Sad

Micha and I watched the movie Elvis the other night. Neither of us were big Elvis fans growing up (I don’t think Micha was ever a fan of anyone in particular). Personally, I never really cared for his music (with maybe a couple of exceptions). I know he was big because he was the bridge between the crooners of the 40s and the rockers of the 60s – significantly different from each – and in that case, he was in a class of his own for sure. 

I remember vaguely when he died in 1977. It was a bit of a shocker for some, but not so much for me. I was only 14. And I haven’t paid much attention at all since.  

But now there’s this movie. 

It was very well done, from what I could tell (and in as much as I understood Elvis’s life). Being that it was based on “true events,” it did take liberties in several areas to convey and condense what actually happened. The bottom line of it though seemed to be this: Elvis was a naïve but wonderful guy who loved to sing, but who got used up by his manager and the many other hangers-on who drained him and pushed him over the edge. The need to perform – not only for his fans, but also for his handlers – drove him to drugs and decimated his health. The movie even implied that his manager had doctors injecting him so he could get on stage, and ended with a couple of screens telling us that a lot of this abusive behavior came to light as the result of legal actions after Elvis’s death. Certainly a lesson for today, and I think one which, along with the death of Michael Jackson in a similar way, has been heeded by a lot of stars over the years. 

The movie itself was fast-paced and exuded creativity. We both enjoyed it, and we enjoyed the music. Micha hears old songs and remembers that she used to love them, and I remember that I barely knew where Korea was on a map while she was first hearing them. It’s all some kind of strange connection with me, and it made me think to go back and listen to some of his stuff from a more interested perspective, trying better to understand the context of the times. I’ve known Elvis fans before, but like I said, was never personally invested in his music. In truth, I’m not sure that I’ll go very far with my new knowledge either, but I do feel richer for it.  

I think the thing that struck me most was something Micha said right after the movie. It was late, and the room was quiet when she said, “I am sad.” Me too. 

I listen to a podcast where the hosts will ask ten questions of their guests at the end of the show. One of those questions is, “If you could hang out with any three people, living or dead, who would they be?” I never really answered the question myself, but now that I think about it, I honestly think one of them would be Elvis. If I could go back in time, I don’t think I’d ever do him any good. But I’d like to try.