Trump made correct call in honoring Elvis
When Elvis Presley was included among President Trump’s honorees for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, my first thought was, “It’s about time,” followed by the recognition that it would reignite the popular revisionist claim that Presley “appropriated” black culture and music, a nonsensical allegation that wasn’t shared by most of the black artists of the 1950s.
That sentiment is most succinctly summed up by Public Enemy’s Chuck D in the 1989 hit “Fight the Power,” which includes the line, “Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant s—- to me.” The rapper’s line that Presley was “straight up racist” indicates a lack of awareness.
Presley was raised in poverty in the Tupelo, Miss., slums, side-byside with African Americans, and the rhythm and blues and black gospel that influenced him were as much his music as anyone’s. It was in his DNA. Far from making a calculated decision to capitalize on it, Presley performed it naturally.
Presley, again merely by instinct, merged rhythm and blues with another genre he loved, country music — white music — to create a brand-new sound. Comparing the rhythm songs like “That’s Alright, Mama” as originally performed by Arthur Crudup with Presley’s version makes clear the creativity and distinction he brought to bear.
Rather than being hailed by critics as an innovator, Presley was initially reviled and shunned by polite society for performing “race music,” embraced only by teenagers of all races. Economics eventually forced the popular variety shows of the day, including Ed Sullivan’s, to relent and feature Presley. Once Presley knocked down the door, multiple black artists stepped through it, suddenly welcome on television and in concert halls.
It is noteworthy that Presley’s biggest hit was not a rock-and-roll number. It was instead a song called “It’s Now or Never,” based on the operatic “O Sole Mio,” making it somewhat surprising that Presley hasn’t been accused of appropriating Italian music.
A recent documentary by Eugene Jarecki called “The King” examines Presley’s life as a metaphor for America in the age of Trump. Among the criticisms from the many celebrities and musicians interviewed is that Presley never participated in the civil rights movement.
In fact, Presley participated the only way he ever participated, through his music. Two of his biggest hits — both recorded against the wishes of his management — spoke out against social injustice. “If I Can Dream” had Presley dreaming “of a better land where all my brothers walk hand in hand.” He followed it up with “In the Ghetto,” which told the story of “a poor little baby child” born in the ghetto who, by song’s end, is gunned down in the street, while “his mama cries.”
But what is particularly misleading about labeling Presley a thief of black music is that it ignores what truly makes him worthy of the recent honor — his embrace and mastery of music in multiple forms, including rock, gospel, country, ballads and pop. If he liked it, he performed it, critics be damned.
By honoring Presley with the Medal of Freedom, Trump paid tribute to someone who arguably did as much to bridge the cultural and racial divide as anyone who ever lived.