Top 10 Facts You Probably Did Not Know About Elvis Presley
Here are some interesting facts you may not know about singer and actor Elvis Presley (1935-1977).
"That's All Right" was surely Elvis' first record released on July 19, 1954, but was it the first song he ever recorded? No. His real first song was "My Happiness," recorded on July 18, 1953, as a demo when Elvis was just 18 years old.
Even though you may see Elvis as very clever, he was very shy as a child. When he turned 11, he got his first guitar and learned it himself. He played the guitar in public places but couldn't sing because he was very shy about it.
Some people noticed how good his singing was for his age (12) and offered him a chance to sing on a local radio station show, but he turned it down because he was too scared.
We know Elvis as the King of Rock 'n' Roll, but he had another nickname, "Elvis the Pelvis," coined by Ben Gross and Ed Sullivan. They said he "rotates his pelvis." Back then, his "Hound Dog" dance moves were considered very obscene to show on television, causing a storm of controversy.
He was one of the people who changed youth culture as it is today, as teenagers were becoming more rebellious in the 1950s.
It may be surprising to hear, but despite his superstardom, he did not write any songs. They were written by producers or were covers from now-forgotten artists. Don't blame him, because he did not have time to write songs. Producers and artists would just pass some of their written songs to Elvis, as his voice was good enough to sing them.
I knew this. It always annoys me when people say modern music sucks because pop stars have co-writers, yet I've never heard anyone criticize Elvis for this. You're probably sick of hearing me talk about that, though.
While in the army, Elvis was introduced to karate and learned how to do it. He often used his moves at concerts. He was so good that he received his black belt before leaving the army.
Elvis recorded the album Elvis is Back! right after he left the army. It was an instant success, with memorable songs such as "It's Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" For some reason, it led one music critic to say, "Elvis' singing wasn't sexy, it was pornographic," which doesn't make sense to me.
As you can tell from his unique name, Colonel Parker worked as a carnival promoter before entering the music industry. He often referred to Elvis as "his attraction," as if he were part of a carnival.
Sometimes, Elvis loved dressing up as a police officer and pulling people (mostly women) over to get his autograph. His wife Priscilla disapproved of this practice, and they divorced in 1972, much to the happiness of women all around the country.
Elvis never performed outside the U.S. and Canada, despite Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite. He only performed five times in Canada. Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was an illegal immigrant and was deeply worried that he might not come back to his home country after a concert tour.
It's true. He was related to distant family members Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter.
Elvis once said that he ate nothing but meatloaf, tomatoes, and mashed potatoes for two years.
Elvis had problems with obesity during his late career. During that time, he was very fond of PB&J sandwiches. He even traveled to the Colorado Mine Company by jet to purchase one because "they were so good."
If Elvis attended a party, there better be some party meatballs on the appetizer table. With his fondness for bacon, he ate burnt bacon sandwiches and would have them for lunch if he didn't have them for breakfast. This wasn't just in his late career. Back in the '50s, he once said he took down eight deluxe cheeseburgers, two bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwiches, and three milkshakes in one sitting.