Category: Music

Elvis and His Scarves

Elvis Presley Opportunity Village In his later years, Elvis Presley notoriously used a lot of silk scarves on stage. According to the Elvis History Blog, Presley’s practice of giving away scarves started in September 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona. At that show, Presley gave his green scarf to a young fan in the front row, and her joyous reaction eventually led to Presley continuing the practice.

I remember as a kid watching his 1973 Hawaii special and being puzzled and amazed as he used scarf after scarf to dab his sweat, giving each scarf to a happy audience member. Watch how a little bit of Elvis brings such joy as he sings “Love Me.”

In more recent years, even as I have continued to listen to Elvis Presley’s music, I have not given much thought to those scarves. But this year, on All-Star Celebrity Apprentice, the season’s runner-up Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller revealed where the scarves came from as he discussed the charity he was representing on the show.

Each scarf Elvis used did a little bit of good beyond drying his face and thrilling a fan. Elvis and his manager Colonel Tom Parker supported a charity Opportunity Village by buying scarves from this organization that still provides a number of programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

This local Las Vegas news channel tells the story about Opportunity Village and Elvis.

Knowing the story behind the scarves now makes me smile even more when I see Elvis using them on stage. Now that the King is not around, if you would like to walk a mile in Elvis’s shoes and help Opportunity Village, you may donate at the organization’s website.

[Update August 2013 and 2021: A recent discussion about this post on the Elvis Collectors website recounts a different scarves story from Ed Bonja, Elvis’s photographer and tour manager from 1970-1977. According to the post, Bonja explained that in early 1975 Colonel Parker became concerned about the high cost of the scarves so they began ordering cheap scarves from Korea. It is possible Elvis got the scarves from both sources or that after awhile they stopped getting them from Opportunity Village, which lists itself as “the official manufacturer of Elvis’ scarves” on its website, although {update 2021} the website now has narrowed that claim to the “original manufacturer of the scarves that Elvis Presley tossed to his adoring fans during his record-setting run at the International Hotel in the 70s.”  Still, even if Opportunity Village did not supply all of the scarves, it is still a good cause and worth checking out its website.]

What do you think of Elvis and his scarves? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Did Elvis Perform “If I Can Dream” Facing a Christmas Stage As In Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” Move?
  • Bruce Springsteen Releases New Protest Song About ICE Protests: “Streets of Minneapolis”
  • The Stanley Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, and “Rank Strangers to Me” in Our Modern Times
  • The Ending of “Judgment at Nuremberg” And the Film’s Lesson for Today
  • Bruce Springsteen’s Fighting Prayer for the U.S.
  • Longing for the Freedom of My Chains: Dobie Gray’s “Loving Arms”

    • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    U.S. Speed Limits and I Can’t Drive . . . 15?

    15 mph sign On May 21 in 1901, Connecticut passed the first state speed law regulating motor vehicles. That first law limited city drivers to 12 mph but allowed drivers in the country to go up to 15 mph.

    At the time, there had been other speed laws for non-motorized vehicles such as horse-drawn wagons, including laws banning such wagons from proceeding at “a gallop.” But the 1901 Connecticut law prompted other states to start passing similar laws, which eventually led to you getting that speeding ticket.

    The 55 mph Speed Limit

    Some of our readers may remember the 1970s when rising gas prices caused states to lower speed limits, culminating with President Richard Nixon in January 1974 signing the National Maximum Speed Law, making the national speed limit 55 mph. At the time, there was a public service campaign designed to get drivers to obey the new laws.

    One television commercial from 1977 or 1978 that stood out for me was one about Grinnell, Iowa. In my many years of driving, I have often thought about the commercial that makes a powerful argument for not driving too fast. The producers do a good job of drawing you in before hitting you with a powerful — and yes manipulative — message. In case you do not remember the commercial, check it out below.

    By 1987, though, concerns about fuel supplies diminished and Congress passed a law allowing states to raise speed limits up to 65 mph. Then in 1995 the national speed limit was completely repealed, leaving it up to each state to set its own speed limits. Apparently, we decided we wanted to get to our destinations faster even if we were to wipe out poor Grinnell.

    And it wasn’t just the rest of us. Within five years after the Grinnell commercial aired, many Iowans were exceeding the new speed limit and reported as getting more speeding tickets than neighboring states.

    Sammy Hagar’s Protest

    While many credit the 1987 increase in speed limits and the later 1995 repeal to a drop in concern about fuel availability, I give full credit to a protest song by Sammy Hagar, “I Can’t Drive 55,” which was released in 1984 on his VOA album. It is one of the most famous songs written in response to Congressional legislation.

