In Memoriam
Elvis, what happened?
What happened was you died
You showed us how to live and then you died
And it was not a pretty sight
And you made us feel like fools for believing what we saw
Like how you loved religion and how you loved your ma
And Dr. Nick, that evil prick, for all that thorazine
And Colonel Parker kept his hand at making things look clean
Your acting out a public life was better than your films
Colonel Parker took your hand, and he catered to your whims
You let him be your teddy bear and he made you Frankenstein
And then you died, you stupid ass, and left it all behind
Well, Elvis, what happened?
What happened was you died
But thanks to RCA we still get pieces of the pie
You multiplied
It must have done your dad some good, ’cause he seemed to egg you on
’Til you tantalize in glory until all of you was gone
And adoration was a burden, and the public was a wraith
You must have died one tortured soul for having so much faith
Elvis, what happened?
What happened was you died
You showed us how to live and then you died
And it was not a pretty sight
But I still visit Graceland whenever I’m in town
And up the walk and through the gates and I lay my flowers down
Among the thousand million garlands that are laying on the ground
And wish that you could be here with us to see what we’re going through
When we read that Goldman book and we think we misread you
And then you died like Lenny Bruce after he’d given up his chase
I only wish you were around to see the look on all the faces
When they say
Elvis, what happened?
What happened was you died
You showed us how to live and then you died
And it was not a pretty sight
Elvis, what happened?
What happened was you died
You showed us how to live and then you died
And it was not a pretty sight
Song written 1985 by "Mr. Bonus", appeared on the compilation album Luxury Condos Coming To Your Neighborhood Soon.
Posted at 9:08 PM
How Elvis suffered during the last 2 years of his life and the fact that he apparently died an undignified death doesn’t negate his achievements during his life time. How many people really die a dignified death? Is death a pretty sight for many?
Why do you think that he made fools of us? We don’t all feel like fools for loving Elvis. What he was and what he emanates personally is more important than what others wrote about him - his so-called friends, his enemies, the American establishment who never accepted him, and the media, who have always put him down.
He was an innocent among the wolves in Las Vegas. He may even have been bullied there by the Mafia.
He loved people - he was a humanitarian and gave so generously to others. Surely that and his very real singing talent is what matters.
Regards, Susan
Posted by Susan at 5:46 AM, October 12, 2002 [Link]