Thinking About Elvis and My MaMa

Elvis of course died on this day in 1977. HE was 42

Let me say the best song ever he did was American Trilogy. I think that is right up there with the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America for Americana. If I had to replace the National Anthem that would be the song I would replace it with.

To this day it is a popular song to dance too and sing. I have been to a couple of bars where it is the song they close the place down with for the night

I have been very blessed. I knew all my grandparents(still have 3 of them) and knew 5 great grandparents.

My grandmother(my mother's mom) is my favorite. It is a interesting family and like a lot of Southern families full of fun contradictions.

My grandmother is a strong Seventh Day Adventist as was her mother. However that did not stop the men of the family from making a living by basically controlling a good bit of the illegal slot machine(Later the early days of video poker) , pool tables, and juke box business for much of the area around Natchez and Northeastern Louisiana. I do wish someone would get my great uncle to write all those fun exploits down before he passes on.

You know the clubs, the whorehouses where we had our machines etc. However my grandmother I think has done a fairly good job of making sure that there is no written history of all these stuff. In fact it seems to be a bad topic to bring up period. I am still working on getting the family to write this stuff down. These memories are one reason I laugh when I hear about the old puritan Calvanist south. It has always been far from that.

My uncles who were the fun sort that like all good ole southern boys that were baptist(my grandfather made sure they were baptist not Adventist) and sowed some wild oats in their youth. I just get hints of what was happening on their visits to Vicksburg and Natchez. They are young so hopefully once Ma Ma passes on(may that be a long time off) I can get someone to put what they know down on paper

Anyway my grandmother more than anyone in the family just loved Elvis. I mean LOVEDDDDDDDDD. I mean she had gone to concerts in the 70's. For all I know she fought over one those scarfs he would pass out all soaked in his sweat. I also think that the Mississippi connection had something to it too to my Ma Ma.

My grandparents were the type that expected to have their grandchildren for the summer for like a month. They also thought a big part of that was taking them on trips. I remember when my grandmother took me to Memphis and to Graceland. It was like she had gone to Mecca.

On the trip back my grandfather, no doubt tired of hearing how great Elvis was all day, said" too bad he was a drug addict" Wow, I have never seen my grandmother angry , it was a tense hour in the car. It wasn't his fault it is was the Doctors!!! HE LOVED his Mother!!!! and various other apologetics my grandmother brought forth to defend Elvis. Anyway she is a big fan even in her mid 80's today. No doubt she is talking my grandfather's ear about Elvis today.


Here is my favorite song. Here is to Elvis and my Ma Ma.

American Trilogy

I wish I was in the land of cotton Old times they are not forgotten

Look away, look away, look away Dixieland Oh I wish I was in Dixie, away, awayIn Dixieland

I take my stand to live and die in Dixie

Cause Dixieland, that's where I was bornEarly

Lord one frosty morningLook away, look away, look away Dixieland

Glory, glory hallelujah Glory, glory hallelujah Glory, glory hallelujah

His truth is marching on

So hush little baby Don't you cry You know your daddy's bound to die

But all my trials, Lord will soon be over

Glory, glory hallelujah

Glory, glory hallelujahGlory, glory hallelujah

His truth is marching onHis truth is marching on

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