Talk:Elvis Presley: Difference between revisions

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	:I'll have a look and see if any of it can be merged. Thanks, Rik. ] (]) 12:17, 2 November 2009 (UTC)		:I'll have a look and see if any of it can be merged. Thanks, Rik. ] (]) 12:17, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

			== bias ==

			to much unnecessary quotes of praise, this is a encyclopedia page not a tribute...

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Elvis Presley was a very good PIANO PLAYER. Where and how did learn to play the piano so well? And why doesn't anyone mention this?

I have a question which has been occupying me for a long time: Elvis Presely was a good PIANO PLAYER (just listen to the "Million Dollar Quartet", where Elvis plays almost all piano parts and accompanies himself singing.

Everybody knows Elvis played the guitar. But he wasn't a very good guitar player, actually. He could play chords, to accompany his singing, but no more than that.

But his piano capabilities were very good. Not just chords, Elvis really could play the piano very well, no comparison to his guitar playing (which was sufficient for the purpose of course, but Elvis was a good PIANIST).

My question: Why did he play the piano so well (even in 1956), where had he learnt it? And why doesn't anyone seem to notice that Elvis was a good piano player (he is always referred to as a singer - of course - who could also play the guitar. But Elvis wasn't REALLY a guitarist, although he could play chords to sing along to, but he REALLY was a piano player.

It would really be nice if someone could answer these questions:

1. How come Elvis was such a good piano player? Where and how did he learn it?

2. Why is the fact that Elvis was quite a good piano player neglected by all sources?

Thank you for your answer, in advance.

Hello there. Don't know who you are. You can type or paste four tildes after your post to let us all know. To try to answer the two very good points you raise:

1. Presley grew up without access to any piano, but he certainly heard piano played in various styles on recordings and live as he grew up. It is well-documented that Presley had a keen musical ear and it seems he learned to play the piano by simple experimentation when he began to have access to them as a professional entertainer. He is said to have played piano on at least one take of "Tryin' To Get To You" on July 11, 1955, so I guess he was a quick and natural learner. This, and more detail on Elvis and the piano, can be found in Adam Victor's The Elvis Encyclopedia. In addition, DJ Fontana has noted how Presley could be found in a recording studio with any instrument he chose to lay his hands on, and that he could probably play anything competently, given the inclination. I understand other people, including Paul McCartney and Marvin Gaye, had similar natural affinities to music and instruments. It's pretty clear, however, that Presley did not push his abilities as far as either of them, but that's a different story.

2. I am not sure why Presley's piano playing is not mentioned more. Perhaps it is because he played it more outside, rather than inside, the recording studio. May be it's because like his guitar playing, it hasn't been judged as significant compared to his other talents. There have also been professional critics and assorted anti-Presley meatheads who have consistently denigrated his abilities, even to point of claiming he couldn't play anything. Perhaps this has added to the lack of publicity/comment about his musical skills.

It is however, self-evident from Presley's live guitar playing on the '68 Comeback special that he was more accomplished than a mere chord strummer. And I am sure most people would be surprised to know how much piano he played on recordings and live in concert. Perhaps it should be mentioned in this article. Rikstar 14:45, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

From the "Question Asker" (piano playing):

Thank you for your hint. Just watched "Baby what you want me to do" from the 1968 TV Special. I had known the track, but didn't remember that Elvis was such a good, extraordinary rhythm guitarist. To avoid any misunderstandings: I am speaking of the live-version where Elvis is sitting with other musicians (Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana etc.) and where he is playing Scotty Moore's semi-acoustic guitar. I am NOT speaking of the version where Elvis stands alone and plays a red semi-acoustic with rather a thin sound (on this latter version, Elvis Presley's guitar playing, again, unluckily is DROWNED by uncoordinated NOISE of other musicians who are no match for him, to say the least).

There is no doubt he was the best rhythm guitar player of his time. This is not an exaggeration by a "deafened and blinded" Elvis fan. In 1968 there was nothing comparable. It would have been much more than just a good idea for Elvis to play the rhythm guitars on his later recordings, too.

