Saturday, March 1, 2008

With A Rebel Yell... or rather, Rebel Hip-Shake


It's hard to imagine Elvis as a rebel. After all, he's even older than my parents' generation, and they're OLD. However, he truly was rock n' roll's first bad boy. Back in the 50s, he got the country All Shook Up. Sure there were other bad boys at the time, Brando, and Dean, but unlike them, Elvis wasn't a Rebel Without A Cause. Elvis rebelled against suppressive values and traditions. He told woman Don't Think Twice, It's All Right to have sexual desires. Elvis also rebelled against racism, bridging the gap between black and white music, and telling whites, Don't Be Cruel. He had everything a bad boy needed, good looks, lots of hairgel, and an attitude to match. Although he never did the Jailhouse Rock, like so many bad boys today, That's All Right, Elvis was in a whole other league. Today people think growing up In The Ghetto selling drugs, or having a mohawk and ten tattoos makes them rebels. I'd like to tell them Return To Sender. What do they know? No one can compete with Elvis, just with a shake of the hips he got himself banned in several states, revolutionized the music industry, and changed the country- even the world! He really is the king, and no one will ever be able to take the crown from him.

1 comment:

Amanda said...

I completely agree with that. It is also strange to think how he was thought of a rebel because he was shaking his hips, and moving out of the social norm, when all of his motives were just to better the world. Like you said, comparing him to the rebels of today, it is amazing to see the different things that they stood for. Elvis did change the world, and ultimately made it a better place, and I agree with you that he truly is the King of Rock and Roll, and that will never be taken away from him.