General Discussion

Jetboy

(792 posts) Sat Dec 27, 2014, 08:35 PM Dec 2014

Did the emergence of Elvis Presley in the 1950s help or hinder progress of African [View all]

Americans?

Elvis' music owed more to black gospel and R & B than it did to country, western swing or hillbilly boogie in my opinion. And his flashy style of dress and the swagger with which he carried himself was a reflection of the hip blacks that he admired. (and of course the white rockabillies copied E)

Was Elvis flattering black people with his imitation or was he ripping them off?

IMO, Elvis was very sincere about his music and his style in the 1950s. It's possible that he was flattering black people with his imitation AND ripping them off, though unintentionally. But I believe that Elvis' immense popularity only helped open the door for other rock-n-rollers.

I think that Elvis got his penchant for over-the-top jewelry and big, fancy tricked out Caddys and Rolls from black people too. But black hip hop artists have appropriated that right back!

There is no doubt that Elvis would not have ever happened without black people. So what does this all mean as it relates to cultural appropriation?

139 replies

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Highlight:

Did the emergence of Elvis Presley in the 1950s help or hinder progress of African [View all] Jetboy Dec 2014 OP

What the actual fuck? Sheldon Cooper Dec 2014 #1

An excellent question for the OP. MineralMan Dec 2014 #3

My words speak for themselves. Jetboy Dec 2014 #12

your words said Elvis got his love of Caddy's, Rolls and "bling" from blacks. uppityperson Dec 2014 #27

It is no secret that Elvis loved the style of hip black America circa late 40s Jetboy Dec 2014 #31

Are you proposing, that for black music to gain acceptance by whites... MrScorpio Dec 2014 #28

I think that Sam Phillips of Sun Records said something to that effect. Jetboy Dec 2014 #36

I figured as much. nt MrScorpio Dec 2014 #38

Do you think that history could've turned out differently Jetboy Dec 2014 #40

In that regard, perhaps these black artists should have been grateful to Elvis... MrScorpio Dec 2014 #47

Based on talent alone, plenty of black artists Jetboy Dec 2014 #49

Wow! A genuine admission that whites culturally appropriated black music MrScorpio Dec 2014 #51

That's the point of this thread! Jetboy Dec 2014 #58

Without Me -- Nuclear Unicorn Dec 2014 #114

Rich People erpowers Dec 2014 #32

This is indeed true. Jetboy Dec 2014 #39

I've seen more depths in a driveway oil slick n/t Scootaloo Dec 2014 #126

so CatWoman Dec 2014 #52

I guess so. Sheldon Cooper Dec 2014 #56

Why don't you tell us what you MineralMan Dec 2014 #2

I think that Elvis was a fantastic artist who incorporated all of the Jetboy Dec 2014 #7

Have a look at some of the jewelry buried with European malaise Dec 2014 #4

Great find but in America, lots of extra bling is affiliated with Jetboy Dec 2014 #15

No I did not have to dig to find that n/t malaise Dec 2014 #18

That's usually where you find dead people Jetboy Dec 2014 #23

he also never heard of Liberace CatWoman Dec 2014 #53

Or Hank Williams!! Jetboy Dec 2014 #60

let me guess CatWoman Dec 2014 #68

Shhhhhhhhhhhh! malaise Dec 2014 #108

You serious, Clark...? Earth_First Dec 2014 #5

How do people come up with this stuff? upaloopa Dec 2014 #6

Feel free to point out anything that is factually inaccurate. Jetboy Dec 2014 #8

Who first recorded "My Babe" ? upaloopa Dec 2014 #9

Since Willie Dixon appropriated that song from an earlier gospel song Jetboy Dec 2014 #17

what black people did he get his penchant for "over-the-top jewelry and big, fancy, tricked-out uppityperson Dec 2014 #11

