POLL: Elvis' remark about the 68 Special or about Memories?

[Davelee]

So, in the following sentence, according to DaveLee (who, remember, is an expert on the English language) Elvis is talking about the song and not the film.

"I'd like to sing a song from a film I made called Harem Scarum, which was pretty bad, but you can't win 'em all."

What are you rolling your eyes for? It follows the same construction as the sentence that YOU say is talking about the song, not the show. So in the above sentence, according to you, he has to be talking about the song and not the film. But that clearly isn't correct.

And if you care to read properly I state he is talking about both the song and TV show - more so the song because after his says the sentence he goes into a live rendition of Memories from his TV show for the Las Vegas audience.

More so the song? I don't think so! You categorically state on a number of occasions that he's talking about the song and not the show.

Let's look at what Elvis said: "i'd like to do a song I just did from my recent TV Show, which wasn't Very good. How can you interpret this him talking about the TV Show when clearly he's talking about the song

he is clearly talking about the song from his recent TV show and not discrediting his TV show. Anyone can see that.

That is not open for interpretation, he's clearly talking about the song from his recent TV show, not knocking the TV show. Surely anyone can see what his comment is

seriously when he said "which wasn't very good" do you really think he aimed that comment at the TV show?

As i say, my point is the whole sentence is more about the song then the TV show... why say it and then go into a live rendition of Memories from his TV show? Got it?!... probably not, oh well....

[MikeFromHolland]

.

Wisdom of the crowd.

Between scores:
- 58 votes
- 47 (81%) TV-Show
- 11 (19%) Memories


Indeed, we can't ask Elvis, so we can keep this score in mind whenever our life depends on it
.

[Arvis Paisley]

For it to be the song he would have had to say "I'd like to do a song, which wasn't very good, from my recent TV show." I have two college degrees in English.

In the original sentence, "song" is the subject of the sentence, but "which wasn't very good" is a dependent clause modifying "show."

[MikeFromHolland]

For it to be the song he would have had to say "I'd like to do a song, which wasn't very good, from my recent TV show." I have two college degrees in English.

In the original sentence, "song" is the subject of the sentence, but "which wasn't very good" is a dependent clause modifying "show."

Thanks!

An argument against this was given by someone in this thread (see my OP). He said:

"Elvis did not take elocution lessons prior to his stage return in the summer of 1969. He never spoke in such fashion on stage. The concert tapes provide ample proof of this. "

What do you think?

[Arvis Paisley]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

[MikeFromHolland]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

Thanks!

.

[fn2drive]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

At best it is impossible to make the call definitively but so to say Doc is wrong is simply incorrect. I agree with the conclusion he is referring to the song vs special. There were many instances where Elvis deprecated a song. So we should look at the overall record. IIRC didn't he do it with 20 days in TTWII something like...song from my new album, it's not very good and I really don't like it.

[poormadpeter2]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

At best it is impossible to make the call definitively but so to say Doc is wrong is simply incorrect. I agree with the conclusion he is referring to the song vs special. There were many instances where Elvis deprecated a song. So we should look at the overall record. IIRC didn't he do it with 20 days in TTWII something like...song from my new album, it's not very good and I really don't like it.

Yes, but there's the difference. He talks about the song in the PRESENT tense in your example, and not in the PAST tense.

[Chad Gates]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

At best it is impossible to make the call definitively but so to say Doc is wrong is simply incorrect. I agree with the conclusion he is referring to the song vs special. There were many instances where Elvis deprecated a song. So we should look at the overall record. IIRC didn't he do it with 20 days in TTWII something like...song from my new album, it's not very good and I really don't like it.

I think you are mistaking 20 days for I just can't help believing, he says bj Thomas has out a new record and I don't particularly like it but it's his own thing man or something close to that, in that instance he obviously is referring to the song and not the album it is on but to me he is just being modest about the 68 tv special when he says it wasn't very good and I don't think for one minute he was dwelling on having been told that memories spoiled the tempo of his 1969 shows.

Alan.

P.s iirc 20 days is the song he jokes about not knowing properly because it is one they didn't rehearse properly.

[Lohmax]

Elvis was joking. That's it. He said that about other things. A charming little thing to say and get some reaction from the audience. Tis all.

[charro1971]

Elvis was joking. That's it. He said that about other things. A charming little thing to say and get some reaction from the audience. Tis all.

Exactly. No matter whether he was talking about Memories or the 68 Comeback Special, Elvis almost certainly didn't mean what he said. Elvis was always very humble about his achievements and what he said on stage in 1969 and 1970 was always very light-hearted and not serious.

[Arvis Paisley]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

At best it is impossible to make the call definitively but so to say Doc is wrong is simply incorrect. I agree with the conclusion he is referring to the song vs special. There were many instances where Elvis deprecated a song. So we should look at the overall record. IIRC didn't he do it with 20 days in TTWII something like...song from my new album, it's not very good and I really don't like it.

Actually to say that Doc is wrong is simply correct, because Elvis was speaking English, and by the rules of English Doc's viewpoint is incorrect. If you want to believe Elvis meant something other than what he said, that is your choice.

[Arvis Paisley]

Let me show you a sentence with parallel structure.

"Let me show you a car I drove recently on Route 66, which had some potholes."

You can see in the sentence that the car does not have the potholes, it is the road.

For the meaning to be reversed it would need to say, "Let me show you a car I drove recently, which had some potholes, on Route 66."

