The History of Elvis Presley Musical Appearances on American Television - Essay Example

The history of Elvis Presley musical appearances on American Television The network television debut was made in 1956. The first appearance that was made on a TV program was on one of the six shows. The show was by the name Stage Show. The show was a variety of one of the programs that were hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorse. In the appearance, there was no performance that he made but he just talked about the music industry. The second appearance that he made was on Milton Berle show. In the show, he promoted his music and even did a performance of his song Hound Dog. The song at that time was considered to be provocative. The appearance and the performance of the song lead to the cause of a scandal in the country. The next appearance that Elvis made on television was on the show The Steve Allen Show. While in the show Allen mocked the appearance made by getting dressed in a tuxedo which removed the usual physical gyrations. In the show, he sang Hound dog to a basset Hound. In the show he mainly talked about the song that had received much critic. Ed Sullivan had once said he would never have the controversial singer on his top-rated show, but that was earlier the week that Elvis entrance on Steve Allen had exceeded Sullivans evaluations. After coming into agreement with Elvis manager, Ed Sullivan rewarded Elvis the huge sum of $50,000 for performing on three of his show. The shows that he appeared in were in September 9 1956 and in January 6, 1957. The importance that he gained from attending the shows was the huge money that he was paid. In the time, the amount was huge as there is no performer that had ever been paid such amount to appear on a network variety program. The appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was a major success as there was increased watching of the show. Then show was watched by both the young and the old. There was belief by the people that the appearance that he made on the show was of another great importance as there was bridging in the generation gap for acceptance of Elvis into the mainstream. While in the show, he performed several songs including Love Me Tender, Don’t Be Cruel, Hound Dog and Ready Teddy. When he made the third appearance on the show in Ed Sullivan in January 1957 there was surprise to him as he was told that he had developed a better experience with a name act. Sullivan in the show reported to the country and Elvis that the singer was a real decent boy. In the appearance it was historical as he was only shown on camera from the waist up. The next appearance that Elvis made on TV was in 1960 when he was given an opportunity by Frank Sinatra. The opportunities were multiple. The appearance was in the show Welcome Home. In the appearance, he was paid a total of 125, 000 dollars which made history. This increased his music performance and industry as he was regarded to be a top paid musician. The next appearance that he made on television was on April 3 in NBCs Milton Berle Show. His presentation in San Diego provoked applauses and screams from an audience of sailors. After the appearance, his music Heartbreak Hotel became his first number one pop hit. After the release it did not take more than twelve weeks and the song was in the top. In late April that year, he began to appear in the show, New Frontier Hotel and casino on Las Vegas strip. The shows that he appeared were poorly received by the guests that were of middle age and the considered them to be conservative. Elvis, who had serious acting drives, engaged a seven-year agreement with Paramount Pictures. He began a tour of the Midwest in mid-May, taking in 15 cities in as many days. He had attended several shows by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys in Vega. This was due to the experiences that he had on music while in the shows in Vegas. In the show, he was declared to be of great danger to United States as the actions that he was involved in were those that rouse the sexual passions of the youths. The second appearance that he made on Milton Berle Show was on June 5 at NBCs Hollywood studio, in another frantic tour. Berle convinced the singer to leave his instrument in the backstage. During the performance, Elvis abruptly stopped an up-tempo version of Hound Dog with a movement of his arm and hurled into a slow, grinding version emphasized with energetic, overstated body actions. There was creation of many controversies by gyration of Elvis. Due to the factor, there were critics to televisions. There was writing they criticized them singing ability of Elvis as there was writing that he did not have descending singing ability. Berle show drew the attention of many as Elvis was booked so that he could appear on The Steve Allen Show that was held in New York. As defined by television analyst Jake Austen, Allen believed Elvis had no talent and was absurd, established things up so that Elvis would display his contrition. Allen from his side of view far along wrote that he found Elvis odd, gangly, cute, and his attractive oddness intriguing and only controlled the singer into the normal comedy fabric of his program. As Elvis was waiting to appear on Elvis Hy Gardner Calling that night, he referred back to Allen show. The show that he was to appear on that night was that which a local TV shows was. Pushed on whether he had learned everything from the disapproval to which he was being exposed, he responded to the people and those that were not satisfied with the work by saying ‘No, I havent, I dont sense like Im doing everything incorrect, I dont see how any category of music would need any bad influence on people when its only music, I mean, how would rock n roll music make anyone dissenting against their origin? The show that Elvis appeared with Allen in June was pronounced to have beaten CBSs The Ed Sullivan Show in the