Ends and Odds: The Ravings of an Old Man by Dave Jaffe. Elvis the Pelvis - Part Four.

    Elvis the Pelvis - Part Four: The Fall of Elvis by Dave Jaffe




        In the late 1960's, Elvis Presley emerge from hibernation. He went on a publicized tour of the United States. He packed in the crowds, proving that he was still popular. His song 'Suspicious Minds' rose to near the top of the charts. Yet though Elvis was still a legend, he was a sick one. He was still taking many drugs and may have descended into paranoia. He turned out one more hit, namely 'Kentucky Rain' written by a New Jersey native, namely Eddie Rabbit.
     Then suddenly he died on August 16, 1977. He was only in his early 40's. It seemed that he may have died from a drug overdose. He surely was taking many drugs though most of them were legal ones. In any case thousands of Americans took to the streets to mourn this legend.
     "Elvis is dead," one Vancouver, B.C. woman said at the time when she heard the news. Then she burst into tears. "How could he die?"she said. Others asked the same question. Here was a man who seemed to have it all: Good looks, massive fame and hordes of cash. Now he was gone. Elvis Presley had touched the lives of tens of millions of people around the world. Yet his great fame and privileged position could not shield him from a short life. He died a relatively young man who was totally addicted to so many drugs.
     Like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe before him, fame did not make him immune to an early death.