[Dan_T]

I've never enjoyed his '69 version(s) of Memories, there's no finesse in his vocal, almost like he has no Mic and wants to be heard over the backing, the same with his live delivery of In The Ghetto and Don't Cry Daddy.... Elvis is joking about the show

[SteamrollerBlues]

If I've taken away anything from this thread, it's that some (emphasis because I'm sure this statement could misconstrued into something it's not if that word wasn't there) will argue about anything.

[Juan Luis]

If I've taken away anything from this thread, it's that some (emphasis because I'm sure this statement could misconstrued into something it's not if that word wasn't there) will argue about anything.

Can you blame those that feel the need to argue after being blasted and insulted with quotes as these: drjohncarpenter: "That's your interpretation of the statement, and we already know you have trouble parsing sentences. Since you choose to be declarative I'll do the same: you're wrong. " ...

Tell me? Would you blame anyone trying to defend themselves especially when the one throwing condescending insults, is the one, in fact, wrong? Ironic? No?

[SteamrollerBlues]

If I've taken away anything from this thread, it's that some (emphasis because I'm sure this statement could misconstrued into something it's not if that word wasn't there) will argue about anything.

Can you blame those that feel the need to argue after being blasted and insulted with quotes as these: drjohncarpenter: "That's your interpretation of the statement, and we already know you have trouble parsing sentences. Since you choose to be declarative I'll do the same: you're wrong. " ...

Tell me? Would you blame anyone trying to defend themselves especially when the one throwing condescending insults, is the one, in fact, wrong? Ironic? No?

No, I don't blame anyone trying to defend themselves as they see fit. I would do the same. I see no need for the callouts and insults that have found home on this board in recent times. Honestly, I find a lot of the debates on here lately to be unnecessary on both ends and I wish it would end. I guess since I'm in this thread, I'll say that it seems pretty clear Elvis was marking a remark about the Show, just a silly little aside. It's not a statement that needed to be scrutinized to the extent we've seen here.

Basically, here's my thoughts: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[fn2drive]

I think Doc is clearly wrong. And Elvis read many books during his lifetime. I'm sure he knew how to put a sentence together.

And Doc, please don't take this as an invitation to argue. There is nothing undignified in being wrong occasionally. You are usually right about most things on this forum.

At best it is impossible to make the call definitively but so to say Doc is wrong is simply incorrect. I agree with the conclusion he is referring to the song vs special. There were many instances where Elvis deprecated a song. So we should look at the overall record. IIRC didn't he do it with 20 days in TTWII something like...song from my new album, it's not very good and I really don't like it.

I think you are mistaking 20 days for I just can't help believing, he says bj Thomas has out a new record and I don't particularly like it but it's his own thing man or something close to that, in that instance he obviously is referring to the song and not the album it is on but to me he is just being modest about the 68 tv special when he says it wasn't very good and I don't think for one minute he was dwelling on having been told that memories spoiled the tempo of his 1969 shows.

Alan.

P.s iirc 20 days is the song he jokes about not knowing properly because it is one they didn't rehearse properly.

It definitely wasJust cant help that i was referencing though i do recall your example. Mine was one of the songs cut in The Nashville session. Maybe not 20 days but another one.

[Juan Luis]

If I've taken away anything from this thread, it's that some (emphasis because I'm sure this statement could misconstrued into something it's not if that word wasn't there) will argue about anything.

Can you blame those that feel the need to argue after being blasted and insulted with quotes as these: drjohncarpenter: "That's your interpretation of the statement, and we already know you have trouble parsing sentences. Since you choose to be declarative I'll do the same: you're wrong. " ...

Tell me? Would you blame anyone trying to defend themselves especially when the one throwing condescending insults, is the one, in fact, wrong? Ironic? No?

No, I don't blame anyone trying to defend themselves as they see fit. I would do the same. I see no need for the callouts and insults that have found home on this board in recent times. Honestly, I find a lot of the debates on here lately to be unnecessary on both ends and I wish it would end. I guess since I'm in this thread, I'll say that it seems pretty clear Elvis was marking a remark about the Show, just a silly little aside. It's not a statement that needed to be scrutinized to the extent we've seen here.

Basically, here's my thoughts: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I do not see the need for insults and or callouts especially when unprovoked.

[SteamrollerBlues]

If I've taken away anything from this thread, it's that some (emphasis because I'm sure this statement could misconstrued into something it's not if that word wasn't there) will argue about anything.

Can you blame those that feel the need to argue after being blasted and insulted with quotes as these: drjohncarpenter: "That's your interpretation of the statement, and we already know you have trouble parsing sentences. Since you choose to be declarative I'll do the same: you're wrong. " ...

Tell me? Would you blame anyone trying to defend themselves especially when the one throwing condescending insults, is the one, in fact, wrong? Ironic? No?

No, I don't blame anyone trying to defend themselves as they see fit. I would do the same. I see no need for the callouts and insults that have found home on this board in recent times. Honestly, I find a lot of the debates on here lately to be unnecessary on both ends and I wish it would end. I guess since I'm in this thread, I'll say that it seems pretty clear Elvis was marking a remark about the Show, just a silly little aside. It's not a statement that needed to be scrutinized to the extent we've seen here.

Basically, here's my thoughts: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I do not see the need for insults and or callouts especially when unprovoked.

Agreed.

[Arvis Paisley]

[mrbthebarber]

Whichever it be aimed at in my opinion Elvis, for all his fame and adulation, was still more than a little insecure and needed that reassurance at times, be it from an audience or friends. Yes it was a quip but I feel one, like many others, thrown out there to get a reaction of reassurance from those around him, that they thought it, be it the song or the special, was great. My opinion for what it's worth...