All Shook Up, But Why? What Made Elvis The King
While no one would dare argue the massive impact of this cultural icon, Elvis’ talents were…debatable. His guitar solos left something to the imagination, his songwriting abilities were nonexistent, and if you believe the stories, his personal life was a mess. So what won Elvis Presley the title of The King and how did he affect the musical world so dramatically that people still follow him blindly till today? Here’s our humble opinion of how this poor, country boy from Mississippi became the King of Rock n Roll.
Sex Appeal
Ask your grandmother, great aunt, or anyone else who saw him live, and they’ll all tell you the same thing. That man could swing his pelvis in a way that would make your hairdryer blush. Elvis was charming, charismatic, and owned a winning smile that no lady would ever tire of basking in the rays of. In the words of Steve Binder, “You stop, whether male or female, to look at him.”
Back Story
As any marketer will tell you, people love a good underdog, and Elvis was rife with the kind of down on your luck intrigue that everyone would rally for. A poor kid from Mississippi, Elvis suffered the loss of his twin in-utero, his mother’s untimely death, and an unfortunate string of luck that he just couldn’t shake. The music changed it all, and that’s a story anyone could relate to.
Performance
When you go to a concert, you don’t just go for the music. You go for the show, and the better the show, the better the experience.
Elvis was all about the show. He would swagger across stage, blow kisses to the fainting females, and smile with a playful grin that sent women into heart palpitations throughout the audience. Elvis was also energetic, powerful, and as smooth as silk, making every gesture, sound, and sight a masterpiece to behold.
Pioneer
In a time when music was limited both in propagation and in variety, Elvis was something new. He was a white man with a black man’s voice, bringing a new genre, rock n’ roll, to the white folks who hadn’t yet been enlightened to the electrifying sounds. Presley also fused a wide range of genres together, combining country with rhythm and blues, tempo with soul, and he made some truly amazing melodies from the mashup.
Ultimate Celebrity
Elvis was the ultimate celebrity of the time. Remember, this was before mass-produced music, MP3s, and MTV. People only had a handful of “superstars” to idolize, and Elvis had a lot to offer. He embodied everything everyone wanted to be. To women, he was dreamy; to men, he was powerful; and to everyone, he was a breath of fresh air that said “Screw boundaries, you can make your dreams happen!”
Regardless of what you personally think of Elvis Presley, one thing is for sure. He will forever remain the King because of his fans. The generation didn’t let anyone forget what he meant to them, and that ensured that the triple Grammy winner’s legacy would live on indefinitely. Be the next King of music with your first piano lesson online!
