Thirty years ago this week, I was vacationing with my family in the country formerly known as West Germany. We were walking around Munich one morning and saw a huge banner headline on all the papers as we walked by a newstand. ELVIS IST TOT.
We didn't have to check our Berlitz German phrase book to see what "tot" meant. When we got back to our hotel, the English language TV station was playing "G.I. Blues", or maybe it was the next day, but I remember watching G.I. Blues on television shortly after he died. Back then, I figured he was popular in Germany because he was there in the army, but a few years later, I realized that Elvis was popular everywhere, and the same headline was in all the papers around the world that day. Mojo Nixon was right. Elvis really was everywhere!
We didn't have to check our Berlitz German phrase book to see what "tot" meant. When we got back to our hotel, the English language TV station was playing "G.I. Blues", or maybe it was the next day, but I remember watching G.I. Blues on television shortly after he died. Back then, I figured he was popular in Germany because he was there in the army, but a few years later, I realized that Elvis was popular everywhere, and the same headline was in all the papers around the world that day. Mojo Nixon was right. Elvis really was everywhere!
Next week I'm going to be the same age that Elvis was when he died. I'm hoping to outlive him by at least a few years, and if I manage to steer clear of Reese's Peanut Butter & Banana Creme cups and BLQ (bacon, lettuce, and quaalude) sandwiches, I probably will.
Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper - Elvis Is Everywhere
1 comment:
Oh dear. It never occured to me that I am the same age Elvis was when he died.
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