Songs about Elvis

[Hard Rocker]

What a great track !! I had Black Rose on Vinyl back in the '70's but I must have skipped this one...love it.

Black Rose, featuring the supreme axemanship of the incomparable Gary Moore is an absolutely first class album. Enjoy!

[sylvain]

I've got a book "Return to sender" with a lot of songs and albums in it

[rickeap]

Some nice songs.
Another I like is Hound Dog Man by Roy Orbison

[elvisa]

Favorites of mine

Advertising space, Robbie Williams



Singing with angels, Suzi Quatro



Old friend, Bill Medley



Why can`t they leave him alone, Stan Urban

[Revelator]

One of the most articulate songs about Elvis was just as much about his audience: "Apparition in Las Vegas," music by Pete Atkin, lyrics by polymath Clive James.
..

James recently printed the lyrics in his book of Collected Poems and added the following introduction:

In his second last phase, before he was finally enslaved by the deadly combination of cocaine, hamburgers and bad caped costumes, Elvis Presley made marvellous music. Much of it he made in Las Vegas. None of it was quite as good as the 1968 concert [...] (Preserved on video, the concert still hasn't reached YouTube at the time of this writing: you have to buy it, in one of those strange transactions peculiar to early capitalism.) But he would still give the Las Vegas audiences the best he could do, even when miles overweight and clad in an outfit that made him look like Abba rolled into one. Both Pete and I thought the world of him, with reservations; which, when you come to think of it, is what anyone sensible thinks of the world itself. It will be seen from the lyric that I thought I had the old people well summed up. Pete was too sensible to think the same, and in his music he was careful to give some of the heroic dignity to the pink-rinsed audience.

[drjohncarpenter]

I've been trying to write a song about Elvis for some time, and it got me thinking about songs that are about Elvis or reference him. There must be hundreds. Here are five songs about Elvis that have meant something to me.

1977 : Danny Mirror "I remember Elvis Presley"
The first song I recall hearing that was about Elvis. I bought the single as a child Elvis fan.


1991 Mark Cohn's Walking in Memphis
I thought it was cool that this mentioned the jungle room


1992 REM Man on the Moon
They were one of my favourite bands at the times so I was delighted they mentioned the king.


2001 Gillian Welch 'Elvis Presley Blues'
I was a huge fan of hers and I thought this song brilliantly captured the boy/man behind the legend. Such a lovely sentiment and I bet she read Guralnick before writing this.


2011 Danny & the Champions of the World 'The Colonel and the King'
Danny is a brilliant British songwriter in the Neil Young/Spirngsteen vein and this song is probably the only one I've heard that references Flaming Star and Pacer Burton!


What are your favourite songs about Elvis or that reference Elvis?

Ever heard this amazing, hilarious 1982 rockabilly track by one Charlie Burton?


..

Breathe For Me, Presley!

Emergency!!! Memphis nurse!!! Hospital room!!!
The phone rings -- it's Graceland -- come real soon!!!
No one here knows just what to do
And Elvis lies here, turning blue!!!

The Doctor outside screams, "where do I go???"
The people inside are screaming "No! No! No!"
He runs to the side of the fallen King
And these are the words that he does sing:

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

I saw you "live" once--looking great!!!
Tell me now I'm not too late!!!
Hearing's our last sense to leave
So if you're listening, breathe, breathe, breathe!!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

See the candle burn out quick
There ain't no more wax, there ain't no more wick
Deep-fried food made Elvis sick
And too many drugs from Dr. Nick!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

(Repeat as prescribed)

©1982 Shameless Music (BMI)

[scotch]

Just a few days ago I noticed the poor shape that the "Songs about Elvis" wiki is in. I am planning to take on the project of updating it even though I haven't done much editing in the past.

Here is how I thought about organizing it:

Table with charted songs completely or mostly about Elvis. (Black Velvet, Hound Dog Man)
Table with charted songs with multiple verses or portions of song about Elvis. (Walking in Memphis, Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?)
Table with charted songs with significant mentions. (19 Something, Small Town Saturday Night)
Minimal mentions (usually just using the name only), etc. (I Try to Think about Elvis, That Don't Impress Me Much)
(with references for the chart positions)

Determinations will obviously be subjective, but hopefully clearly defined categories will work for most songs.

List or possibly tables for significant mentions and passing mentions, possibly breaking it down further depending on if "Elvis" or allusions to him are used in the title.
(Links to YouTube videos provided when able.)

