You only pass through this life once, you don't come back for an encore. ~ Elvis Presley
Funny that I would write a post about Elvis. I am not really a fan, not even as kitsch. But it has been a silly sorta day. This is the inspiration behind this post, it's a Writing Prompt Generator. The prompt I got, after a couple of spins, was this; "Describe the last time you saw Elvis". Which was made doubly funny because tonight was the night that Elvis plays Fredericton. My mother-in-law bought tickets to go see 'Elvis ' for her sister as a Christmas gift, she was like a teenager all over again, she was so happy. It was kinda cute.
But back to that prompt. The last time I saw Elvis was 3 weekends ago. I kid you not. OK, it wasn't the real Elvis, (that bugger has been dead since what 1977?) it was a cheesy (maybe Korean?) impersonator. I was with my 2 best buddies from high school. They had come down to visit me and met my new born daughter. We were wandering around downtown Fredericton, downtown was packed, it was the weekend of Jazz Fest. A great time to be wandering around downtown. We were half-heartedly looking for another buddy from high school. Peeking in tents, being shuffled away by security, we tried, we couldn't find him amongst the masses.
We did find Elvis however, he was surrounded by a strangely large crowd of onlookers. He was shit in every way, maybe his total shittiness was what attracted the crowds. He might just be the Ed Wood of Elvis impersonators, I dunno? I do know that me and 2 of my best friends also watched him in dumbfounded awe for more minutes than I am willing to admit (Damn you beer!). So there, my friends that was the last time I saw Elvis.
I have never been an Elvis fan either. Being a musician I give him HUGE respect for his role in the development of one of the most important things in my life: rock n' roll. For some reason after i watched a documentary about him 10 or so years back my perception of him was shattered. Now when i do free word association with the name elvis, the things that come to mind are things like: a meth addict, jelly donut junkie, fat hick, mediocre guitarist, greasy pompadour, and, occasionally in the form of a run-on... speed shooting-greasy haired-fat hick, donut gorging speed freak. Whew...After posting thoughts like that i think ill go board up my windows---I think I see a mob of Elvis fans coming my way with torches...
ReplyDeleteI decided to check out the writing generator that you mentioned. I was enjoying it until one prompts had the wrong ad(d) in it.
ReplyDeleteRun! what are you gonna do for an encore, piss on Jimi Hendrix's grave? Haha. My bones with Elvis are not his lifestyle or even his fashion choices, nope, I just can't stand his music...it doesn't sound like rock'n'roll to me. He was the king of honky tonk. He was the king of pop. He was the dude that made it possible for country music to become mainstream. A curse on him for that.
ReplyDeleteAinebegonia...I saw that one too. For shame! I also think that there are only maybe 20 prompts in total. I would love for it to be nearly infinite. A panic button to be pressed when I am totally devoid of original thought.
ReplyDeleteFor god sakes! PLEASe!! Never...EVER put Elvis Presley and Jimmy Hendrix in the same sentence unless that sentence is, "Elvis sucks and Jimmy Hendrix should have his own church." You cant get much more rock n roll than lighting your guitar on fire while tripping your balls off on 3 types of LSD while head-lining Woodstock. That says it all....
ReplyDeleteJimi does deserve to be in better company. I will take Jimi's guitar over Elvis' hips any day...yep.
ReplyDelete