The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 08, 1977, Page Page 15, Image 15
Elvi
B
a le
i
Exactly one day 1
Elvis Presley,
tertainment Editor
in Memphis on pers
views on Elvis we
more interesting
received of the reac
the City of Memphi
By BARRY GLENN
Gamecock Staff Write
Memphis, Tennesse<
doesn't really get on y<
Like Columbia, Memp
atmosphere. It offers
medical center, the M
until three weeks ago
where Martin Luther
ago. The big claim to I
now, though, is being
Presley.
A trip to Memphis d
the senses, but it was r
arrived on a Monday
the only excitement in
convention, and Elvis,
that Elvis was really
than just staying an
People in Memphis wei
Elvis. Few people a
tneir first names ale
Especially in Memphi:
I decided to ride by
and see the glory sum
not to be found. EIvl/
Presley Boulevard. T
300 yards from the stre<
iron gates. Around his
American street, a non
church is on one side, i
the other. A combi
grocery store is across I
slightly run down. "Wh
a peasants' neighborhc
Some people would te
Elvis remembered his
boy from Tupelo, Miss
Elvis was on constant t
m
is left
gacy
before the death of to move
Assistant En- deteriorat
Barry J. Glenn was Elvis didi
onal business. His mansion,
re interesting, but As P4
is the view he mans,?p.J
tion to the death by
is itself. a1h'.T,
televisionHospital.
'
^ me news m
;r
Memphi
e is a large city, but Graceland
jut nerves like most, people sto
this has a small town thousands,
a university, a huge to come s
ississippi River, and, them ever;
, Elvis. Memphis is the focus
King died nine years nesday, fh
fame, Memphis holds cars kept t
; the home of Elvis shops ran <
was displt
loesn't exactly excite read, "In
lecessary so I went. I 1977". At
afternoon and found town, a sig
town was a Shriner's you Elvis"
, That is not to say
doing anything other Televisic
sund his mansion. reports cat
re proua to talk about where re
an be recognized by people. 0
>ne. Elvis could. commercit
s. forests acc
announcer
the King's mansion Presley .Th
funding him. It was words--"Sl<
mansion is on^lvis
he mansion is about The body
et and surrounded by 60,000 of th<
palace was a typical They staye
rial neighborhood. A
a shopping center on The towr
nation gas station- mansion W
the road. The area is It seemed
y might a king live in for a rnan n
kkI," I wondered.
And then
ill you it was because Memphis v.
roots-he was a poor radio. List<
issippi. Others said I realized t
urmoil over whether was gone. 1
hpmiICO
the nninkk 1 1
uiv ucigllUUl UOOU was
ing. Most agreed, however, that
l't want to leave his Graceland ft
jered through the gates at the B
[ wondered about the stories of an I
it, sick Elvis, addicted to drugs, B
dered if he really were still king.
it day the bulletin appeared on
-Elvis had been taken to Baptist I
Then the live action reporter gave I
/ith such finality--"Elvis is dead." I
s fell apart. People stormed to
. Where just the day before few od
at the gate. Now hundreds,
, waited possibly expecting Elvis
trolling down the lane and tell
ything was fine. The city became
of national attention. On Wedigs
were flown at half mast and
heir headlights on all day.Record
out of Elvis records. A billboard
?yed opposite the mansion. It
Memoriam, Elvis Presley, 1935a
Wendy's Hambureers armss
n was up -"'Our thoughts are with B
-as if the star were still alive. |g|
?n went overboard. Constant live fi
me from the Graceland mansion B
porters interviewed sobbing B
ne station featured a 30-second Bg
il showing sunsets and beautiful B
ompanied by organ music. The Bjj
kept extolling the virtues of Elvis fl
en at the end of the tribute, these H
jep warm Elvis." B
then went on view to the public. ' 1
j 80,000 waiting fans never got in. <
d outside fainting or weeping.
