By Bruce Warren, Program Director for WXPN

“Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand, she said she’d like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis.” So sang the Counting Crows on “Round Here.” “Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant sh** to me” rapped Public Enemy on their classic “Fight The Power.” These two lyrics mark the polarizing impact Elvis has had over his shockingly short time alive.

Various entertainers have all had their say about Elvis. Frank Sinatra said, “His kind of music is deplorable, a rancid smelling aphrodisiac…It fosters almost totally negative and destructive reactions in young people.” Ed Sullivan introduced him to the country on January 6, 1957 as a “real decent, real fine boy.” Leonard Bernstein said: “Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it’s a whole new social revolution - the 60’s comes from it.” And Bruce Springsteen said: “Elvis is my religion. But for him, I’d be selling encyclopedias.” For those of you take sides with The Beatles in the “who is more important - The Beatles or Elvis?” discussion then consider what John Lennon has said about Elvis: “Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn’t been an Elvis, there wouldn’t have been a Beatles.”

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the death of one of the most significant American cultural and musical icons, Elvis Aaron Presley. Born January 8, 1935, died August 16, 1977. He was 42. He was controversial. He was enormously popular and influential. He was the king of rock, there was none higher – regardless of the feelings that Chuck D and Public Enemy articulated.

I doubt there isn’t a music fan around that doesn’t have their own memorable Elvis moment and today we’d like you to share yours. Do you have a favorite Elvis song or movie or TV special that is memorable and important to you? Is there a specific time period of Elvis’s life that you feel was more important than an other? What influence and impact do you think Elvis had on pop culture? Or did he not? Did he die a cliché of pop stardom, bloated and addicted to drugs? Take a stand. Make your point. Submit your Elvis memories and take a moment to check out some of the video clips we’ve got posted up on the site today.

Related links:

How much do you know about Elvis? Take the Elvis: Fact or Fiction test:
http://www.spinner.com/2007/08/10/elvis-presley-fact-or-fiction/

Songs About Or Referencing Elvis Presley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_or_referencing_Elvis_Presley

The Best Books About Elvis
http://www.amazon.com/The-best-books-about-Elvis/lm/27XP3MHBRBH6S

Giant List Of Elvis Links
http://www.ibiblio.org/elvis/elvlinks.html

Obituary from the Washington Post, Aug 17, 1977
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/elvis/epobit.htm#obit

Some of Elvis’s famous quotes
http://quotations.about.com/od/stillmorefamouspeople/a/elvispresley2.htm

Here’s one of my favorite Elvis YouTube clips, the movie trailer from one of my favorite Elvis movies that he starred in with Ann-Margaret, Viva Las Vegas