“It wasn’t there, and then it was there.” David Lynch on Elvis

David Lynch has always been open about his love for Elvis’ music, citing it as one of the first things that really “lit his fire” as a kid. Wild at Heart is filled with Elvis nods and in a lot of ways it is a very weird – and Lynchian – “Elvis movie.” I went off on my feelings that Elvis was very present in Twin Peaks: The Return – especially in the even-at-this-early-stage-legendary episode 8, where Elvis’ presence was deafening. Literally. (Thoughts here.)

In 2011, as Lynch was preparing to release his album Crazy Clown Time (because, of course), he gave an interview to Spin about it.

His comments on early rock ‘n roll and Elvis were so beautiful and filled with emotion (stated bluntly, in that childlike way that he has. OPEN. He’s OPEN and not AFRAID of his emotions.)

Anyway the whole interview is here , but the Elvis parts are particularly special for me to read.

There’s definitely a mutated rockabilly feel of the album. How did that music first affect you as a kid?

Like being hit with a truck filled with happiness [laughs]. It was a thrilling truck, and you know, I sort of wish everybody could experience that feeling. You’ve heard these stories. So many musicians when they saw Elvis for the first time, they just slammed their head with their first and just sad, “Damn! This is it!” And it was just suddenly so obvious. It wasn’t there, and then it was there. And it had this unbelievable power, and it just screamed out, and everybody and his little brother lit up like a Christmas tree. It was unbelievably beautiful. I just, inside, felt this thrill, this love of the sound. It was like grabbing onto an electric wire.

Blue Velvet came out in the wake of things like Happy Days and American Graffiti, and people painting the ’50s and early ’60s as this very nice and shiny time. And the way you used older music really flipped that on it’s ear.

You know, ’50s music held a happiness for sure, but you know Elvis also sings “Heartbreak Hotel,” and there’s a kind of sweet sadness, and that dream thing that could go either way. The ’50s dream, like the Fleetwoods “Come Softly to Me,” was real popular. And all the great ones there, they caught this thing. In every decade the music paints the mood. So if you listen to what was popular in the ’50s, from ’56 on, maybe, and it’s a summer night and you’re listening to this or you’re slowdancing in a basement with a girl, you can go back to that time.


Tikaeni Faircrest in “Twin Peaks: The Return,” listening to The Platters’ “My Prayer”, episode 8

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4 Responses to “It wasn’t there, and then it was there.” David Lynch on Elvis

  1. Leena Myller says:

    I love this informaation! Love Elvis and David Lynch an am very sad about his death. This was great thing to know. I have written an Elvis book, called Tunnit Elviksen kanssa, My hours with Elvis, in Finnish. The book is a kind of hybrid – it contains facta and fiction. I am an Finnnish writer with some 8 published books.

    • Leena Myller says:

      Information
      I’m glad to know that Lynch was Elvis-fan, not about his death.

    • sheila says:

      Leena – hello! Your Elvis book sounds so interesting!! I would love to read it although sadly I do not speak Finnish. Very sad about Lynch’s death too – I have immediately started a re-watch of all of his stuff – and am clocking all of the Elvis references. They’re everywhere!

      Here’s one of my favorite Lynch/Elvis connections. I don’t know if I’ve seen anyone else clock this one. It’s a DEEP cut.

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