What is your favorite Elvis song? / LJWorld.com

Asked at Asked on Massachusetts Street on August 12, 2005

“‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ because I was a teenager at that time. I liked them all, but I really liked that one. It’s a reality check.”

— Ada Smith, food service, Eudora

“‘The Wonder of You.’ It’s just really very soulful.”

— Lucy Allen, teacher, St. Louis

“‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ I just like the tune of the song.”

— James Bermudez, special needs supervisor, Lawrence

“‘True Love Travels on a Gravel Road.’ It’s my wife and I’s song.”

— Jesse Harper, actor, Los Angeles

Return of the kings

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merrill 7 years, 9 months ago

Don't Be Cruel, Loving You and Long Tall Sally

I went to see his movies multiple times each not because of the acting....just loved the music.

Had his LP's and 45 RPM's. He had a beautiful voice.

Then along came Dylan, Cream/Clapton, Hendrix, Joplin, The Dead, Judy Collins ....Peter, Paul and Mary...Crosby,Stills,Nash

tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 9 months ago

In The Ghetto. Its an old song of course but the message still seems pretty appropriate for the country today.

Jane 7 years, 9 months ago

Poor poor Otis...didn't he have the hookups to get his song recorded? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

GreenEyedBlues 7 years, 9 months ago

OMFG

"It's my wife and I's song?" Thank goodness I wasn't there to hear that. I would be bleeding profusely from the ears at that point.

For the love of all that is holy! Stick with acting, Jesse Harper. Adhere to the script and don't try to ad lib using any fancy LA possessives like "I's" ever again.

-----

Elvis reminds me of Lilo & Stitch.

GreenEyedBlues 7 years, 9 months ago

Good morning, Extreme! How are you doing, kitten? >^.^< - meow

Redneckgal 7 years, 9 months ago

AC/DC

ruette 7 years, 9 months ago

Thanks, Greeneyed Blues! Our suggestion to the English-challenged Mr Harper, a song between his wife and him: "I Only Have I's for You.." Appropriately, our favorite song is "Fools Rush In!"

lunacydetector 7 years, 9 months ago

"Smokey Mountain Boy," "Do The Clam," "Song of the Shrimp"

oh, the question was favorite elvis song....i'll get back later with my favorite.

Jayhawk226 7 years, 9 months ago

As the snow flies On a cold and gray Chicago mornin' A poor little baby child is born In the ghetto And his mama cries 'Cause if there's one thing that she don't need It's another hungry mouth to feed In the ghetto

People, don't you understand The child needs a helping hand Or he'll grow to be an angry young man some day Take a look at you and me, Are we too blind to see, Do we simply turn our heads And look the other way

Well the world turns And a hungry little boy with a runny nose Plays in the street as the cold wind blows In the ghetto

And his hunger burns So he starts to roam the streets at night And he learns how to steal And he learns how to fight In the ghetto

Then one night in desperation A young man breaks away He buys a gun, steals a car, Tries to run, but he don't get far And his mama cries

As a crowd gathers 'round an angry young man Face down in the street with a gun in his hand In the ghetto

As her young man dies, On a cold and grey Chicago mornin', Another little baby child is born In the ghetto And his mama cries

In the ghetto In the ghetto

http://www.elyrics.net/go/e/elvis-presley-lyrics/in-the-ghetto-lyrics/

Redneckgal 7 years, 9 months ago

Cold Kentucky Rain. Its a great song to listen to on an old rainy day. I too like In The Ghetto. Its so sad but tell it's right it is still a message we need to hear today more than ever. (refer to the article "State Plans To Cut Daycare funds")

ive_got_my_ascot_n_my_dickie 7 years, 9 months ago

"Achy Breaky Heart" and "Dear Mr. Jesus" were the best songs Elvis ever recorded.

Have a blessed day,

I've Got My Ascot 'n My Dickie

neopolss 7 years, 9 months ago

ban Elvis.

consumer1 7 years, 9 months ago

U.S. Male.

happygolucky 7 years, 9 months ago

I think Elvis sucks. But music is like food, everyone has different tastes. I'm more of a Beatles fan.

smitty 7 years, 9 months ago

Love Me Tender and I Just Want To Be Your Teddy Bear.

uuh uh huh oh yeah I just wanna beeeee your Teddy Bear.

Teenage memories. At a high school variety show I dressed as Elvis. No beard capabilties at that age so I had to pull down some hair to simulate the side burns. Lip sinked Teddy Bear from the school stage. My parents were kind enough not to laugh as I performed my rock idol's most current hit.

He's still a favorite of mine. Every so often I just have to rent an Elvis movie or two, have some friends over, and have a sing alone with Elvis. Classic.

rock_chalk_jayhawk 7 years, 9 months ago

My favorites are Can't Help Falling in Love and Suspicious Minds. I also love the old Elvis movies. My favorite movie is Blue Hawaii. Does anyone know if it is out on DVD?

acg 7 years, 9 months ago

In the Ghetto for me, too. And then Suspicious Minds for a close 2nd. Elvis was such a hottie when he was younger.

