Elvis Presley: The Searcher Page #10

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King Creole was

really his favorite.

It was Leiber

and Stoller songs.

It was songs that he loved.

Marsh:

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller,

they were two of the greatest

songwriters in Americas

during the late '50s

and early '60s.

If you're lookin'

for trouble

You came to

the right place

If you're lookin'

for trouble

Just look right in my face

Stoller:

When we first met him,

we hit it off.

We were talking

about different records

that we knew.

My daddy was a green-eyed

mountain jack

That's why I'm evil

Stoller:

Elvis was into blues.

We thought we were

the only white guys

who were into blues.

Well, I'm evil

So don't you

mess around with me

Jorgensen:

In order to control music,

and in order

to make more money,

Colonel Parker set up

music companies

that would deliver songs.

Stoller:

We were given assignments,

but they also went

to all the other writers

who were assigned

to Hill & Range Songs.

Thus the owners

of Hill & Range

controlled

Elvis Presley music.

Elvis:

Flesh, blood and bone

Stoller:
Hill & Range was

one of the biggest publishers

in the United States.

And if you wanted

to be on an Elvis record,

you were gonna play ball.

The publisher gets half,

and the writer gets half.

Light:

As Elvis is becoming

an A-list superstar,

he's reaching

a level of success

that nobody had

ever had before.

In fact, several big pop hits

into his career,

he makes a feature film,

and then, very soon

signs a contract

for a bunch of feature films.

Nobody had ever done that.

There's nobody, who

this early in their career,

is given all

of this territory

between the radio,

the television

and the movie screen.

There was no blueprint

for how you navigate

something like that.

(horn honking)

(horn honking)

Priscilla:

Actually, it was

Vernon and Gladys

that found Graceland

and showed it to him.

He fell in love with it,

but more than that,

it was to give

a beautiful home to his mom.

And of course, his father too,

but really for his mother,

because he saw her

working so hard.

He wanted to be a great son.

Schilling:
He was living

the most hectic time

of his life, career-wise.

This was his

controlled escape.

Springsteen:

Graceland.

Just the name of it itself

pulled directly out

of gospel tradition.

It's an idealized home.

The perfect symbol of someone

who's come up from the bottom

and-- and enjoyed the best

the country has to offer.

It was a huge moment for Elvis

to walk through those doors

and call that place his home.

Ferris:

It had all of the things

that Elvis had never

known as a kid.

It's not a lavish home.

It's not Tara.

But it is everything

that money and fame

could deliver according

to his specifications.

Man:

Yeah, I understand that you

bought a home for your folks.

And even though

your father is only 39,

you've insisted

that he retire.

Is that true?

Uh, yes.

Well, he's more help, I mean,

he's more help at home

than he is anywhere else,

because, uh...

he can take care

of all my business.

He can, uh, look after

things when I'm gone.

Man:

Well, I think that's--

I think that's very smart.

I, of course...

Priscilla:

Elvis gave Vernon

a huge obligation.

"Take care of me."

He had an office.

It gave him a job.

It gave him something to do,

and it was for his son.

They made sure that

they kept everything in order,

because he was really in fear

of not doing the right thing.

Schilling:

Vernon's office,

you can tell,

didn't come from

a sophisticated

business manager.

It came from a poor man

from Tupelo, Mississippi.

Harris:

Elvis had all the

money in the world.

He had anything he wanted.

He built Graceland,

and yet, he had

some sweetness about him

that kind of

breaks your heart.

I mean, really.

I don't think he--

he ever lost that.

(man speaking)

(Elvis speaking)

Priscilla:

Elvis never wanted to go back

to the days

where they struggled,

the days of poverty.

Light:

In 1958, Elvis was

drafted into the Army.

And no matter how much

he'd been through

on the road

and making movies,

the notion of going

to another continent

away from his family,

was a difficult thing

for him to consider.

Jorgensen:

The idea was, of course,

that Elvis would do his duty,

so he could come back

and be respectable

in the Colonel's new vision

of the future Elvis Presley,

which was a brilliant vision.

He knew exactly where

he wanted to take Elvis.

West:

Colonel said,

"We don't want any favors.

"He's not gonna be

in entertainment.

He's gonna be a soldier."

Reporter:

Elvis, you don't get out

of the Army until 1960.

If rock and roll should

diminish in popularity,

or even disappear,

what would you do?

(chuckles)

Well, uh...

I would probably try acting.

I mean, you know, I, uh...

Priscilla:

Being drafted

was something

he never thought

about happening to him.

Petty:

The Army, which is odd,

because there was no war on.

There's not a lot

of people being drafted.

But Elvis, he goes

along with it.

Zanes:

The biggest star in the world

going into the Army.

You know, from our

historical perspective,

that's a very

strange episode.

But then if you try

to get in to his experience,

having gone through this

profound rise to fame,

there's total uncertainty

as to what

he will return home to,

if he returns.

Springsteen:

Elvis in his 20s,

he was still inventing

all the rules.

In those days,

there was no perception

that a rock and roll musician

could have a long

and lasting career.

People expected

that kind of a career

to be over within moments.

Jorgensen:

RCA panicked.

The pushed the Colonel

to set up recording sessions

before Elvis left,

so they could record

a lot of material.

Light:

The impulse was

to flood the market,

give the fans

as much as possible,

and keep riding this

as hard as you can.

Jorgensen:

And the Colonel works it

the opposite way.

His idea was to have

just enough material

to keep Elvis's name alive.

Priscilla:

He wanted to keep the mystery.

He kept Elvis away

from performing,

serving for his country

like a good soldier.

He had fans waiting

for him to come back.

Man:
"I..."

I, Elvis Presley...

"do solemnly swear..."

do solemnly swear...

"that I will bear

true faith and allegiance,"

that I will bear

true faith and allegiance,

"to the United States

of America."

to the United States

of America.

Priscilla:

His mother was concerned

about him going to Germany,

'cause all they heard

at that time was Russia.

She thought

he was going to war.

Her son was leaving

for two years,

and he'd never been

out of the United States.

When he went

to basic training in Texas,

they talked every day.

And kept saying, "Mama,

I'm gonna be okay.

I'm gonna be okay.

I'm gonna be fighting."

But she just couldn't

get it into her head.

(wind whistling)

(choir singing)

Oh, by and by

Elvis:

Tempted and tried

We're oft made

To wonder

Why it should be thus

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