The Top 200 Albums of All Time: Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis Presley was the first rock record to go to #1 on the Billboard charts and the first platinum rock album. Interestingly, the album was mostly covers of other artists. However, Elvis had the ability to take R&B hits and country them up that resulted in his own version of rock n roll.

Key Tracks:
Blue Suede Shoes
I Got a Woman

Elvis Presley: From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
Elvis enjoyed amazing success with a Christmas album motivating him to release a non-soundtrack album. The Memphis album marked Elvis’ return to rock records. Once again, Elvis tied R&B to country music during the height of rock’s popularity. While others were taking rock in many different directions, Elvis brought the genre back to its roots.

Key Tracks:
In the Ghetto
Any Day Now

Elvis Presley: The Sun Sessions (1976)
The Sun Sessions features songs recorded by Elvis at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records in the fifties. He recorded 20 songs and 15 appeared on the album. It includes “That’s All Right” which some consider the first rock song and “I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine” which had never been released on an album before. The album is a time capsule of rock’s origins.

Key Tracks:
That’s All Right
Mystery Train
Blue Moon of Kentucky
Good Rockin’ Tonight

Amazing Spiderman #6-10

Continuing the look into Spiderman's past...

Amazing Spiderman #6: Peter and Jameson go on a roadtrip to Florida to find the Lizard. Spiderman defeats the Lizard before it/he can create a reptile army.

#7: The Vulture escapes prison and wrecks some havoc inside the Daily Bugle. Spidey webs Jameson's mouth shut and Peter and Betty Brandt get cozy.

#8: Two stories in Issue #8. In the first part, Spidey battles 1960s Articial Intelligence while Pete KO's Flash Thompson in a fight. Thompson had been picking on Pete to no end and paid for it. Interestingly, the school faculty set up the fight in the gym. Nowdays, they'd go to prison for doing such a thing.

In the second story, Spidey crashes the Human Torch's party. It's Marvel's answer to Elvis' Clambake!

#9: Electro debuts, Aunt May has an operation, and Betty Brandt holds a secret!

#10: The Enforcers appear on the scene looking to squash Spiderman and assume control of all of New York's rackets. Meanwhile, Peter is weakened after volunteering some blood to help Aunt May. She recovers and goes on vacation while a weakened Spiderman beats the enforcers. At the end, we find out the J. Jonah Jameson despises Spiderman out of jealousy and envy. 

Presidential Songs: Barack Obama

Barack Obama admits to having varied musical tastes. He likes everything from Bruce Springsteen to Lil Wayne. During his presidential campaign, he adopted a U2 song for his theme. When he announced his candidacy, "City of Blinding Lights" blared over the crowd.

City of Blinding Lights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pCqii5Po_s

Bruce Springsteen was inspired by the Obama campaign and wrote "Working on a Dream":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ZMfPXgd_M

On a humorous note, Obama and the Mayor of Las Vegas engaged in a bit of a spat. In honor of that, here's Elvis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw5a5Bp_Pw

The Greatest TV Episodes #11-20

11. Cheers: What is…Cliff Clavin? (1990): Cliff goes on Jeopardy. The categories are right up Cliff’s alley. He has an insurmountable lead by Final Jeopardy. For some reason, he wagers it all and does not know the Final Jeopardy answer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=botdmsQilnU

12. Seinfeld: The Soup Nazi (1995): NO SOUP FOR YOU!

13. The Ed Sullivan Show: The Beatles (1964): While Elvis provided a milestone for the fifties, the Beatles provided the sixties generation with their own moment. 73 million watched the four on Ed Sullivan. The teen girls in the crowd wet themselves and cried uncontrollably. They were hysterical. The Beatles did five songs that night and the television station made sure everyone knew John was married.

14. The Ed Sullivan Show: Elvis Presley (1956): This was the biggest cultural moment for the fifties generation. 83% of the country watched. Critics complained that Elvis was over stimulating teenagers. Like they needed the help!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6A3vLlVa3I

15. Star Trek: City on the Edge of Forever (1967): The best episode in Star Trek history. Kirk and Spock return to 1930 to find McCoy and prevent him from changing the future. They discover that to save the future and prevent the Nazis from winning World War II, that Kirk’s new love, Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), must die.

16. Twilight Zone: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (1963): A gremlin tears a plane apart in mid-air. Only a reformed mental patient sees it. He gets a gun and shoots the creature. The plane lands safely and he’s taken away in a straightjacket. However, the creature did exist as the plane's nacelle is ripped open from the outside.

17. 60 Minutes: Mike Wallace vs. Ayatollah Khomeini (1979): Mike Wallace calls Khomeini a lunatic. It does not get better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1fzFNsu15U

18. Frasier: Three Valentines (1999): The three stories center on Valentine’s Day. Niles prepares for a date at Frasier’s apartment and his anal retentive nature gets the best of him. It is one of the greatest moments in TV history (see link). Meanwhile, Frasier can’t figure out if he is on a date or not. Lastly, Martin and Daphne are bummed they don’t have a date on Valentine’s Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTdD_dVyteA

19. X-Files: Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose (1995): Mulder and Scully investigate murders of fortune tellers. They are assisted by Clyde Bruckman, who knows how people are going to die. Peter Boyle guest stars as Bruckman who has a hard time living with his ability.

20. Battlestar Galactica: 33 (2005): The fleet is pursued endlessly by the Cylons for days. They have to jump to light speed every 33 minutes to avoid the Cylon attack fleet. So, the humans don’t get any sleep whatsoever. The episode is almost as intense as the first half hour of Saving Private Ryan.

#2 Elvis Presley

Elvis is the King of Rock n Roll. He is the American icon. Elvis combined rockabilly, country, and R&B to create his own sound. He was extremely controversial at first. People were uncomfortable with the musical “race mixing.” Additionally, his sexually charged shows further rankled critics. Elvis also used a back beat to change the direction of music. Some consider “That’s All Right” the first rock song. However, “Hound Dog” was the major cultural milestone. It truly marked rock’s emergence. Also, Elvis was one of the Young Turks of the fifties that defined rebellion, but had nothing to rebel against.

The fifties generation can remember where they were when Elvis broke, when he was on Steve Allen, or when he was on Ed Sullivan. They were the ones that attended and watched his comeback special in ‘68 while in their thirties. Elvis’ voice is amongst the most versatile in rock music. His music covered every possible genre and he even won Grammy Awards for his Gospel work. At his height, Elvis dominated like no other act in Rock History with the exception of the Beatles. After an amazing run, he was drafted into the army.

After returning from the service, Elvis scored some hits, but he spent most of his time making bad movies. After several years away, Elvis made a comeback special in 1968. The King was back. Over a billion people watched his Hawaiian Special in 1973. By the late seventies, he was a shell of his former self. He died in 1977 and has been hanging out at Burger Kings ever since. Interestingly, Elvis scored a #1 in the early 2000s with a remixed version of "A Little Less Conversation."

Rock n Roll Moment: Elvis ran out onto a tarmac, flashed his DEA badge, and stopped a plane taxiing on the runway.

Essential Elvis:
Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
Elvis (1968)
The Sun Sessions (1976)

Elvis’ Top 10:
That’s All Right
Heartbreak Hotel
Don’t Be Cruel
Hound Dog
Love Me Tender
All Shook Up
Jailhouse Rock
A Little Less Conversation
Can’t Help Falling
Suspicious Minds