Rock 'n Roll -- Elvis Presley

Undoubtedly Elvis Presley was the artist who was most influential on Rock ‘n Roll and was probably the first superstar, changing the course of music (and history) forever. However, it is a mistake to regard Elvis Presley as an isolated phenomenon. Presley was heavily influenced by the genres and artist that preceded and surrounded him, including the spirituals, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, and also Country Music (which we will discuss later this semester).

Some Influences on Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley did many “covers,” i.e. songs originally performed by other artists. He was influenced by many artists; therefore, to understand Elvis Presley’s impact, one needs to compare the original songs with the renditions by Presley.

Coming from a Southern background, it should not be surprising that Elvis Presley was influenced by the spirituals. Listen to him singing “When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” in this recording, dating 1956.



In 1952 Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was the first to record Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s song “Hound Dog.” This was a typical twelve-bar blues song. Elvis Presley established this song forever in our collective consciousness with his 1956 recording. Presley’s rendition shows a clear distinction between blues and early Rock ‘n Roll. Listen to both songs and try to identify the differences.





In 1956 Smiley Lewis sang “One Night of Sin.” This song was also sung by Elvis; however, the lyrics were later changed into “One Night with You,” which became much more famous.



We already listened to Ray Charles singing “I Got a Woman” when we discussed the change from Blues to Rhythm & Blues.

Listen to a rendition by Ray Charles again, and then compare it to the version by Elvis Presley. How are the two different?





(In 2005 rapper Kanye West sampled Ray Charles’ “I’ve Got a Woman” as part of his song “Gold Digger.”)

Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” is another famous song that Elvis Presley also covered. The rhythmic density in Presley’s rendition is higher. What other differences can you identify?





Another artist whom was influential on Elvis Presley was the blues singer Roy Brown. Listen to his “Good Rockin’ Tonight” below. Note the “jazzy” feel of Brown’s version. Listen to the orchestration, specifically the trumpet and other wind instruments. What is the hook in Brown's version?



Now listen to Elvis Presley’s rendition. Note how the wind instruments have been replaced by string instruments. The trumpet solos in Brown’s version is replaced with guitar solos. There is a shift away from improvisation and harmonic complexity created by wind instruments to simpler chord-harmonies by guitars, as well as an increased rhythmic density. Is the hook in Presley's version the same as the hook in Brown's version?



Another song by Roy Brown that was significant for Elvis Presley’s early career was “Hard Luck Blues.”



The version sung by Elvis Presley had the lyrics changed from “Hard Luck Blues” to “Heartbreak Hotel.” Apart from the changed lyrics, what other differences can you identify between “Hard Luck Blues” and “Heartbreak Hotel”?



1956 stands out as the year that Rock ‘n Roll was firmly establish, with Elvis Presley as its superstar. Presley’s style incorporated different elements from different music genres. Crossroads in Music (p. 218) describes his style as a type of “hillbilly music, with a sexy R&B-inspired vocal style, pop-oriented lyrics, electric guitar lead, and an emphasis on the beat.”

This “hillbilly music,” which is a type of early country music, was combined with blues (specifically boogie woogie), Gospel, some jazz, and Rhythm and Blues, and a heavier beat to create a genre of music which became known as Rockabilly. Carl Perkins recorded the song “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1955, which is considered by some to be the first Rockabilly song.



Many artists covered “Blue Suede Shoes,” including Elvis Presley.



It’s been over fifty years since the beginning or Rockabilly, yet it is still enjoyed by younger generations, and to this day there are still Rockabilly bands around the world – even here in Korea; for example the highly entertaining Korean band The Moonshiners.



For more another discussion on early Rock 'n Roll you can visit Tom Zarecki's "Origins of Popular Music -- Part 1."