Take This Tune
Posted: Monday, March 22, 2010 by Travis Cody inBefore we get to this week's edition of Take This Tune, I must post the traditional welcome in honor of the first day of spring.
Spring has sprung
The grass has ris
I wonder where
The birdies is
...Bulwinkle J. Moose
It wasn't such a happy first day of spring at the Travis & Pam abode on Saturday, as we had our first skirmish with a very large NCELM (Nasty creepy eight legged monstrosity, or spider for short).
One more quick announcement...we're live from Hollywood tonight as Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars premiers!
Now, Take This Tune is a feature hosted by my pal Jamie at Duward Discussion. Jamie puts up a video prompt complete with lyrics to the song, and the task is to find another song or to write something inspired by the title of the song or something in the lyrics.
I really enjoy participating in Jamie's feature because of where the prompts take my thoughts and emotions. This week's prompt is the song Black Velvet, written by David Tyson and Christopher Ward, and performed by Alannah Myles. The song is a tribute to Elvis Presley.
I love the song. Ms Myles has that smoky, sultry voice I so love in a female singer. Her voice fits the song perfectly.
Elvis was the consummate performer. He seemed to instinctively understand how to invite an audience into the song with him. His vocal range seemed unlimited. He mastered the early cadences of rock and roll, scared the bejeebus out of countless parents with his gyrating stage movements, brought scores of teenage girls to tears with soulful ballads, and mesmerized the masses with his soaring gospel offerings.
In a movie career generally mocked for the silliness of the teeny bopper films he made, his acting ability is often overlooked. But if you check out his performances in Jailhouse Rock (1957), King Creole (1958), and Flaming Star (1960), you'll see his potential as an actor.
Howard Thompson, in his NY Times review of King Creole, said of Elvis, "As the lad himself might say, cut my legs off and call me Shorty! Elvis Presley can act. Acting is his assignment in this shrewdly upholstered showcase, and he does it."
Walter Matthau co-starred in King Creole and said of Elvis, “He was an instinctive actor...He was quite bright...he was very intelligent...He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated.”
Elvis Presley was a monumental talent.
I think he was pretty cool... loved his rendition of Always on my mind