Topside 7 years, 9 months ago

It waivers between "Can't help falling in Love" and "Viva Las Vegas"

Fat Elvis rocked way better!

Manson 7 years, 9 months ago

My favorite Elvis song is the one where he sings about how he ripped off the R&B community that wasn't white enough to make it to the TV screen. Then there was that song about how he joined the presidents crusade against drugs then went home and popped more pills than the local pharmacy.

Was Elvis a good singer? yes. Was Elvis a good Person? Probably so for the most part. Good actor? Hell no. Did he create his own music.... NO.

wichita_reader 7 years, 9 months ago

My favorite is Suspicious Minds. But how about a joke, with the punchline to the chorus of Blue Suede Shoes.

Two women meet for the first time since graduating from high school, and one says to her old friend, "You were always so organized in school. Did you manage to live a well-planned life?"

"Yes," replies her friend. "My first marriage was to a millionaire; my second was to an actor; my third was to a preacher; and now I'm married to an undertaker."

Her friend then asks, "So what do your marriages have to do with living a well-planned life?"

"One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go."

No tomatoes please.

nlf78 7 years, 9 months ago

In the ghetto is my favorite too!

consumer1 7 years, 9 months ago

Charles, "manson". Get over yourself, Elvis was a capitalist, not much differerent that Arnold Schwartzenegger. He capitalized on what he could do and gave the people what they wanted. The fifties were a bad time for black folks, yes, he sang songs written and performed by black artist. What you fail to recognize in your hateful speech, was, that originally Elvis was hated by most white folks for having soul and the ability to perform and dress in a manner that was unacceptable at the time. He open doors for many black arrtist once he broke the barrier so go pi** up a rope.

ms_canada 7 years, 9 months ago

I did not care too much for Elvis, but I did like his rendition on Love Me Tender. But, this was not a new tune. There is an old folk song that the melody comes from. Does anyone remember what the title of that song was/is? Another of his songs that was quite pretty was Can't Help Falling in Love With You.

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

I don't intend this to sound as mean as it probably does, but my favorite Elvis song is "Elvis is Dead," by Living Color. A truly great, Elvis has left the building, kind of tune.

I'm not an Elvis fan, but I do like some of his stuff. The strange thing about the selling of Elvis following his drug overdose is the packaging of his gospel songs. Not what one expects from a drug-addicted junkie. What's next, gospel songs by the likes of Keith Richards and Rush Limbaugh?

Happygo: As a Beatles fan, you must know that John Lennon felt that it all began with Elvis. But I agree, the Beatles were the best. No others can even come close.

e_m: Regarding your cat picture -- talk about an extreme makeover gone bad. : )

Fangorn 7 years, 9 months ago

Always on My Mind. Although I must say that I appreciate the Pet Shop Boys' haunting, aloof version even better.

Extreme: Nice video. I think shots fired from the second gunman on the grassy knoll brought the plane down. It just took about 40 years for the bullet to get from Dallas to DC. Seriously though, I've spoken with soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetary right next to the Pentagon. The plane flew right over them. They identified it as an airliner.

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

oops -- the band is Living Colour, with the British spelling, not Living Color, like the TV show.

ms_canada 7 years, 9 months ago

I just remembered the name of the old song from which Elvis took the tune for Love Me Tender. It was called Auralee. Does anyone ever remember hearing that old song? I don't remember who sang it.

Topside 7 years, 9 months ago

nlf78-Yes! IN the ghetto. Another Fat Elvis Gem, How could I have forgotten.

ladysilk 7 years, 9 months ago

I like anything gospel that he did. His voice is so soothing. Now I will shamelessly plug my fabulous neighbor....If you want to hear a great voice that sounds a lot like Elvis check out Louis Bia. I think you can get his music at Hastings here in town. He is a local talent.

Sunlover 7 years, 9 months ago

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/pentagon.htm

craigers 7 years, 9 months ago

I saw on the Enquirer the other day that Elvis was spotted. I think he is alive. :)

Sunlover 7 years, 9 months ago

Was he spotted at the Pentagon?

craigers 7 years, 9 months ago

I think so, and he was having peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Sunlover 7 years, 9 months ago

I bet he's really fat now!

ms_canada 7 years, 9 months ago

OMB - great minds think alike. I also found the words to the old Civil War folk song Aura Lee, written in 1861. The version I found is very similar to the one you have copied here, with just slight variations. I will not take the space to write it. I think it is a beautiful song and set in the civil war as the film Love Me Tender was set, so my question, why the heck did Elvis not sing those beautiful words.<^.^>

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

That "Elvis is dead" comment reminded me of how many people still don't believe he died. I just don't understand how people can believe such things - that he's not dead. The same thing goes for people who don't believe we went to the moon. My great grandmother thought it was all staged by Hollywood. The same goes for people who believe that aliens have visited the earth.

I understand the mechanism that sustains superstitious beliefs because they are based on illusory correlations. I also understand how people can believe that magnets help them, etc. (placebo effects) due to the effects that beliefs and hope have on the immune system. I even get people who have different religious beliefs because they have grown up being taught those things and they have a whole culture who share those beliefs.