i was crazy. Cars filed by the t
ednesday for no apparent reason. <
too much for these people to care 1
lost of them had never met. t
it hit me. I was driving through 1
'hen an Elvis song came on the 1
ening to the emotion in his voice,
hat the true king of rock n' roll c
Vo more gyrating hips or curling t
-
I ariai
but b
By DIANA DARGITZ
Gamecock Staff Writer
For sheer escape
"Shanna," by Kathl
.Wnn/li-!'"' J *
IKuuuiwias pruviues IB
adventure as well as a gre,
lx)redom for the reader,
"the blazing novel of etern
it would have been m
propriately labeled the
novel of eternal lust.
Shanna, the only chilc
wealthy widower Orlan Tr
the island of Los Camell
neys to I/mdon to spend a
search of a husband. SI
rich, beautiful and despei
need of a husband
prominent name among
society. If Shanna fails t
suitable husband she mus
to Los Camellos and
lips. Music had lost a friend, but Amei
culture had lost one of its founders.
Elvis had changed this country's sty
ioing things. He may have even invc
he generation gap. Elvis survived
constant puritanical ravings made agi
lim. He survived the Beatles, the St<
he tours and the challenges against his
is king of rock n' roll. The day he die
lad a single in Variety magazine's top f
Elvis clearly lived on.
Wednesday night I joined the lonn li?
? o --:ars
creeping past the masion to
ribute. Rather than file by his coffin
ina' is li
oring n
whomever Orlan Traheri
for her.
vaiue She finds her man air
p London jail condemned to
irv murder. She manages t(
it dofil nf out and to the a,tar ,on8 (
i take his name. She becoi
al love", Ruark Beauchamp.
tore ap- The novel takes the
blazing through repetitious se:
counters between Kuark
life was spared to become
1 of the servant as Trahern's ovc
ahern of Ix>s Camellos, and Sham
os, jour- loves the pleasures tha
i year in provides, but refuses to r<
lanna is fact that she has niarrie
ately in beneath herself.
with a Murder, piracy and o
Iiondon derhanded dealings are s
o find a throughout the 661 pages
t return sense in an attempt to a*
marry substance to the novel.
BHWUBBB
lean pay respects, mourn
cars past his home in i
ie of Elvis was buried Th
nted now come for years
the and where he is buri<
linst never believe stories I
>nes, continuously barbec
role remember the El
d he American lifestyle
ifty. teenage diversion.
At a Memphis cont
le of this-"Without a song
pay So I guess I'll keep or
and did keep on singing.
usty,
ovel
i chooses real meal of the
fantasy it pr<
ight--in a females who si
hang for stinctive desire
> get him nia'e. W OOl
;nough to 8?!d mine rigl
mes Mrs. psyche. As sh<
hnr rpnHprc ncm
fantasy where tl
reader and handsome,
cual en- gets everything
whose Since Woodiwi
a bonded want "Shanna"
rseer on hedonistic, it tui
la. She is an affluent c
t Ruark Shanna to his \
iveal the much to the
d so far lYahern. Just
lived-happily-evt
ther un- off, Woodiwiss
cattered bear twins. Tl
of non- prising consider
id some exchange of se
But the ween Huark anc
ere now drove theirs
a show of homage.
ursday and people will <
to see where he lived
sd. His true fans will
that said he was fat or
I out. They will
Ivis, who changed
while serving as a
:ert in 1971 Elvis said
the world would fall.
i singing a song." He
And we're thankful.
? >
novel is the sexual i
!>vides for those
till harbor the into
be possessed by
rtiwiss has found a
it in the female >
d becomes richer,
ape into a world of
leir lovers are rich '
and the heroine j
she wants,
iss probably didn't
to be too terribly
ns out that Ruark
olnninl anH tnW
Virginia plantation
delight of Orlan
to top this "theyer-after"
fairy tale
allows Shanna to
lat's not too sur- ;
ing the continual
xual passion bet
i Shanna Ugh. ,
' A