In your opinion...

what made Elvis GREAT? Watching the Neil Diamond show on ITV with Mrs Waynegate and she asked me why Elv is revered more than his peers (if he has any ) such as Diamond & Englebert etc...

She's never seen 'Thats The Way It Is' and doesn't know much about Elvis so it was hard to explain why. Showed her a clip of Elvis singing 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' from TTWIS and she still didn't see why

I was spellbound watching it but some people just don't see it like I do

So I ask.... What is it about Elvis (for you) that puts him head & shoulders above the rest?

His looks and his voice.

Those two things put him above anyone else......ever.

In my opinion.

Sean wrote:

His looks and his voice.

Those two things put him above anyone else......ever.

In my opinion.

Hi Shaun

I agree with you mate, seems that isn't enough for some people though.

She asked "If Elvis was alive would he have done an 'audience with'" I said NO...

"Why?"

"Because he didn't need to, he's Elvis"

There's just that something extra about Elvis (other than the looks, voice etc) that I cannot articulate.

Just had more of an aura/mystique but what made that so??? Because he didn't appear in public much or go on TV chat shows etc... has this added to the image today?

I really dont know if Elvis would have done 'An audience with....' to be honest.
The reason why Elvis didnt go on talk shows was cause of Parker.

Watching Neil Diamond tonight also made me think about Elvis doing one.

I think if he had got rid of Parker and had more freedom to do the things he wanted to like talk shows and shows like tonight he would have enjoyed it.

Did anyone notice Neil Diamonds drummer?

It was Ronnie Tutt.(Do i have to explain to anyone who Ronnie Tutt is?)

He has been Neil's No.1 drummer for the last 10 years.

Elvis had charisma, looks, voice, move's, he just had everything!!!
Ronnie Tutt, has a contract with Neil Daimond, that is why he sometimes cannot perform with the rest of the bandmembers.

I LOVE Neil Diamond!

I just wish that, for once, he would acknowledge Elvis for covering his songs and perhaps sing the slightly faster version of "Sweet Caroline" that Elvis did.

On the original question, you either "get" Elvis or you don't. Bridge Over Troubled Water is like a religious experience for me. When I watch the Greensboro performance from "On Tour", I get a feeling that no other artist, EVER, has managed to achieve from me.

I would like to think that Elvis would have come across well at an "Audience with", but we'll sadly never know.

Elvis also did another Neil Diamond song called 'And The Grass Wont Pay No Mind'.

Sean wrote:

Elvis also did another Neil Diamond song called 'And The Grass Wont Pay No Mind'.

I thought there was another one as well but I can't think of it.

Wayne Alonzo wrote:

Sean wrote:

Elvis also did another Neil Diamond song called 'And The Grass Wont Pay No Mind'.

I thought there was another one as well but I can't think of it.

Nope just those two.

At the Midnight performance on Aug 21st, Elvis introduced Neil Diamond who was in the audience and sang a few lines of 'Holly Holy'.

Incidently, Neil was recording songs at the American Sound Studio's in Memphis in Jan,'69 right before Elvis did and one of those songs was 'Sweet Caroline'.

We watched the audience with and it did nothing for me.... no one else does but Elvis.
Its like you look out for the little bits he adds into the songs he sang, every breath. You can imagine him singing and smiling.
Its like in the song 'Never wanna fall in love' when he sings 'dont make me, dont make me' it just gives me shivers down my spine or when in 'power of my love' and he says 'baby you know you can lick it' then gives a cheaky lil laugh... well...

There is no other artist I even look out for the little mannerisms’ within there songs.

He had soooo much charisma and ora about him. He has beautiful, courageous and had the most gorgeous voice.

He made a song exciting, no matter what it was. I must admit that Im an Elvis snob. If I hear another version of a song Elvis sang (even the original) I cant help but say 'why arent they playing Elvis's version, its much better' lol!

Elvis reaches out to every generation. Im 25yrs and I would sooner listen to Elvis than anything in the charts, thats not to say I dont like chart/club music but nothing beats Elvis and I would rather use what ever time I have listening to music to listen to him than any other

I think it was his energy that he put into his performance that set him apart. also just his style,the look, voice, his passion for what he was doing, rythum, its just all these things rolled into one. Its like he had the power to make people feel happy ,sad ,spiritual and i like the way everything was off the cuff nothing was coreographed. Also if ever there was a mistake made i.e. forgotton lirics he'd just make it funny and part of the show. who else could get away with that?
I think to say what you like about Elvis you could just go on and on. i dont think anyone will ever come close.

enjoyed the Neil Diamond show on saturday I completly missed the fact that the drummer was Ronnie Tutt.

Very good question this, but it will never ever be solved!
That's part of what makes the whole Elvis phenomenom just that- because mystery will always remain. Elvis is so far above and beyond anyone else that it's virtually pointless to try to analyze too much...
I've said on here before that there is a timeless quality to Elvis. The image of the Aloha Elvis for example, would be just at home in a future sci-fi universe or aeons ago in a Medieval-mystical fantasy world. We'll never solve Elvis, he has all this mythology that surrounds him- his own Elvis universe.
Elvis was Elvis. He did'nt copy anyone. Popular culture falls into 2 categories: Before Elvis and After Elvis. And Elvis has always had an extremely strong spiritual element to his life and legend- people don't just see him as an entertainer or a singer. I'm just very quickly putting down a few random thoughts here- but to answer the original question I think is impossible.
For a start he was impossibly handsome in the mould of a Greek God and then of course, he was an extraordinary singer. I would say what sets him apart from everyone else, is that in Elvis, people can somehow apprehend the Divine.

Agreeing with what everyone else has said, one thing that always makes me smile - he just seems like he would have been a real nice guy!!!

You could imagine things going on around him and he would not want to be the main focal point, he would be happy and comfortable being `with his own`

For me, I have a similar personality, so I can relate to this.