WHY is Elvis Presley still so popular? He was a drug addict and an alcoholic.?

Question

How can people still worship him when they know what a bum and a jerk he really was? I have never understood this and I would like an honest answer. People visit Graceland like it was the Kennedy Memorial. The guy was a redneck that made good and died of an overdose of drugs. He married a child. How old was she? Fifteen? Cheated on her during their marriage. Abused her because she wasn't as good as his "momma".

Yeah, he is a great role model.

I hope all of you remember this when your kids tell you dope and alcohol makes them perform better. Don't give them hell, they could be the next Elvis, the King.

I am not talking about half of Hollywood. They are not right either. But they are not still idolized this long after their death either.

Answer 1

Sometimes I ask that to myself!!!

Answer 2

YES I see this was asked 8 years ago but I wanted to add my thought/opinion. I am from Memphis and cannot tell you HOW SICK I am of this whole Elvis idolization. Elvis was a human being, just like all of us. Yes he had a great singing voice however he has been dead for close to 40 years now, let the man RIP. Memphis is a very dangerous place to live and even more dangerous to visit. Every year people flock to Memphis to light candles and hold hands and mourn for this man. imagine if people would do this for Jesus how much better the world would be? I personally grew up with "Elvis's favorite cousin's daughter", and this is all these people live for, "I am Elvis's cousin" and expect preferential treatment because they are related to Elvis. His daughter is now worth 300 Million, when is enough, enough?

Answer 3

If you are through answering your own question . I have a partial answer myself. 1st, He was a great entertainer and singer who had to slip into the place where he would be putting on the show and slip out the back or side doors when the show was over because the crowds followed him. As a youngster, he loved to go to church and sing in the choir. After he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show he became so famous that he could not go anywhere without body guards to keep the crowds from running over him, even in church he could not attend because of the crowds. It got so bad that he couldn't sleep and began going to the Doctor who prescribed sleeping pills and nerve medicine. According to his step brother Rick, Elvis became hooked on prescription medicine, did not take any illegal drugs or alcohol. His father told the step brother that Elvis told him that God had called him to preach but he didn't think he was good enough to preach Gods word. To make a long story short, Rick the stepbrother went to his room to talk to him and Elvis was reading the bible. The next afternoon his daughter found him dead in the Graceland Mansion. He was so popular that until this date there are people still visiting the Mansion to visit his grave and see the place where he died. Does this make him the person you put him up to be. I dont think so.

Answer 4

It is nearly impossible to find a musician (especially from 50s to 70s) who didn't have problem, at least at some point of their lives, with drugs, alcohol or other controlled substance (Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley). This nearly obsession with drugs extends to literary movement as well. However, before completely denouncing them for their weaknesses, one should not overlook their creativity.
Though they may not have made the best individuals, they, as individuals and as groups, provided a new line of thoughts to the society. That is the reason why people see them today as roll models. (It would be more accurate to say that people find inspiration in their creativity and talent rather than their personal problems)
You should also not disregard that fact that most music celebrities (the one who didn't die by overdosing) fought a great battle to get off drugs without destroying their talent. Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, and Johnny Cash are the most popular ones. If you have seen the movies Ray and Walk the Line, you would know the general pattern of musicians becoming addicts as a part of experimentation, but they showing a great physical and psychological strength to rid themselves of their addiction. And I think that they should be appreciated, and even rollmodeled, for this feat.

Answer 5

Yes Elvis was by all definitions a drug addict. Any one who abuses drugs wither they are prescription or street drugs is still an addict . But before all of that he was a great performer in music and movies until the end. Like every addict he let the drugs get the best of him. His music suffered greatly in the end.

Answer 6

The man is an Icon. A friend of mine and I always argue that about Elvis' title as the King of Rock n' Roll. He always says that if it wasn't Elvis it would have been someone else. I always say that not only did he come out at the right time, but he was the right person. My favorite singer of all time. My first memories of Elvis were on Christmas eve when my father would always watch a tape of the '68 Comeback special. But he was awesome. In my opinion one the greatest singing voices of all time.

Answer 7

Drug addiction can effect anyone, no matter what their moral charactor, no matter what their values may be. Being a drug addict doesn't make anyone a bum or a jerk. An addict can be a decent, caring human being, while a non-addict can be a slug.

I personally think that Elvis Presley was a good guy who made some bad choices in his life. But he also made some very good choices.

Answer 8

Who said anything about a role model? Who said everyone famous or successful had to be mother Theresa? Get over it, he was a great talent and he lived life his own way. If you don't like you don't have to enjoy it, noones holding a gun to your head and saying you do...
By the way, you say alcoholic and drug addict as if the 2 were different things, alcohol is a drug and alot of fun if used the right way...same as other drugs.

Answer 9

Because we loved him before he was a drug addicted alcoholic. And you dont desert someone just cos they dont cope well with the pressure. And you dont have to designate someone as a role model just because you like their music. Jim Morrison was no role model. John Lennon took drugs at one time. So did a lot of stars. Maybe they arent such good role models, but they did make some good sounds.

Answer 10

First of all lets get this straight Elvis is not,was not and never will be KING*,there is ONLY one KING and he died on the cross for us over 2000 yrs ago and arisen from the grave.

Now......as for music ....he may* have wrote some of the music...but,the rest of it was basically taken from other peoples music they had came in and dropped off at sun records and places like that way back then....Thats why alot of people who may have had promising careers as a singer never got their chance - because they didn't have the right "LOOK" for what they were wanting to promote at the time and in that era...........

And as for drugs and booze I don't doubt one bit he did it all......he hated Robert Goulet...even shot out the TVs because he was on it.

Yes Priscilla was I believe 16 at the time.........and I heard from reading a book about him even though he did cheat etc... he became a little wet noodlish in the lower compartment......so........................

And if you see him in those funky jump suits...honey he never did no jumping if you ask me....if he did he would have split them out asap....

Course these are all just my opinions*

Answer 11

Elvis is love because he changed the face of music he became a rock and roll lengand he was known as 'the king of rock' even if he still did do some bad things