Elvis Elvis PresleyPresley

By: Sarah Menta & Jon Russo

To what extent did Elvis Presley challenge the status

quo in America?Elvis greatly challenged the status quo in

America to the greatest extent in easing the gap

between blacks and whites, molding the first

generation of teen rebels, turning

television into a great means of entertainment and

turned music into a booming economic industry.

Eased the tensions and social gap between blacks

and whitesBackround:

-Grew up in Memphis, TN.

-Surrounded by black culture.

-Listened to wide range of musical genres.

Sam Phillips:

-Elvis’s first producer.

-”If I could find a white man with a Negro sound, I could make a billion dollars.”

- He found this in Elvis

“The colored folk been singin’ it and playin’ it just the way I’m doin’ now, man, for more years than I know.” -ElvisTotal Package: (Being able to sing, dance, dress black)

-Tied the races together.

-Acceptable for whites to enjoy Rock ‘n’ Roll.

-Copied black artists style of dress and rhythm.

As a Result… -whites began to listen to black

artists; Buddy Holley, Bill Haley

-Less racial mind set amongst teens listening to black artists, since youths

always look up to celebrity figures.

Created the first generation of American Rebels

Lyrics:

-Suggestive toward sexual actions

-Appalling to parents

“'A Little Less Conversation‘A little less conversation, a little more action please

All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning meA little more bite and a little less bark

A little less fight and a little more sparkClose your mouth and open up your heart and baby

satisfy meSatisfy me baby’”

Dress: -Copied the style of urban gangs

Motorcycle jackets, slicked back hair, etc Parents assumed that looking like a part of a gang member made their kids one.

-Girls adored him, guys tried to be like him.

Parents were worried by this.

Dance:-Only showed from waste up on Ed Sullivan show

Sexual hip movement

-”…but many adults found his performances dangerous. It was the way he danced that upset them the most – they’d never seen anything like it.”

-Not that bad, but worse than what parents in the ’50’s were used to Used to traditional ideas of marriage and sex

Turned television into a barometer of what we

considered acceptable in our societyFirst Rejected:

-Concert in Las Vegas canceled

Ed Sullivan:-True mark of his acceptance to society

-85% of television watchers tuned in

-From then on out, he was a legitimate performer

*Hound Dog

Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Phenomenon

-After appearance on TV, r’n’r was more widely showed.

-Elvis was paid $125,000 on a ABC-TV television show airing for six minutes.

Frank Sinatra, the host, once stated rock ‘n’ roll as “the most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression.” That all changed when everyone accepted and

adored Elvis’s style.

-10 years later, he was broadcasted via satellites to 40 different countries in a farewell concert in Honolulu

Viewed by about 1 billion

Turned music into a booming economic industry

Products:

-clocks, mugs,

purses, etc

Movies:

-Love Me Tender

-Jailhouse Rock

-Many stars also make appearances in movies in present time

Record Sales:

-Increased from

$182 million to $521 million

from 1954-1960

-The Sun Collection,

Elvis, Elvis Is Back,

From Elvis in Memphis

-Had six hit singles

in one company's hit

list of top 25 best sellers in 1956

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