POLL: Elvis vs Chuck Berry

What Richard did well, few if any could ever match the intensity. But he didn't have anywhere near the versatile skill Elvis did. Elvis was in another league as far as I'm concerned.

 

Certainly Aloha was relevant - Berry never did anything on that scale. And in terms of that era, many of Elvis' commercial accomplishments were relevant and in a much larger scale than any post-mid 60's Berry project.

 

It is a genuine question. Richard was playing since the late 40's so it's possible. Although he didn't have a single until the mid 50's. I am not intending to bash Elvis in any way. I just feel that other acts who were just as innovative and more genuine to form IMO are seen as coat tails to Elvis as if he was the alpha and omega. Elvis was easier to swallow than his counterparts. Sorry it's just my opinion and who am I? All I know is no amount of Elvis in my collection will change my opinion. Call me ignorant if you want...

 

Priscilla? I know he was 24 when he met her(she was 14)

 

Different strokes...
We will definitely have to agree to disagree on this one because I think you're living in a dream to think that Elvis had more skill vocally. That's merely my opinion though...

 

Song for song here, Elvis wins in most cases. Buddy Holly would be more fitting competition for Elvis but even he still wouldn't come close

 

I'm no Elvis fan (although I like a lot of his work) but IMO Elvis was the far superior singer. Little Richard could out scream him though!

 

Elvis, early to mid seventies live sound-boards, sweet !!!

 

I can't believe how close this is.

ELVIS wins, of course. Elvis is the KING OF ROCK AND ROLL!! He's the King of ALL rock and roll!

 

Based on what I've read and heard, I can't find the timing of when he exactly heard Richard, but Elvis listened to everything and everybody, from white gospel to black gospel to
blues to r&b to country. So much going on simultaneously; this was a synergy. Nobody was in a vacuum, not even Chuck. Other guys were doing it too, but Elvis was the total package to bring it to a wider audience. This was before any kind of nationwide demographics studies; this was a guy, pre-RCA, publicized in Memphis by a nutty DJ.

To make any kind of comparison to Bieber is to not understand him, his background, musical knowledge, or the times.

 

For whatever reason, I haven't seen his name yet, but I'm reminded in this thread of the same kind of choosing sides, Elvis vs. Carl Perkins. Carl was the kinda singer/songwriter/supreme guitarist this forum loves. In his case, the disadvantage he's given is that he wasn't as pretty as Elvis, didn't have the voice, and the car accident at just the wrong time. Never the fame or riches, but a huge contribution. Next poll?

 

Why are you surprised? It's true that the general public are more familiar with Elvis Presley but Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly were probably a bigger influence on the rock musicians from 1960's an onwards. By the way as great as Elvis was I can think more than a handful who have surpassed him.

 

Yeah, I remember some guy on this forum long ago who wondered why the 50's rock and rollers didn't come back challenge the 60's guys. That was pretty funny; sort of a misunderstanding/underestimating of the groundwork the 50's guys laid. I'll see if I can find that thread...

 

Because Elvis fans (and there are a WHOLE lot of them out there) by and large feel that Elvis is the "end all, be all". I'm not THAT far gone, but I'm not that far OFF, either.

Hey - you can go to Vegas and see 100 Elvis impersonators. I don't see so many Buddy Holly or Chuck Berry impersonators. No disrespect to them, but COME ON, we're talking about ELVIS PRESLEY here.

 

Chuck Berry first major hit was based on country song and again everyone has influences your right. One fact no one has mentioned that Chuck Berry had a major top ten hit before Elvis.

 

Having 100 Elvis impersonators means nothing to me because to me it's a sad parody it's a joke. What's real to me that I really feel that Buddy Holly or Chuck Berry have a more enduring influence when it comes to other musicians and songwriters.

 

Take a listen to Richard's "I Don't Know What You Got But It's Got Me,"a ballad, for a great example of his crooning ability- if you have never heard it before. Anyway, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go this far off topic.

 

If this were true, then it would be reflective in there being more impersonators, IMO.

 

Well, yeah, he started out on a small Memphis label. RCA kick started the massive exposure, obviously. The SHOCK of those vulgar movements below the waist, the appearances on Ed Sullivan. Any attempt to minimize all that is revisionism at best.

 

Chuck's got one major impersonator - Keith.

 

So then your opinion is Elvis was more influential than Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly because you have a bunch of clowns impersonating Elvis?

 

Ah, yes. You forgot to say "checkmate"

 

Non attempting to minimize what Elvis did but I think maybe you might be forgetting that Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly had a huge direct influence on other musicians and songwriters. If I feel it was greater than Elvis it's my opinion but it is not grounded without knowing who Elvis, Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly influenced.

 

Here it is - remember this OP? I had hoped he had studied more what was going on back then and has more respect for the 50's rockers. I guess it's hard to appreciate how much these guys stuck out their necks to do something revolutionary in music - all of them:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/why-did-the-50s-rockers-not-challenge-the-beatles.140110/

 

Jerry Lee Lewis vs. Little Richard, anyone?