Was Elvis overrated?

Banjo String

36 years dead today.

No denying he had some tunes under his belt!

What was/is your favourite Elvis moment?

Did you prefer skinny/early Elvis or did you like him in later years, pie eater with the jump suits etc?

This is one of my personal favourites of his.

The man had some moves!

Was he overrated though?

kingtiger

good singer and showman

but never wrote a song in his life

gimme Muddy Waters or Albert King anyday

mickdw

No.

MJ23

Extremely. Most of his songs sound the same, and I heard he hardly wrote any of them.
He is as over rated as The Rolling Stones, a band who haven't had a decent song out for over 30 years.

RikkFlair

He was no Buddy Holly

MidlandsM

Over Weight at the end, but not overrated.

Frosty McSnowballs

Yes totally.

naughtysmurf

Too young to die....too fat to live

Seriously though, he came on the music scene at the right time, talented singer & serious mover considering what else was going on in 1956

G.O.A.T

Links234

Yes

sbsquarepants

Enormously over rated. He was just a pretty boy, with a few moves who sang other peoples songs. The king of rock and roll my arse - he was basically a 1950's Justin Timberlake (only Justin writes at least some of his own stuff).

FatherLen

His karate career never really shone through...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Iv6dmSw0k

Banjo String

MJ23 wrote: »

Extremely. Most of his songs sound the same, and I heard he hardly wrote any of them.
He is as over rated as The Rolling Stones, a band who haven't had a decent song out for over 30 years.

Get out!:mad:

Dravokivich

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Enormously over rated. He was just a pretty boy, with a few moves who sang other peoples songs. The king of rock and roll my arse - he was basically a 1950's Justin Timberlake (only Justin writes at least some of his own stuff).

I suppose you'd be wanting all performers to write everything they perform?

iDave

Kanye West is grossly overrated, the King is not

kfallon

"And in all the times you were in Graceland, did you ever.......did you ever see Elvis.....ya know.....doing drugs?"

"No brother!"

"I knew it......and you ya little bollix....."

anncoates

Completely trivial fact:

Elvis Presley has 12 letters.

I know this because my ma bought an Elvis wall clock in 1980 and instead of 12 numerals it has the letters of his name.

The clock still works and is still on my ma's kitchen wall where it has attained a legendary kitsch status amongst my friends and extended family.

GLaDOS

Dravokivich wrote: »

I suppose you'd be wanting all performers to write everything they perform?

I have a lot more admiration for musicians who perform music they've written themselves, it's hardly an outlandish concept. Elvis' musicianship can be rightly criticised because he wrote so little.

Richard Hillman

Bullshoot, Elvis was the balls.

gobnaitolunacy

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Enormously over rated. He was just a pretty boy, with a few moves who sang other peoples songs. The king of rock and roll my arse - he was basically a 1950's Justin Timberlake (only Justin writes at least some of his own stuff).

That's fcukin' blasphemy!:mad:

hidinginthebush

Jimmy Rabbitte: Elvis is not soul.
Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.: Elvis is God.
Jimmy Rabbitte: I never pictured God with a fat gut and corset singing "My Way" at Caesar's Palace.

kingtiger

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

That's fcukin' blasphemy!:mad:

but you have to take the point that he nicked most of his act from the likes of Little Richard

which if he was the correct colour in the 50ies would of been bigger than Elvis

Ush1

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Enormously over rated. He was just a pretty boy, with a few moves who sang other peoples songs. The king of rock and roll my arse - he was basically a 1950's Justin Timberlake (only Justin writes at least some of his own stuff).

Surely Justin Timberlake is a modern day Elvis you mean?

Not overrated at all in my opinion. Incredible entertainer, different, unique voice, broke boundaries and lets not forget the main one, clearly was the inspiration for a certain Sir Cliff Richard!

BeerWolf

Uh huh huh

sheesh

Ii am everyone seems to write their own material today or pretends to anyway.
Why no love for the interpretaive artist

billy holliday
Frank Sinatra
Elvis
Dusty Springfield

With Autotune and other technology today we forget how rare a talent it is to have a perfect singing voice.

ahlad

The King is alive!

stop animal cruelty

No way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CMlYVu9J4g

I perfer the younger Elvis tho, 50s & 60s were his best imo

Uriel.

I don' think he was overrated personally.

if he was new on the scene today with his style of music, he probably wouldn't be as successful,

But at that time, he really did pioneer rock and roll in a way that no one else did. At the time he shared the scene with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, Little Richard, Richie Valens etc... And while each had a certain level of success in their own right, none, have the lasting appeal or commercial success of Elvis.

Justin Timberlake is mentioned. Will Justin Timberlake have the same appeal and fame in 50 years that Elvis has 50 years after he broke onto the scene. That's the test. I don't think Justin Timberlake will and I'd be hard pushed to name solo artists of the last 20 years that would have that lasting appeal. But who knows.

In conclusion, IMO Elvis was not overrated.

blue note

We can't see him live, so can't comment on one of the main reasons he was so loved. My uncle saw him in Las Vegas and said he was the best he ever saw.

But I wouldn't be mad about the songs to be honest. I like them, but just on the recordings I wouldn't have him up there with the greats, let alone sitting on top of the pile.

I Heart Internet

No.

He was/is a GREAT performer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcJac6OykfM

Dravokivich

ScienceNerd wrote: »

I have a lot more admiration for musicians who perform music they've written themselves, it's hardly an outlandish concept. Elvis' musicianship can be rightly criticised because he wrote so little.

Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Pavarotti?

You've got a very dire opinion with regards to musicianship.