Of course this isn't mere chord strumming, it would be an insult to say this. I do apologize for my ignorance (it was just because I didn't know better).

Elvis' rhythm guitar was as outstanding as his singing, a real ROCK rhythm guitar. No one of the well-known guitarist of his time could play like this. This is unbelievable rock rhythm guitar playing. And I'm not saying this because I'm an Elvis fan blinded by passion.

Of course it is no wonder that Elvis wasn't "just" the most amazing singer in the world, as his daughter Lisa Marie put it. A person like this (whereas the formula: a person like this seems to be strange in this respect, because there isn't a person "like" Elvis Presley), i. e. a person with this enormous musical talent of course isn't "just" a singer. The way he sings or plays any instrument reveals his talent. Therefore, his rhythm guitar is outstanding, to say the least.

Elvis was the best rock rhythm guitar player of his time (of course I'm speaking only of the ones who are well-known and published). No doubt about that. To avoid getting this wrong: I'm not saying nobody else could play those notes (just as well as it doesn't take a lot to sing the notes of "Treat Me Nice" for instance) but no one could play like this.

Pity he didn't do the rhythm guitars on the recordings of the late 60s/70s. If he did, they weren't like this. Maybe he wasn't self-confident enough to play the guitar on the recordings? What he would needed, in my view, is a rhythm guitar player like himself for the concerts (and a drummer, and a bass player, and a pianist ...).

No one sung like him AND no one played like him. This is incredible. Elvis Presley was a genius, FULL STOP (AE: PERIOD). Did any of you youngins even know Elvis!!! He was my best frien, back in the day. We ate macoroni and cheese every Wednesday and Friday. That was his favorite food. He loved it. Well we were bestest buds! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.172.74.14 (talk) 19:48, 3 October 2009 (UTC)

Sprituality

This article is biased to cover up aspects of Elvis Presley's spirituality that disturb the majority of his fans, including his exploration of Mormonism and possible baptism in the Mormon church, which is well documented in articles and even movies (http://blog.ldspad.com/2007/10/26/elvis-presley-mormon-king-of-rock-and-roll/). It is not not inline with Misplaced Pages's policies to suppress information like this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.169.142.141 (talk) 20:08, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

"This article is biased to cover up aspects of Elvis Presley's spirituality that disturb the majority of his fans". It could just as easily be asserted that edits about Mormonism are an attempt to promote said church by including information in high profile articles from sources with vested interests. Neither argument assumes good faith, which is another wiki policy. Rikstar409 01:57, 5 January 2009 (UTC)"

->That's a foolish rebuttal. If something is factual, or debately factual, and releveant to the article, it properly belongs in the article. Material doesn't violate Misplaced Pages policy simply because one cross-segment of the population is interested in it, promotes it, or appreciates it, while another group is disinterested in it, and wants to suppress it. I propose the following statement be prepended to this article on the topic, which statement I think is fair, "Elvis Presley owned a Book of Mormon which he is known to have read, and which is marcated throughout in his own handwriting. The extent, or nature of, his interest in Mormonism is undetermined and debated."

That statement is bias within itself. Elvis was known, through his interviews and related sources, to have not been associated with the Latter Day Saint movement. Your source is a Blog, blogs are not viable sources at all. 74.5.111.155 (talk) 06:38, 7 May 2009 (UTC) Elvis was affiliated with the Mormon Church and a Book of Mormon with his handwriting expressing belief in the precepts of that church exists. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,650195503,00.html You Elvis fans may not like this fact, but that doesnt' change that it is a fact and should be in the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.169.147.18 (talk) 07:19, 22 July 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.169.137.146 (talk)

Signing to RCA and Song selection

These two sections duplicate material regarding how Presley's songs were chosen; any suggestions on editing both and/or merging to keep the basics facts of the topic? Rikstar 11:16, 31 October 2009 (UTC)

I'll have a look and see if any of it can be merged. Thanks, Rik. ElvisFan1981 (talk) 12:17, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

bias

to much unnecessary quotes of praise, this is a encyclopedia page not a tribute...

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