[TCBell]

I've been trying to write a song about Elvis for some time, and it got me thinking about songs that are about Elvis or reference him. There must be hundreds. Here are five songs about Elvis that have meant something to me.

1977 : Danny Mirror "I remember Elvis Presley"
The first song I recall hearing that was about Elvis. I bought the single as a child Elvis fan.


1991 Mark Cohn's Walking in Memphis
I thought it was cool that this mentioned the jungle room


1992 REM Man on the Moon
They were one of my favourite bands at the times so I was delighted they mentioned the king.


2001 Gillian Welch 'Elvis Presley Blues'
I was a huge fan of hers and I thought this song brilliantly captured the boy/man behind the legend. Such a lovely sentiment and I bet she read Guralnick before writing this.


2011 Danny & the Champions of the World 'The Colonel and the King'
Danny is a brilliant British songwriter in the Neil Young/Spirngsteen vein and this song is probably the only one I've heard that references Flaming Star and Pacer Burton!


What are your favourite songs about Elvis or that reference Elvis?

Ever heard this amazing, hilarious 1982 rockabilly track by one Charlie Burton?


..

Breathe For Me, Presley!

Emergency!!! Memphis nurse!!! Hospital room!!!
The phone rings -- it's Graceland -- come real soon!!!
No one here knows just what to do
And Elvis lies here, turning blue!!!

The Doctor outside screams, "where do I go???"
The people inside are screaming "No! No! No!"
He runs to the side of the fallen King
And these are the words that he does sing:

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

I saw you "live" once--looking great!!!
Tell me now I'm not too late!!!
Hearing's our last sense to leave
So if you're listening, breathe, breathe, breathe!!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

See the candle burn out quick
There ain't no more wax, there ain't no more wick
Deep-fried food made Elvis sick
And too many drugs from Dr. Nick!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

(Repeat as prescribed)

©1982 Shameless Music (BMI)

Personally, I think the fact you find this "amazing, hilarious" speaks volumes. A new low has been reached.

[jetblack]

Personally, I think the fact you find this "amazing, hilarious" speaks volumes. A new low has been reached.

I agree. Nauseating.

Andy

[Hard Rocker]

Ever heard this amazing, hilarious 1982 rockabilly track by one Charlie Burton?

Try to remember that ultimately there was a human being involved here, not just an object. Your submission is incredibly disrespectful and serves only to add to the reservations that many clearly already have for you. A new low.

[Juan Luis]

Personally, I think the fact you find this "amazing, hilarious" speaks volumes. A new low has been reached.

I agree. Nauseating.

Andy

Bad taste.

[Ciscoking]

What about this one..

..

[drjohncarpenter]

Ever heard this amazing, hilarious 1982 rockabilly track by one Charlie Burton?


..

Breathe For Me, Presley!

Emergency!!! Memphis nurse!!! Hospital room!!!
The phone rings -- it's Graceland -- come real soon!!!
No one here knows just what to do
And Elvis lies here, turning blue!!!

The Doctor outside screams, "where do I go???"
The people inside are screaming "No! No! No!"
He runs to the side of the fallen King
And these are the words that he does sing:

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

I saw you "live" once--looking great!!!
Tell me now I'm not too late!!!
Hearing's our last sense to leave
So if you're listening, breathe, breathe, breathe!!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

See the candle burn out quick
There ain't no more wax, there ain't no more wick
Deep-fried food made Elvis sick
And too many drugs from Dr. Nick!!!

BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
BREATHE FOR ME, PRESLEY!!!
C'mon and breathe for me!!!

(Repeat as prescribed)

©1982 Shameless Music (BMI)

Personally, I think the fact you find this "amazing, hilarious" speaks volumes. A new low has been reached.

So sad you don't appreciate the subtext of this 1982 recording. The author of this topic clearly does.

[Hobbes]

Here's one I really like, because it's so weird and spooky. It's called "Tupelo" by Nick Cave. It's not exclusively "about" Elvis, but it's inspired by his birth and evokes the ominous storm that's about to descend upon Tupelo and the world:


http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nickcavethebadseeds/tupelo.html

Looka yonder! Looka yonder!
Looka yonder! A big black cloud come!
A big black cloud come!
O comes to Tupelo. Comes to Tupelo

My interpretation is that the poor salt-of-the-earth, the left-outs, of Tupelo (and elsewhere) shall be redeemed when the man is born who will reject his allotted space in life and break free:

Where no bird can fly no fish can swim
Where no bird can fly no fish can swim
No fish can swim
Until The King is born!
Until The King is born!
In Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o!
Til The King is born in Tupelo!


