Last night at the vigil, Priscilla and Lisa Marie dropped by and talked to the fans. Outside at the street, a group of fans from Argentina were singing Hunka, Hunka Burning Love. Cool. Some had stood in line since dawn.
What makes people be so devoted to a public figure? Many things, I suppose. He was the icon of a generation. He changed the face of music, forever. He had charisma out the wazoo. To some he was the symbol of their lost or fleeing youth. For others, they had followed his music and movies, his career, for so long that he was part of their family, almost. I almost felt like I knew him but I did not.
I grew up with his music. I saw him on Ed Sullivan. I always wanted to see him in concert, but never got around to it. Man, do I regret that now? Does it freak you out a little to think that, if one little piece of luck were to have changed, he would have drove a truck all his life? How many others are out there who labor in obscurity that might have made a splash in a certain field of endeavor? Oh, not like Elvis. There will never be another like the big 'E'.
My favorite Elvis story was when fans were mobbing his car one day. One of his friends said, "Hey, man, they're going to mess up your car!" His reply? "They paid for it." Even with all the sequined suits, it is obvious that Elvis never forgot where he came from. The abject poverty of his youth leaves certain marks, good and bad. I know all about poverty, and how grounded ... and how grim, that can make you.
My wife and I had been married about five years when Elvis died. It was a bummer. We were both huge fans. I remember several years before that, she and I had gotten into a big argument about Elvis. No, I won't tell you. It was funny, though. Okay, if you press me about it. She had told me that I wasn't as hot as Elvis. I told her that I was well aware of that but that she shouldn't say it. Looking back it seems funny now, and silly. It was, actually. Ha, ha.
Nowadays, I play a bunch of his songs on keyboard. Memories is one of them. It is so sad that I never play it when I'm alone. I play The Wonder of You, Kentucky Rain, Hound Dog and a lot of others.
When the kids were little, we took them with us to Graceland and did the tour. We loved it, but the kids were less thrilled. I wonder if they appreciate the trip now. They were 10 or 12, I think.
A Memphis cop told me that Elvis Presley Boulevard was the most stolen sign in America. He said that they just started buying cheaper signs. No, I did not steal one. Didn't think of it.
When you go into his 'jungle room', you realize he was just a big kid. My wife was struck by the old picture frame with his mom's photo. She is a veteran of dollar stores and she said that the frame cost about a dollar. Funny, and touching, that he would keep that old cheap frame, him a multimillionaire rock star and all. Even my kids liked seeing his cars and motorcycles. In those days the Lisa Marie, his plane, was parked across the street.
I think that Elvis would have something to say about all the visitors last night. About Priscilla and Lisa Marie speaking. About the candles and the Argentine fans singing. He'd say, "Thank you. Thank you very much."
Unfortunately, he has left the building and we will never see his like again. I'm CE Wills, Elvis fan.
P.S. Once I got drunk and sang Heartbreak Hotel, using a lamp as a microphone. There is a video, but you shall never see it.
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