Thursday, August 16, 2007

Long Live the King

I guess it's impossible not to know that today is the 30th anniversary of Elvis's death. It's been in the news for weeks now, making the day itself seem sort of anticlimactic. But he was the King, so I think it's entirely appropriate to mark the day.

As a child, I was a huge Elvis fan. In fact, my mother was a huge Elvis fan, too. She helped me put together my extensive Elvis scrapbook, with page after page of clippings, photos, and memorabilia. That book might be worth a bit on eBay these days. I'll never know, of course, because Mamma promptly threw the scrapbook away after my passion waned and then refocused on the Beatles, later in the '60s. She was a great believer in clearing out.

I remember when I heard the sad news back in 1977. It was a hot, humid evening in Shreveport, and we were getting ready to grill some steaks on the hibachi out on the back patio. I was drinking a gin and tonic as the national news came on, and I think I had a second one after the announcement about him leaving the building.

And thirty years on, it seems to me that's a good way to honor the King. Well, Pepsi might be more fitting, but doesn't have the same zip. So I'm having a nice tall G&T tonight, and singing a few bars of "One Night With You." Might even watch "Viva Las Vegas" on TCM later on (at least we've still got Ted Turner).

The King is dead . . . .

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