Wynonie Harris for one. Jetboy Dec 2014 #13

For glitz look to Liberace. Downwinder Dec 2014 #19

Very true! Jetboy Dec 2014 #26

flamboyant excess both on and off stage, Downwinder Dec 2014 #30

link? looking through photos I see neither of those. If he did, that is 1, which others? uppityperson Dec 2014 #21

I don't know for a fact where Elvis got his penchant for big fancy Jetboy Dec 2014 #29

Then please do not claim he got his love of "over the top jewelry and big fancy tricked out cars" uppityperson Dec 2014 #34

Please do not tell me what to do. Jetboy Dec 2014 #42

if I see racism, I am going to point it out and claiming "black people like tricked out caddys, uppityperson Dec 2014 #48

If you're going to parse then my exact words were: Jetboy Dec 2014 #50

Nope. Copy pasted from your op, THESE are your exact words... uppityperson Dec 2014 #54

I will own that thank you very much. Jetboy Dec 2014 #62

I am done with you. I am pointing out racism and you are trying to deflect with straw men uppityperson Dec 2014 #65

You got nothing but a straw man. Jetboy Dec 2014 #66

copy pasting your stereotype is a "strawman"? OK, now you are getting silly. eom. uppityperson Dec 2014 #67

Think is a word. Jetboy Dec 2014 #70

Did the emergence of Joan Baez in the 1950s help or hinder progress of African Downwinder Dec 2014 #10

Joan Baez was not well known until the early 1960s. Jetboy Dec 2014 #22

Did Joan Baez help or hinder John Prine upaloopa Dec 2014 #37

This post and others like yours are an embarassment for intelligent human beings. boston bean Dec 2014 #14

How about pointing out why? Jetboy Dec 2014 #16

It had to have helped madokie Dec 2014 #20

That's kind of what I was thinking too. Jetboy Dec 2014 #71

"over-the-top jewelry and big, fancy tricked out Caddys" Dreamer Tatum Dec 2014 #24

Nah- more like music genre specific stereotype. Jetboy Dec 2014 #43

How do you get to call other people upaloopa Dec 2014 #45

Did chef boyardee steal the soul of Italian cooking or is it an homage to the noodle. Jesus Malverde Dec 2014 #25

I WONDER how many people remember CHUN KING? yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #106

That was not... AsahinaKimi Dec 2014 #107

Oh, I remember Chun King. I ate my share of it as MineralMan Dec 2014 #115

Its whats happens when yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #116

I grew up in a small town in California, and MineralMan Dec 2014 #117

wow! yuiyoshida Dec 2014 #136

I also ate a lot of Chun King when I was a teenager. RebelOne Dec 2014 #124

Obama being elected has driven white folks right straight out of their minds randys1 Dec 2014 #33

What does that mean? upaloopa Dec 2014 #35

A thread about Elvis and jewelry and cadillacs, somehow tied to the whole Black thing, dont you randys1 Dec 2014 #41

I think most of the problems are in the minds upaloopa Dec 2014 #44

Like if someone sees racism, points it out, they are the ones that are the racists? randys1 Dec 2014 #46

no the problem is folks on here always ready to defend racist nonsense rbrnmw Dec 2014 #76

Where is the racism in my OP? Jetboy Dec 2014 #90

because gaudy jewelry and big fancy tricked out cars is an inaccurate stereotype. Is that really uppityperson Dec 2014 #95

I said black HIP HOP artists favor those things. Jetboy Dec 2014 #97

No, you said Elvis got his penchant for those from "black people". READ your op. uppityperson Dec 2014 #102

Elvis borrowed from black music and style- I think we're all in agreement on that. Jetboy Dec 2014 #105

You continue to miss the difference between "his music was influenced by other musicians" vs uppityperson Dec 2014 #120

ROFL malaise Dec 2014 #125

THIS THREAD CatWoman Dec 2014 #55

Thanks for adding some much needed intelligence to it! Jetboy Dec 2014 #63

you're very welcome. CatWoman Dec 2014 #64

Way too kind malaise Dec 2014 #109

Wow. Just wow. On DU BumRushDaShow Dec 2014 #57

Between your user name and PE logo, I am guessing that Jetboy Dec 2014 #104

Elvis was considered by his own southern white community BumRushDaShow Dec 2014 #110

