velvet shirt his mom made him with a gold vest on over it on one of the spots on Sullivan? He said she made him the velvet shirt to wear and he "liked to sweated to death" but that it looked good in black and white. I know he wore it at his concert In Memphis and again in Tupelo also...and that was after Sullivan's shows.
I hope that's right- but I don't know and don't have those video's here to run and check them at present. I just want to keep things together-and some things are not in the interview parts I used to let him tell his story in full pretty much. To fit what I felt was best I had to cut a line or two here and there as space was limited. Anyway, since you saw that-I thought maybe you might know if they showed a him in that shirt-he was singing Peace in the Valley I think, he did that one for his mom.
Because she told him he was a "god fearing boy and to show them what was in his heart", so he sang that song-one of her favorites for her... and what I recall was the vest and that velvet puffy sleeved shirt from the waist up. He looked really cute, like he did in Loving You and they showed good closeups of him. He looked like the teddy bear he could be, alright. What a cutie pie, little boy. Some of that stayed right to the end too, thank heaven. Maia I'm sending a letter to you in the AM-Sat.
so keep an eye out. wjh

[maia]

No, I don't think it showed him singing Peace in the Valley. They were stressing his controversial movements more.

[Wanda June Hill]

Well, whatever, he said it-I didnt. And he was right everytime I hunted things down to check on them-he was 100% right. I didn't know he had done the Dorsey show (Stage Show he called it) so many times-nor did I know he did Steve Allen's show before Sullivan's-I thought Sullivan's was the lst state wide show he did-but Steve Allen's show was just as big and went as far as the other one- And I didn't know Sullivan came to LA to film him the first time either- he had said that- but I wasn't sure it was in sequence and so I called that friend who knows and has everything ever printed about him I think... to find what I could and low and behold, Elvis was right on. Even to the number of times he did them-
I should have known...he didn't forget much...except on purpose...when he could. So from now on, if he said it and I had it on tape (or transcribed off tape) I will believe his story as factual. He also said that Jackie Gleason's wife got him on the Stage Show and without her help and that of Tom Parker's first wife being her friend, he would not have been on tv at all, he didn't think. They had turned him down...but she had some "pull" being Jackie Gleason's wife and Jackie' being the producer of that show. He liked Jackie Gleason-alot and I guess he liked Elvis and wanted him on his show as a guest-but it could never be "worked out"- Col. Tom- you know...and his "cut" $50,000 for Elvis and $50,000 for him bringing Elvis. I still have the picture Col. Tom gave me of Elvis-it's about a 3 x2 color head shot and was nearly worn out when he gave it to me! A wallet size photo-a good one, but a sullen, cold eyed pose of Elvis looking like he was mad as hell and not gonna take it any more... with his natural hair color too. wjh

[Blue Moon]

The "Elvis '56" dvd is a good one for showing a lot of those early performances, including the Dorsey Stage Show.

Wanda, did Elvis ever tell you what is was like doing the Steve Allen Show where he was forced to wear a tux & sing to a dog? I heard that there was an attempt to deliberately humiliate Elvis. Deliberate or not, it backfired, as everyone seemed to know Elvis was forced into that situation.

[Wanda June Hill]

