Elvis and White Trash Core Post 5

It’s very rare to find someone today that doesn’t know who Elvis Presley is. They may not know his name or his face, but they definitely know one of his songs. His cult following still thinks that he may be alive out there somewhere, or if not, they remember him in some elaborate way on the anniversary of his death. Before Bieber Fever and Beatle Mania, there was the Elvis Obsession. He was like a religious leader that offered hope and rebellion during the postwar period. In chapter one of Erika Doss’ book “Elvis Culture”, she writes “Elvis's was a spectacular, rhythmic body, and it was offered for consumption and imitation to millions of visually fixated and physically responsive postwar teens. "It's impossible to sit still while Elvis is on the stage," Janie Butterfield of Beaumont, Texas, told the editors at Life . ‘His belting style drives us wild. We have to do something. Kick the seat in front or let out a 'rebel yell’ or something’" (Page 4). His energy gave people something to hang on to and he inspired them to rebel. People still visit his Graceland home and listen to his music on a daily basis.

However when Gael Sweeny writes in her piece “The King of White Trash Culture”, she challenges this obsession and questions why the world could fall in love with a man who is so trashy. She defines the term ‘White Trash’ in several ways, but the sentence that stood out the most to me is “white trash lives in a trailer, but aspires to a deluxe double-wide with purple shag carpeting, red crushed velvet sofas, and gold foil wallpaper” (Page 250). She basically is saying that their idea of wealth isn’t class, but it’s excess. While reading this article, I couldn’t help but compare Elvis to Justin Bieber. They obviously have their differences, however they are alike in many ways. Both men came from poor, broken families and rose to fame quickly. The both have cult followings and their persona takes precedence to their art. They are both talented but their talent was overshadowed by their personal drama. For example, the average adult couldn’t tell you a Justin Bieber song, and many Elvis fans could have never seen an Elvis B-Movie. But their presence was enough to form a strong bond to and obsess over and create an uncontrollable mania. Bieber is flashy and gaudy and is on a fast track to his fall. Elvis died young because of a pill overdose, all the while during a high in his career. No matter how much success and money one may have, you cannot mask white trash.