ratings. Sullivan, despite his June pronouncement, booked the singer for three appearances for an unprecedented $50,000. The first, on September 9, 1956, was watched by viewers approximated at 60 million. This was a record 82.6% of the television viewers. Actor Charles Laughton presented the show, satisfying in while Sullivan recovered from an accident that involved a car. Elvis appeared in two sections that night from CBS Television City in Hollywood. As brought out by Elvis, he was shot only from the waist up. Watching clips of the Allen and Berle shows with his producer, Sullivan had opined that Elvis got some kind of device hanging down below the crotch of his pants - so when he moves his legs back and forth you can see the outline of his cock, I think its a Coke bottle, We just cant have this on a Sunday night. This is a family show! Sullivan publicly told TV Guide, as for his gyrations, the whole thing can be controlled with camera shots (DeCurtis, Henke and George-Warren, 387). Elvis came back to television on May 12 as a guest on The Frank Sinatra Trimex Special. The comeback was ironic to most stars. The comeback was an excoriation to rock and roll. The show was known as Welcome Home. The show was had been taped in late March, the only opportunity of all year Elvis performed in front of viewers. Parker held 125,000 dollars payment for eight minutes of performance. The broadcast depicted a huge view by the audience. After the performance, Elvis became prominent but this was considered to be a normal thing for a star like him as he crossed over to the movies. At the time, they did not have any technology that they could use in the videos (DeCurtis, Henke and George-Warren, 400). Despite the lack of all this, he was determined to being a good actor and held the dream that he would be given a good script that could make him succeed in the movie business that he was to get involve in. In December 1968 there was an appearance on 68 Comeback Special; the demonstration included extravagantly staged studio productions together with songs performed with a band in anterior of a minor audience -Elvis first live performances since 1961. Director and co-producer Steve Binder had worked hard to reassure the nervous singer and to produce a show that was far from the hour of Christmas songs Parker had originally planned. The show, NBCs highest rated that season, captured 42 percent of the total viewing audience. Jon Landau of Eye magazine remarked, There is something magical about watching a man who has lost himself finds his way back home (Miller, 202). He sang with the kind of power people no longer expect of rock n roll singers. After the appearance he was involved in several recording which lead to the release in From Elvis in Memphis. This was released in 1969. In the masterpiece Elvis immediately catches up with pop music trends that had seemed to pass him by during the movie years. He sings country songs, soul songs and rockers with real conviction, a stunning achievement. The album featured the hit single In the Ghetto, issued in April, which reached number three on the pop chart - Elvis first non-gospel top ten hit since Bossa Nova Baby in 1963 (Wald, 36). Further hit singles were culled from the American Sound sessions: Suspicious Minds Dont Cry Daddy, and Kentucky Rain. After these appearances and recording, he was much involved in and needed to resume his live performances. Success came after the success of Comeback special. This made him have offers all around the world. In May, the brand new International Hotel in Las Vegas, boasting the largest showroom in the city, announced that it had booked Elvis. He was scheduled to perform 57 shows over four weeks beginning July 31. Moore, Fontana, and the Jordan Aires declined to participate, afraid of losing the lucrative session work they had in Nashville. In November, he appeared in a non-concert movie that was by the name Change of Habit (Wald, 78). Elvis returned to the International early in 1970 for the first of the years two month-long engagements, performing two shows a night. Recordings from these shows were issued on the album On Stage. In late February, Elvis performed six attendance record breaking shows at the Houston Astrodome. The involvement in the show leads to more success in his gospel album He Touched Me that was released in that month. The appearance also led to a way that enabled him to be needed in many concerts. On that evening, of July 10 the concert that he performed was recorded. Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden became one of Elvis biggest-selling albums. After the tour, the single Burning Love was released - Elvis last top ten hit on the U.S. pop chart. Elvis costume was the most familiar example of the elaborate concert clothing with which his day letter identity became faithfully associated. Bobbie Ann Mason defined, At the end of the show, when he spread with the full stretched wings of the eagle studded on the back, he becomes a god figure. The accompanying double album, released in February, went to number one and eventually sold over 5 million copies in the United States. It proved to be Elvis last U.S. In all the appearances that were made by Elvis, he made sure that there was an improvement in his music as he promoted rock and roll (Wald, 93). The appearances that he made on television lead to success in his music career. Works cited DeCurtis, Anthony, James Henke, and Holly George-Warren. The Rolling Stone Illustrated History Of Rock & Roll. New York: Random House, 2002. Print. Miller, Jim. The Rolling Stone Illustrated History Of Rock & Roll. New York: Rolling Stone, 2006. Print. ONeal, Sean. Elvis, Inc.. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 2006. Print. Torr, James D. Elvis Presley. San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 2001. Print. Wald, Elijah. How The Beatles Destroyed Rock N Roll. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Read More