Nick Cave's Thoughts on Elvis Presley

Yep. Brand management.

 

I saw The Pogues in New Zealand in 1990. MacGowan walked on stage a shambling drunk, then proceeded to drink a quart of whisky straight from the bottle, as well as several beer. It was transformative alright, but not in a good way.

 

Yes, very nice, but I'm not a big fan of the crucifiction metaphor. Art and performing can raise you above all the pain and suffering which is beautiful. But as an atheist I don't get anything out of the crucifiction story. All those years in catholic religious class, all those theories about why He sacrified His son for us to take away our sins and all that. To me that sounds like a bunch of followers trying to make sense of the fact that their unvulnerable super hero just died. (which maybe happened a lot later. I suspect that neither Jesus nor his followers really believed he was actually the son of god). But of course, that religious angel crucifiction stuff sounds great if you are trying to give it the Nick Cave touch.

 

Well, let's face it--we are all human-level intelligent, and that's all. Which means none of us know diddly-squat about what/who created everything around us. One look up in the night sky, out deep in the dark countryside, and it's obvious there is so much more to learn.

But I do think Johnny Cash got it right when he covered Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus". Would not surprise me at all if Nick Cave has that gem in his top playlist.

 

Elvis makes another appearance on the first track of Ghosteen.

Once there was a song, the song yearned to be sung
It was a spinning song about the king of rock 'n' roll
The king was first a young prince, the prince was the best
With his black jelly hair he crashed onto a stage in Vegas

 

Elvis transcends genre and demographics...and religions or lack thereof.

If you haven't seen the HBO doc THE SEARCHER or read Peter Guralnick's two volume bio (although I'm sure most here have) they will go a long way to changing the image and perception of Presley. Fat imitators in Las Vegas did him no favors over the years, although the music is indestructible.

The second volume of Guralnick's bio, CARLESS LOVE: THE UNMAKING OF ELVIS PRESLEY is heartbreaking but essential. His account of the day of Elvis' death is about as bleak and devastating as you can find.

 

Quite over the top, Nick.

I love Elvis as much as the next guy, but allusions to Christ's suffering and Christ's crucifixion? Viewing Elvis as Christ-like? Uhh, is Nick Cave aware that Elvis ate peanut butter and banana sandwiches?

 

Fried 'em first, though. Shows a level of sophistication Nick could appreciate.

D.D.