Elvis Presley, Still TCB After All These Years

This year would have been Elvis Presley’s 80th birthday. His death-day is coming up as well, and to commemorate there’s a brand new Elvis stamp. (If you’ve been around a while, you will remember the furor about the first Elvis stamp, where a vote was put out to the public: Do you want Young Elvis on the stamp? Or Fat Elvis? I mean, that’s not what they said exactly, but that was the gist of it. It was a huge HUGE deal.)

The 2015 Elvis stamp features the young gorgeous Elvis, eyelashes casting shadows down his face, at the beginning peak of his fame, the fame that would last, without stop, until he died. There are articles everywhere about the stamp, which I’m sure you have seen. I’ll be buying myself some, of course, but I just wanted to mention that it is 80 years since this man was born. He became an international star in 1956, almost 60 years ago. He died in 1977, almost 40 years ago. 40 years. And he’s still making headlines because of one measly stamp coming out with his face on it.

As a vintage record seller told my friend Kent: “Bless his heart, Elvis still brings in the bucks.” More than anyone else in her line of work, selling collectibles and rare EPs. Elvis stuff made money, more than Lennon, more than the Beatles, more than anyone.

I’m not big on celebrating someone’s death, although I do have a post ready for that day. But I’ve been so enjoying all of the articles about the Elvis stamp. It’s been so fun to see his face everywhere (which it already is anyway, but even more so right now.)

Elvis and the Colonel’s philosophy was “Takin’ Care of Business” – in a flash. Get in, get paid, get out. That’s how Elvis liked it, that’s what drove him, that’s what exhausted him, but it was a responsibility he felt to the fans who were always there with him from the beginning. His attitude was professional, always. He was an entertainer. He took that seriously. (One of my favorite moments in the famous 1972 press conference before his concerts at Madison Square Garden, was when someone asked him about the women’s movement and what he thought about it, and he said, “Honey, I’m an entertainer.” Honey. (It was a female journalist.) So great. He wasn’t rude, just “here is what I do, not going to go there, thank you very much.” My other favorite moment from that press conference was when someone asked him about the revolt of the songwriters, withholding their songs, and how that might impact his song choices and his career. Elvis was, of course, totally aware of the situation, totally understood the issues, but he would never have made a public statement about it. His answer was: “I’m not aware of any of that. I’ve been in Hawaii, workin’ on my suntan.” ROCK. STAR.)

He’s still takin’ care of business from beyond the grave.