Elvis Presley - The compleat (piano guitar chord songbook)

235 Pages·1978·14.83 MB·English

by  Ray Connolly

Here in one book the greatest
tribute to the most legendary
figure of rock 'n’ roll.

Ray Connolly reviews Elviss
life and his achievements,
based on personal interviews
and specially written for
this book, alongside a
unique collection of visual
material. At the core
of the book are

the greatest hits

that put and kept
Elvis at the top
throughout his
all-too-short

life.

THE COMPLEAT

Wise Publications
London/New York/Sydney
Exclusive Distributors
“Music Sales Limited,
8/8 Frith Street,
London WIV STZ,
England,

Music Sales Pry. Limited,
120 Rothschild Avenue,
Roseberry,

NSW 2018,
‘Australia,

‘This book © Copyright 1978 by
Wise Publications

1SBN 0.86001-000.0
(Order No, AM 11248

‘Art director: Pearce Marchbanie
‘Designer: Paul May,
Cover illustration: Philip Castle

‘Mausic Sales complete catalogue
lists thousands of titles and
in free from your local music
‘book shop, or direct from
‘Music Sales Limited
Please send a cheque or
Postal Order for €1.50t0
Music Sales Limited,
‘8/9 Frith Street, London WiV 8TZ

Printed in England by
Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wits

Hurts Me 12
You, Lave ¥
Now OrNe

1Want You. INe

ELVIS

by Ray Connolly

1969, I found hoflary
utside Elvi years old
jey’s dressing room suite That, to me, was oni
International Hotel, Las Vegas appeal. His existence ft

positively terrified, Thr ali } fifteen
Elvis had confounded all criti on by making caught up with all
quite the most stunning r¢ death | thought a ar
anyone could ever th him and
yranted an audien
the world wantec
well y spoke to journalists. Then, a
ut there irying to remember ane of the million

Sry, very rare mance, when ne

tions |new L had t i strange thing 0

happened, and [caught the only ev wth

ti Elvis Presley off guard. Very slightly the door al facing a Las Vegas au had for

to his dressing room fell open, and there sitting not uid d

ards from me jend himself, quietly Getto ¥

hatting with hi aware of my embarrassed LLY phon

1a was, Lremember, suckling a bottle of Lr

ven-Up, and he was thin and sleek the minor weight problem which ie had had diuring
karate suit he had chosen for his stagp wood in the sixti Lhow bi
Then above the drawl of conversation from inside the lieved th performing was the cure for {t
room [heard someone tell him that we were waiting the | thought about all the promises he made , pliti
outside. And suddenly, as if reacting to an instinctive hich were all to come to nothing, az the impossible
need lo preserve the glan his image he whipped burden of being Elvis Presley was to final ve it
a come reat jew mand. And with his web into a stranglehold around him, « web which wa:
iver bracelets jingling ling and his left h to bind hirr talked then of the plan

eading and holding his black-dyed, n

lip an: 1 had new
lately non-greased head, his right hand performed promised
emi-circular pampacour movement, which sent a ingponly

wave of hair exploding acr

his skull and down hi
neck. And witha quick dab at th:

black hairy shamed of

s that cut deep i oks, the legend w at
ready to receive. The repose had disappeared. The Jasp c
hair, the image, and the me public front of being surprise int 1 as his aides, the famous Mem
e n the world was repair sepia hock at someone daring to cnticy
10 talk to me, Not an Elvis in bis I: face. Far a moment Elvis looked
ta man Ww ten years you nd then becoming serious he said
arently petrific Dein t with you if Tsaid | wasn't
wung wide. “Elvis, I want you me mov Ath yo lye th
T ag gone, t to.sing in them, { would like to say they were very good,
1 weleorn: an't nextremely unhappy with that side
t mahogany red ¢ n wean you fin
{out "Hi, Ray,”’ vibrated a billion dolla: yood songs for im when you're r 1
THE COMP

ry used to bi

ner the heck

ying ti
have given me. How can you enjoy it

sing toa guy you've
We all laughed because he w

for yea trivia to hide hi
very real talents. We w then that within
track
bums for a whole
This book is only cont
y. Tome everythin irrelevant
liately after his death the publishing world
jut a noxious mass of scandalous trivia, m
which was conjectural. and all of which was meaningles
in terms of ntribution which Presley made to the
popular culture of our times. Personally { don’t kn
hether or Presley was hi drugs

of

ecasionally sexually perve maniacally obsess

vis AGED 6.wrTH BLOND HAR

nay have become in terms 1
revolutionary cultural figut

ic which he create

n ial

naif ang f

ng: m being r
who ever bought an Elvis Pr this was al
about the most short-sighted c anyon
could possibly have made abe ley
sang about emotion and he sang