But, people who believe Elvis is alive, aliens have landed, and man never went to the moon, reject not only the consensus of their society, but also reject the culture's epistemological foundation (e.g., science and police investigations) in these cases but accept them in every other case.

I suppose they do have their own culture of believers that support the beliefs. Perhaps they are Fox Mulder's by nature, they "trust no one" and have some need to believe or not believe as the case may be. I don't mind not believing what everyone else does if there is some good basis for doing so, that is how discoveries are made. It is the poor logic that so baffles me in these cases. And they can't get it even when it is pointed out to them. Oh, well, people can believe whatever they want; I just want to understand what causes these people to think in these ways.

Manson 7 years, 9 months ago

Consumer 1 where in my post do you find hate? I love Elvis. Where do you find non-fact? Are you upset because it's the truth?

"so go pi** up a rope."-Consumer1

YOU are in no position to lecture me about hateful text.

Blow

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

one_more_bob: he was always "made of meat". The question is why he suddenly lunged at him then and passed up thousands of other opportunities.

Ceallach 7 years, 9 months ago

Couldn't name just one either. In the Ghetto, Cold Kentucky Rain, I always liked 'I was the One,' and probably due to the fact that I was 5'9" in the 10th grade I was very fond of Long Tall Sally :) btw, my first husband's name was John, known to my niece as "Uncle John."

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

enoch: I guess I will be the first to point out that Elvis is alive, he is an alien, and has returned to his original home on the Moon, stopping by Earth every once in a while to be spotted shopping at Wal-Mart (Elvis is actually the one who gave us the technology on how to get to the Moon ourselves).

e_m: he doesn't need a makeover, just a lobotomy.

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

lol, beatrice!

wichita_reader 7 years, 9 months ago

I've met a Stoney or two in my days, but never a Trip.

Ceallach 7 years, 9 months ago

TOB: I don't know about the band, but he did play around with Sally (according to the lyrics :)

nlf78 7 years, 9 months ago

If I remember correct and it's been a number of years...we had a school bus driver named Trip when I was in Junior High...wonder if he had his LSD business on the side?? ;)

Manson 7 years, 9 months ago

In response to the Roy and Tiger situation... Roy fainted on stage. The Tiger instinctivley picked Roy up as any mother tiger would do to her young if injured. It's the ultimate irony though.

Ceallach 7 years, 9 months ago

e_m: How sad to live like that, a cur in a cat's body! What is a cat/cur to do? You have my sympathy.

mr_daniels 7 years, 9 months ago

"Love Me Tender."

wichita_reader 7 years, 9 months ago

Way off topic here (tangentially touches on yesterday's topic though). Quick summary of gas prices I saw in Wichita over lunch:

Sam's Club:

1) without a Sams club card = $2.429

2) with a Sams Club card = $2.379

QT = $2.479

Gootsie 7 years, 9 months ago

Thanks e_m - I'm actually having to work today (sucks) and didn't get my daily anagram in. Wonder if I should take something for it???

A NAB AN A BAN AN BANANA ANA NAB ANA BAN

Ah I feel better now.

nlf78 7 years, 9 months ago

I can't believe the price of gas...I work in Topeka and I've been trying to get my boss to give me a gas allowance. Heck, it's cheaper in Lawrence than in Topeka, which rarely ever happens

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

Quick question. I've heard that there is a website where Lawrence residents can post items that they don't want anymore that are free for the taking. In looking for it, I found freecycle.org. I am not sure if that is it or not. I can't figure out how to use that site, yet. Anyone know?

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

I figured it out. Thanks, anyway.

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

My favorite Elvis song: Watching the Detectives.

I also like: Alison, Oliver's Army, and (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding.

(I don't know why I didn't think of this before.)

raven 7 years, 9 months ago

enoch: I have never heard of such a site, can you post the info for me, please? Thanks Have a great weekend everyone

enochville 7 years, 9 months ago

raven: Here is the website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lawrencefreecycle/

It is a yahoo group, but it is part of the freecycle movement. All the information about it is on that site.

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

The picture of the Elvis impersonator on the LJW homepage is horrifying. It looks like a wax dummy of Vegas Elvis that accidentally got left out in the sun. I've seen potatoes that look more like Elvis than this guy.

Fangorn 7 years, 9 months ago

Beatrice: Rush Limbaugh could have a lobotomy and still run circles around the American Left. Admittedly, this isn't difficult most of the time. Rush will be the first to tell you he has "half my brain tied behind my back just to make it fair". Perhaps using only half his brain makes it easier to understand Liberals. I'm still trying to achieve that myself. :)

beatrice 7 years, 9 months ago

I know it is difficult to understand us Liberals, us being such an awful breed, but try some of the things we do. We support things like civil rights (were the conservatives the ones leading the charge there?), we want all people to truly care about all other people (the Peace Corp, for instance), we want living wages and equal pay for equal work, we are willing to do without so that others may share in the bounty of the land, and we don't want to see our planet become a giant waste dump for industrialized nations. We must be insane.

By the way, Jesus was a liberal. :)

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