Elvis said if they had asked him to suck a pig's snout he would have done it to be on television... then he laughed.
He was a little put out about the tux but he did whatever he was asked to do-The Col. told him it was okay and so he did it- he didn't want to, he thought it was "demeaning and a put down" to where he was from and etc; as he often thought about things he had to do or whatever- and his insecurity about being a "hick hill billy" or something. He was ridiculed, laughed at, made to feel out of place and too, he was painfully shy he said, and it took everything he had just to walk on stage or go into a room with strangers whom he thought were better educated, had better manners, rich etc: and had made it to the top... and he'd aways go back to saying it was difficult for him to talk much, he didn't know what to say etc: and he worked on learning how to talk "properly" and how to "present himself" and what to say to certain questions and "come on's" and he snickered, saying, "Some of them were overt and sneaky and I had to learn to discern if what I heard was what they meant or just what I was hopin' they meant!" And he giggled- He never did say anything really dirty or vulgar but he did tell some stories... especially about his early days and the Hollywood "bomb-shells" and others that he met who were predators and after the young newcomers just for kicks and to say they got there first. Elvis said he had to learn who to trust and who to run like hell from quick... and he didn't like the Hollywood scene nor did he attend their parties etc: because he didn't like being put on the spot or being "showcased" like some kind of animal in the zoo. So he made his own "world" and did what he liked to do... and he said, "normal stuff, really... things regular people do-what I've always done when I could." Like touch football, motorbikes, roller skate, ski and go to the beach-Hawaii usually...but I think he did go to the Virgin Islands a time
or two. And of course he loved football games-college games, whatever. And I think he went snorkling with Priscilla and a couple of the guys with their wives... he didn't want to go into deep water but I think Pris did... Elvis wasn't a good swimmer he said, and there were things down there with big eyes and teeth and he didn't want them lookin' at him. Pris apparently did not have any fear of new and different things- Elvis was more into land games- he didn't even like to fly until he got his own plane and then he thought it was safer- but when it was sold, the report was that "they didn't know how it stayed in the air-so many things had not been taken care of-but he was charged an arm and a leg for the maintance and it wasn't being done! At any time he could have crashed- it was a flying time bomb and wasn't allowed in the air until it underwent a real detailed retrofitting! And here was Elvis and his crew flying days at a time around the country! He got ripped off so much, for so many things, just because no one really cared and he didn't pay attention to such things. His dad tried, but Elvis could have cared less most of the time. He just trusted too many people-and that was the way he was and he wasn't going to change-he never did...and was hurt when he had to face facts in those last months. He couldn't see how anyone would want to do those kind of things to another person-espeically one who had only wanted the best for them and would never intentionally hurt them. Like a kid who's best friend ended up telling all his secrets to someone else...
that was Elvis' reaction. It made me cry that he forgave them...but it was only Red West that he personally said his name and expressed that he forgave him and loved him as he had since high school days. I think Red maybe the only one of the guys that expressed true sorrow for what he did. The rest of them can rot in hell... sorry Elvis, it slipped out, couldn't help it... wjh.

[Blue Moon]

Not sure if you’re aware, but Sonny West is coming out soon with a follow-up to the "Elvis: What Really Happened" book. It’s supposed to be more balanced than the first one, per what I read. Let’s hope so. I have concerns, though, because apparently he still sees himself as one of the few people who tried to do something about Elvis’ presumed prescription drug problem. So this tells me that he likely is still not aware of the true nature of Elvis’ health problems, even though the info is out there. Just takes some open minded investigating. Elvis did not tell everyone of his illnesses, including members of the MM. I hope this is not another book where Elvis is portrayed as being stoned on prescription drugs in his final years.

[Wanda June Hill]

I wouldn't count on much difference-it is amazing that these people who were so loaded and out of it themselves and snorting up stuff daily probably several times daily, can remember details and so forth accurately. I wasn't ever doing those things-had a really sharp memory and had to force my brain to forget numbers and things, can't remember in detail unless I have notes. I doubt they do-he in paticular. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt until I know better-maybe will be wrong. Whatever, he didn't have the "view" I had and I didn't have the view he had-so he can't say what I know and I can't say what he may know either. I know Elvis had a probelm with prescription drugs-HE knew it also-he did his best to get off sleeping pills and did pretty well when not performing, but he'd slip back when the was...then struggle to get off when he wasn't... he did the best he could with what he had to put up with and how he felt. Those guys didn't have clue one to most of it- Elvis was macho and put up a strong front most of the time- There were a few who knew more, but none of the including me, really know except Elvis- Delbert (sonny) West will live with what he helped do for a long long time...I hope he has come to his senses and has some compassion and understanding of what was happening to the best friend HE ever had...or can expect to have in this life time. I hope he admits his sins as well, and I hope he's "clean" now-he wasn't a few years back...nor was he when with Elvis- I hope for the best- and I hope that it will help to ease his mind and give him some peace-IF and it 's a big one, that is what he is going to try and do- balance it out-
it would be nice if it turns out to be the truth... He's getting older- at any time he may have to face his maker and his former employer and friend... I hope he thinks about that. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

We shall see, no doubt, would be nice to read some positive memories and things about Elvis from Sonny but I'm not going to hold my breath on it just yet! No way of knowing if it's true? but had read somewhere that two years after Elvis died, Sonny's house was raided by police who had received a tip off that he had a big stash of cocaine - whether he was taking, dealing and/or with the intent to sell on I have no idea?