by Pa Rock
Poetry Appreciator
The "King" of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, would have turned eighty-three-years-old today. The hip-swinging, teen idol from the mid-twentieth century was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, and died much too young in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1977.
In looking for something appropriate to mark this special day, I first sought to find some songs that Elvis had written, only to learn that even though he "suggested" ideas for a couple of songs, he never actually wrote any. Friends commented that Presley never had the patience to sit down and write a song. Once Elvis sang a song, however, it often became such a singular masterpiece that it was forever associated with the singer.
"If I Can Dream" was one such song. It was written by Walter Earl Brown in 1968 with Elvis in mind. After Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker heard it, he told Brown that it was not the type of song that Elvis would sing. The young Presley who was standing in the back of the room begged to differ and said that he wanted to try it.
The song was written and recorded in the summer of 1968, shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. It contains snippets of statements by Dr. King. After first hearing "If I Can Dream," Elvis reportedly declared, "I'm never going to sing another song I don't believe in. I'm never going to make another picture I don't believe in."
Elvis put such power and feeling into the initial recording of the music that the three back-up singers who accompanied him on the number were said to have had tears in their eyes at the end of the session. Even though the song is not "gospel," Elvis's performance of the material was so intense that it is often included in collections of his gospel songs.
"If I Can Dream" was first released to the public as the finale of Presley's '68 comeback Tour.
And now it's coming around again.
Happy birthday to the King!
If I Can Dream
by Walter Earl Brown
There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true
Oh why
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
All the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why wont that sun appear
Were lost in a cloud
With too much rain
Were trapped in a world
That's troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly
Deep in my heart there's a tremblin' question
Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle, yeah
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, ohhhhh, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah
Poetry Appreciator
The "King" of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, would have turned eighty-three-years-old today. The hip-swinging, teen idol from the mid-twentieth century was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, and died much too young in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1977.
In looking for something appropriate to mark this special day, I first sought to find some songs that Elvis had written, only to learn that even though he "suggested" ideas for a couple of songs, he never actually wrote any. Friends commented that Presley never had the patience to sit down and write a song. Once Elvis sang a song, however, it often became such a singular masterpiece that it was forever associated with the singer.
"If I Can Dream" was one such song. It was written by Walter Earl Brown in 1968 with Elvis in mind. After Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker heard it, he told Brown that it was not the type of song that Elvis would sing. The young Presley who was standing in the back of the room begged to differ and said that he wanted to try it.
The song was written and recorded in the summer of 1968, shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. It contains snippets of statements by Dr. King. After first hearing "If I Can Dream," Elvis reportedly declared, "I'm never going to sing another song I don't believe in. I'm never going to make another picture I don't believe in."
Elvis put such power and feeling into the initial recording of the music that the three back-up singers who accompanied him on the number were said to have had tears in their eyes at the end of the session. Even though the song is not "gospel," Elvis's performance of the material was so intense that it is often included in collections of his gospel songs.
"If I Can Dream" was first released to the public as the finale of Presley's '68 comeback Tour.
And now it's coming around again.
Happy birthday to the King!
If I Can Dream
by Walter Earl Brown
There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true
Oh why
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
All the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why wont that sun appear
Were lost in a cloud
With too much rain
Were trapped in a world
That's troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly
Deep in my heart there's a tremblin' question
Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle, yeah
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, ohhhhh, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah
2 comments:
There is a video I have seen with Arlo Gutherie describing a folk concert he played in, over several days, in which Pete Seeger having sung all the standard folk songs turned the stage over to Arlo. Mr. Gutherie went on in his performance to describe a new American folk song. The crowd, which had gathered from several countries, immediately joined in to the Elvis Presley tune "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You." "If I Can Dream" further solidifies Elvis' place in folk music.
Funny that you should mention Pete Seeger. Yesterday after listening to a couple of hours of Elvis music in honor of the King's birthday, I asked Alexa to switch to Pete Seeger. Both are uniquely American voices.
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