I appreciate your perspective and the information you provided. Jetboy Dec 2014 #131

All I have to see, right here Bobbie Jo Dec 2014 #59

Jeez cyberswede Dec 2014 #72

Goodness. bravenak Dec 2014 #74

yep rbrnmw Dec 2014 #78

For real. bravenak Dec 2014 #81

Elvis "OG'd" CatWoman Dec 2014 #82

I love that movie. bravenak Dec 2014 #83

LMAO rbrnmw Dec 2014 #85

those were pretty racist times so treestar Dec 2014 #61

But is it really that simple? Jetboy Dec 2014 #69

Elvis might have been Melungeon Kalidurga Dec 2014 #73

The best answers are here BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #75

A sincere THANK YOU! Jetboy Dec 2014 #77

I was going to save that for his 80th birthday BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #79

I am one of them. Jetboy Dec 2014 #86

I thank you for opening this discussion BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #88

I wish I had posted that video in the OP. And it's Jetboy Dec 2014 #92

Elvis was about cultural augmentation, not appropriation BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #113

He stole the music plain and simple. I think Public Enemy summed up my feelings best about elvis on craigmatic Dec 2014 #80

Chuck D has flat out said he was wrong about Elvis. Jetboy Dec 2014 #84

Little Richard had it right BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #87

Pretty much destroys the "Elvis Was A Racist" crowd with the facts Elwood P Dowd Dec 2014 #99

No it doesn't just because prominent blacks say it doesn't mean others have to agree. craigmatic Dec 2014 #123

If you want to tag Elvis with being a racist, then you Jetboy Dec 2014 #134

Let's see he stole black music and dances without giving credit for it in white publications and craigmatic Dec 2014 #138

Except the one guy whose lyrics you quoted is on the record as admiring Elvis BeyondGeography Dec 2014 #135

No n/t Lil Missy Dec 2014 #89

I would like to thank Elvis for introducing me to MannyGoldstein Dec 2014 #91

But Thornton's big hit, Hound Dog Retrograde Dec 2014 #93

And if you listen to the records, Elvis' is clearly a cover of the Jetboy Dec 2014 #94

I hate these kinds of theoretical-can't-ever-be-answered queries. WinkyDink Dec 2014 #96

I actually agree. History unfolded as it happened and there really is no Jetboy Dec 2014 #98

Weird AgingAmerican Dec 2014 #100

Whites appropriating black culture has been a hot topic lately. Jetboy Dec 2014 #101

Thanks for the post Jetboy. Elwood P Dowd Dec 2014 #103

It is a weird thing to get bent over AgingAmerican Dec 2014 #122

A black acquaintance said pretty much all of this to me once. FirstClassTicket Dec 2014 #111

Chuck D seems to thinks so and I tend to agree ChosenUnWisely Dec 2014 #112

Muhammad Ali and Elvis were friends MannyGoldstein Dec 2014 #118

You are totally wrong and so was Chuck D. He changed his tune later when he found out Elwood P Dowd Dec 2014 #121

This thread is incredibly illustrative of today's DU. MannyGoldstein Dec 2014 #119

Good post, but the bling part is garbage. HERVEPA Dec 2014 #127

I like "expanded" Retrograde Dec 2014 #129

I'm good with that. HERVEPA Dec 2014 #130

Thank you very much! Jetboy Dec 2014 #132

Elvis and Buddy Holly were able to expose some of the "black" music that racist station managers Doctor_J Dec 2014 #128

I don't think so JonLP24 Dec 2014 #133

It's the nouveau riche syndrome. Quasimodem Dec 2014 #137

Culture does not belong to any 'race' ... BUT brindis_desala Dec 2014 #139