Elvis - how he could have been greater

Elvis was and is indisputably one of the true greats of pop and rock music. But for all his greatness, Elvis didn't reach his full potential: he could have made many more great records.

There were various reasons for this:

(a) he wasted a lot of time on films (which generally weren't that great anyway). Elvis actually wanted to be a film star more than a rock star, and he and his manager believed rock and roll would not last, so he was trying to build a career in films instead (for when the rock and roll dried up - yes, that's what Elvis and his manager thought would happen !).

(scene from 'Jailhouse Rock' - one of Elvis' good films)

(b) he didn't move with the times. Despite his wild, rebellious style, he was very much a Southern conservative, both musically and in his social views. So the Sixties didn't mean much to him: neither the new music nor the counter-culture. Even in the 1970s, he had very few post-1965 records in his collection. The emerging social revolution was alien to him, though ironically he may have helped to kick-start it. As a result, he fell behind a bit, as you can see from his 1970s concerts - although great, they're out of step with the 70s music scene, belonging to another era. To continue to appeal to the contemporary market place, one has to be able to relate to the current scene - it's certainly one way of continuing to challenge oneself and keep developing as an artist.

(c) he didn't push himself to the peak of his expressive powers on records. It was too easy to come into the studio and rattle off another set of songs in the usual style. The album generally regarded as his best (From Elvis In Memphis, 1968) was partly the result of a producer pushing Elvis to the limit and not settling for second best.

So, what else could Elvis have done ? Well, he wasn't a creative songwriter or musician: his genius lay as a compelling performer and masterful interpreter, and he certainly laid on many outstanding concerts. Where he could have produced more would be in performing covers of many more good and great songs in the canons of pop, rock, country, gospel, blues and soul, and of any new songs composed, and leaving many more memorable recordings.

(scene from Elvis' early '70s concerts, with Elvis in trademark tailor-made white jumpsuits: although his 70s stage-costumes are sometimes regarded as over-the-top, Elvis made some of his best music about this time)

But, in Elvis' defence, he was the first major rock star, and so moved in territory no-one had yet ventured into. He had to make it up and guess his way forward, with no other careers to draw on as role models. It's easy for us, with the knowledge of many later pop and rock careers, to be wise with hindsight.

And finally, it's worth remembering Elvis did produce lots of great music and set the mould for how to do pop and rock. For many, he is still the original and best rock star. To some extent, most or all subsequent pop performers follow aspects of his style. As Madonna once said, 'Without Elvis, you're nothing'.