"Mystery Train" by Elvis Presley (1955)
I have to confess, even though it invites charges of blasphemy in some circles, that I don't care for Elvis very much. Maybe it dates back to my late adolescence, groomed at 16 as I was on Chuck D. bellowing bassily, "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me, the sucker was racist straight-up simple and plain..." Since then Elvis always had the stink of redneck imperialism and appropriation on him in my mind: another white dude who recklessly copped licks from African American greats and got fat on the theft. For every black rhythm and blues giant living in impoverished obscurity, the so-called King was living large in a Barcalounger with a surplus of PB and banana at his grasp.
I will admit though that I am aesthetically drawn to the sound of Elvis's Sun Sessions recordings from the mid-1950s. This track is a good travelin' number, with ethereal vocals and a good click-clack locomotive rhythm as its pulse. Its association in my imagination with Jim Jarmusch helps ease my resistance to liking it too.
2 comments:
Elvis is definitely one of those musicians, like our previous discussion of Miles Davis, that makes you scratch your head - what to do? I love some songs - A Little Less Conversation - but I can't buy into him as anything but a train wreck. Even so, i want to see Graceland. Train wreck city.
Funny how rap does what it was meant to sometimes. I used to ride around in a low slung car with Public Enemy blarring from the speakers. But look at Flavor Flav today
Flavor Flav? See "Train wreck city." But Chuck D is still the man.
Elvis is mostly annoying, barring the occasional kitschy classic (like "A Little Less COnversation") or some rockabilly charm.
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