Destination Jam: Remembering Elvis Presley through 5 of his best songs on his death anniversary
The King of Rock and Roll, the one and only, Elvis Presley has surely received plenty of admiration and love in the form of playlists and articles and on his death today, August 16, we have gotten all fired up and teary-eyed over his music once again. To honor this groundbreaking musician and singer, we have put together our favorite Elvis songs below. Check out our Destination Jam playlist featuring Elvis Presley's five best songs.
'Heartbreak Hotel'
Hit play on an old recording of Elvis Presley (if you still own a vinyl, there is nothing sweeter than sliding on one of those babies onto your gramophone) and you will know that there are some songs that remain, well, Elvis. That amazing classic rock and roll accent, the shimmy and swing of his vocals and the pure energy on his guitar are just a few of the dynamics we all know and love about Elvis. 'Heartbreak Hotel' lists and comes to the fore the most for us as one of those tracks that makes for everything Elvis. Listening to this track, it's hard not to grin along with Elvis.
'Blue Suede Shoes'
For fans, many can account for the fact that Elvis was an artist that made the world realize that image and presence have almost everything to do with the success of the music. Apart from his famous good looks, Elvis's physical appearance and fashion sense had stolen the hearts of women around the world and the word stylish probably has connotations tracing back to Elvis somewhere in there. With 'Blue Suede Shoes', Elvis knew he had power with just a shake of the hip, a twinkle in the eye, and his flamboyant to floor his listeners. You may not know that 'Blue Suede Shoes' was originally written by Carl Perkins and is considered one of the first rockabilly records, but Elvis's rendition from his debut album certainly took it to a new level of cool.
'Cant' Help Falling in Love'
As riveting as Elvis's upbeat songs are, we are greatly attached to some of his slower numbers. This timeless classic with its tenderness is truly captivating. Another song that Elvis covered, 'Can't Help Falling in Love' was originally written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and takes a melody based on a popular French song composed in 1784, titled 'Plaisir d'amour'. Elvis's version of the song topped the British charts in 1962, spending four weeks at No 1. In the United States, the single peaked at No 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, the song is certified Platinum by the RIAA, for US sales in excess of one million copies.
'Love Me Tender'
As much as he could light up embers on stage with his fiery presence, Elvis's take on love songs was also a spectacle to behold. A certain intimacy and depth combined with masculinity could be found in his ballads which is often not evident in artists and is, sadly, a rare occurrence in today's music. A man being tender doesn't mean he loses his masculinity and in this track, Elvis seemed to have those energies down to a tee.
'My Way'
A tearjerker for sure if you look at the history of Elvis Presley, 'My Way' has the singer vocalizing his years of experience, success and unwavering stance in music-making. To hushed crowds, Elvis would channel a lot of pain with this song, singing lyrics like, "And now, the end is near. And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I'll say it clear. I'll state my case of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full. I've traveled each and every highway. Oh, and more, much more than this. I did it my way." This number is a favorite of both Frank Sinatra and Elvis fans. 'My Way' was originally titled, 'Comme d'Habitude', the song was written by Gilles Thibault, J. Claude Francois and Jacques Revaux in 1967.
Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!