    Hagar has explained that he came up with the idea for the song when he was driving in upstate New York at 2 a.m. after returning to the U.S. after a long plane trip. When an officer pulled over Hagar for going 62 mph on a four-lane highway, a weary and exasperated Hargar uttered the immortal words, “I can’t drive 55,” realizing immediately it was a great idea for a song.

    As soon as Hagar arrived to his house in Lake Placid, he sat down and wrote the rest of the song. And the rest, like the national speed limit law, is history.

    What is your favorite song about speeding? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • “There’s No End to Grief, That’s How We Know There’s No End to Love”: The Story of U2’s “One Tree Hill”
  • What Is the Murder Ballad That Holly Hunter Sings to Nathan Jr. in “Raising Arizona”?
  • Who Sang “Change in My Life” In the Steve Martin Movie “Leap of Faith”?
  • “Last Train to Clarksville” as a Protest Song?
  • How Farah Fawcett Inspired “Midnight Train to Georgia”
  • “Shannon”: Henry Gross, Sha Na Na, and a Beach Boys Dog

    • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Ray Manzarek of The Doors Passes Away

    Ray Manzarek Keyboard Doors Ray Manzarek, a founding member of The Doors, passed away today at age 74. After Jim Morrison’s death at a young age, Manzarek became a recognizable face preserving the legacy of the great band.

    In this Break It Down video from L/Studio, Manzarek tells a little about the history of the band and how he came up with some of those great keyboard riffs. Among the stories, Manzarek tells how John Coltrane‘s “My Favorite Things” inspired a famous Doors keyboard part. Check it out.

    What is your favorite keyboard riff by Ray Manzarek? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Jim Morrison and the Freshman 15
  • Joe Ely’s “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me” (Song of the Day)
  • Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)
  • Ned Miller: The Shy Man Behind “From a Jack to a King”
  • Merle Haggard: “Kern River”
  • Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog

    • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale Team Up for a Tiny Desk Concert

    Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, who at the end of 2012 released their first joint album appropriately called Buddy and Jim (2012), recently stopped by the offices of National Public Radio. The result, which is part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, was some great music and a lot of fun. Check it out.

    The songs in the video are: “The Train That Carried My Gal From Town,” “It Hurts Me,” and “I Lost My Job Of Loving You.” As someone who likes Lauderdale and already has every Buddy Miller album, I may have to get around to getting this collaboration just for the excellent harmonies.

    What is your favorite album by Buddy Miller or Jim Lauderdale? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Glen Hansard’s Tiny Desk Concert
  • The Flying Burrito Brothers Song That Includes a Tribute to Bobby Kennedy
  • The Life and Songs of Emmylou Harris
  • Buddy Miller’s Touchstone: “That’s How I Got to Memphis”
  • Colvin & Earle: “Ruby Tuesday”
  • Remembering Singer-Songwriter Jesse Winchester

    • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

    Singing “Space Oddity” In a Tin Can Far Above the World

    Astronaut Video Major Tom

    Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield yesterday uploaded a video made in space, which is, appropriately, a performance of David Bowie’s song about Major Tom, “Space Oddity.” This far-out video features cool shots of the view and of Hadfield in the International Space Station, where he has been since December. He will return to earth this week.

    Check out his video for “Space Oddity.” [July 14, 2014 Update: Earlier this year Hadfield announced that the video was being taken off of YouTube because the publisher’s year-long license to post the song was expiring. But at least for now it appears he got another extension and the video is still available.]

    According to the Canadian Space Agency, Hadfield has made several journeys into space. Regarding his latest mission, the website states: “On December 19, 2012 he launched aboard the Russian Soyuz, enroute to becoming the second Canadian to take part in a long-duration spaceflight aboard the ISS. On March 13, 2013 he became the first Canadian to command a spaceship as Commander of the ISS during the second portion of his five-month stay in space.” As for the guitar in the video, it has been in space since 2001 in the Space Station, providing diversions for many astronauts who have visited.

    The space video is not Hadfield’s first foray into music-space history. In December 2012, while at the Space Station he recorded an original song, “Jewel in the Night,” and uploaded it to the Internet.

    It is great that not only is Hadfield doing important scientific work, but he is helping spread awareness about the space program through these fun activities. He sings well too. We wish him well and that, unlike Major Tom, he gets home safe. You may follow Hadfield on Twitter (@Cmdr_Hadfield) and on Facebook. As for David Bowie, he already Tweeted his approval:

    What is your favorite part of the astronaut video? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Karen O and Willie Nelson Record “Under Pressure” (Pandemic Song of the Day)
  • The Scene in “The Right Stuff” That Makes You Love John Glenn
  • Apollo 11 Lands On the Moon
  • Michael Stipe’s Tribute to David Bowie
  • Isolated Vocals of Bowie and Mercury: “Under Pressure”
  • Dwight Yoakam on Acting and Music

    • (Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)