'I wanted to look at Elvis the non-saint, as well as the nature of songs from the '50's, all that postwar optimism; he's iconic, a wonderful singer with an amazing body of work, but he's a bit like Billie Holiday, you're not 'allowed' to be critical'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Elvis is seen as an iconic, post‑war optimistic figure whose work is often praised without critical scrutiny, similar to Billie Holiday.
- In plain terms
- He's celebrated as a symbol, making criticism feel forbidden.
- What can you take from it?
- Iconic status can discourage honest critique.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does fame affect critical honesty?
- When is reverence a barrier to analysis?
Another view
Comparing to Billie Holiday may oversimplify distinct artistic contexts.
More from Elvis Presley
'You have no idea how great he is, really you don't. You have no comprehension - it's absolutely impossible. I can't tell you why he's so great, but he is'.
Permalink to quote #137 'From the first quavering notes of the song, it was obvious that there was something different about him -- you could detect his influences, but he didn't soun…
Permalink to quote #139 'Take 'My baby left me' (1956) by Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup, the black Mississippi sharecropper whose 'That's All Right' had literally been Elvis' first recordin…
Permalink to quote #136
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