And here is the moment the King is born, in humble, Biblical-flood like beginnings:

In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin
Where the rain came down and leaked within
A young mother frozen on a concrete floor
With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw
Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo!
With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw


Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals
And a child is born on his brothers heels
Come Sunday morn the first-born dead
In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red
Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo!
In a shoebox buried with a ribbon of red



..

It seems like Cave is placing Elvis' 1935 birth and the Tupelo tornado of 1936 at the same time; whether intentional or not, it creates a chilling effect.

The King will walk on Tupelo!

[mike edwards66]

I've been trying to write a song about Elvis for some time.......

Interesting. What's the angle? Can you share a bit of what you've got so far?

[Dan_T]

Not a song about, Elvis, but a wonderful tribute from John Lee Hooker.

..

[timothy_sideburns]

I've been trying to write a song about Elvis for some time.......

Interesting. What's the angle? Can you share a bit of what you've got so far?

I'm going for the idea that Elvis was born poor, working class and had a tough start in life and how would I have acted if it had been me? Here are some of the lyric ideas I have so far

CAPE OF DIAMONDS
If I'd been born a poor boy If I'd taken all those risks
and they'd put my name on billboards If I'd sold a million discs

If I wore a cape of diamonds If I looked like a God
If they brought the sick and needy to me - For me to lay my hands upon

Would it wipe away the memories of the struggle and the strife?
of the ever present dangers that took my brother's life?
Who can say, who can say?

If I had all that money and bought a mansion on a hill
If I had a team of doctors who could prescribe me any pill

Could I tranquilise the memories of the poverty I'd known?
When my Daddy was in prison, and me and Mama all alone
Who can say? Who can say?

There's more but I'm still working it around. Once it's done I'll post it.

[Stvimpe]

Nice posts.

See also

https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=94356&p=1514979&hilit=Inner+smile+Texas#p1514979

[MikeFromHolland]

.

John Trudell - Baby Boom Che

..

1986

.

[mike edwards66]

I've been trying to write a song about Elvis for some time.......

Interesting. What's the angle? Can you share a bit of what you've got so far?

I'm going for the idea that Elvis was born poor, working class and had a tough start in life and how would I have acted if it had been me? Here are some of the lyric ideas I have so far

CAPE OF DIAMONDS
If I'd been born a poor boy If I'd taken all those risks
and they'd put my name on billboards If I'd sold a million discs

If I wore a cape of diamonds If I looked like a God
If they brought the sick and needy to me - For me to lay my hands upon

Would it wipe away the memories of the struggle and the strife?
of the ever present dangers that took my brother's life?
Who can say, who can say?

If I had all that money and bought a mansion on a hill
If I had a team of doctors who could prescribe me any pill

Could I tranquilise the memories of the poverty I'd known?
When my Daddy was in prison, and me and Mama all alone
Who can say? Who can say?

There's more but I'm still working it around. Once it's done I'll post it.

Thanks. I look forward to it. Gotta say, that last little coupling is a humdinger.

Could I tranquilise the memories of the poverty I'd known?
When my Daddy was in prison, and me and Mama all alone

[drjohncarpenter]

This one is terrific, has a holiday vibe goin' on, but I cannot find it online:

881200_Terminators of Endearment.jpg

Terminators of Endearment "Stranger In The Manger" (Subterranean 64-7, 1988)

Two of San Francisco's wackiest musicians do two of the goofiest Xmas songs you've ever heard, with a totally great cover that gets lotsa laughs. Is this Subterranean's answer to the Smothers Brothers?

http://www.subterranean.org/main/subcat.html

[MikeFromHolland]

.


Milt Oshins - All About Elvis (1956)
..


Julie Lang - Elvis (1957)
..


Reed Harper - Oh Elvis (1957)
..


The Kids - Elvis and Me (1957)
..


Genee Harris - Bye Bye Elvis (1958)
..


Ral Donner - The Day The Beat Stopped (1977)
..


Jenny Nicholas - Elvis (1977)
..

.

[Mister Moon]

..
Billy Lathrem - "King of Rock-n-Roll" - REM single 308 - Released 1961.
(Note: up to 1:47 only - rest of upload is the b-side of the single, "Hip Twitching Mama").

[SenseiHoots]

..

..

Here's two that I really enjoy. One is comedic, sort of, and the other is more dramatic.

[Scarre]

I like Black Velvet.
But I also like this...yes, I know what you think, "sugar", but anyway, I like it.