Talk:Elvis Presley

Elvis Australia site "officially sanctioned"?

I've replaced a number of the Elvis Australia cites with book sources. There are still some remaining. I notice External links contains the following entry:

• Elvis Presley Interviews on officially sanctioned Elvis Australia site

Does anyone have any information about this being "officially sanctioned"? PL290 (talk) 20:17, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

If you mean "officially sanctioned" by Elvis Presley Enterprises,yes they are,as is Elvis Information Network,of which a form is sent by Elvis Presley Enterprises each year for them to fill out and sign and return. Which then allows them to use the registered trademark of EPE. Hope this information is what you required. I'll also quickly point out,that those interviews they conduct with various Authors etc, are infact genuine.--Jaye9 (talk) 22:35, 31 January 2010 (UTC)

Elvis: Blues and R&B?

This page claims that Elvis did many genres, including Blues and R&B. Well, I've heard almost every Elvis-song, but I've never heard him singing any Blues or R&B. Why are people thinking Elvis did Blues and R&B? Because he covered some Ray Charles-songs? Or because he did LaVern Baker's Saved in the '68 Comeback Special? Well, let me tell you: the original versions are Blues and R&B, but Elvis' versions are Rock And Roll. IGG8998 (talk) 12:46, 5 February 2010 (UTC)

I'd agree with the blues, but rhythm and blues is another thing. Elvis himself said, "Rock 'n' roll music is basically gospel or rhythm and blues, or it sprang from that." And R&B is just Gospel (black gospel) with secular lyrics. And I would say that after his comeback, most of his new songs were more R&B than the ones before. I think it's very evident. Musdan77 (talk) 05:19, 6 March 2010 (UTC)

Is that a joke?! I don't believe you heard 10% of the songs Elvis recorded saying such a weird thing. He covered at least four Arthur Crudup songs ( a famous Blues singer from the 30's & 40's before the terminus R&B was invented, not to mentione his famous "own" milk cow blues boogie - a mixture of songs done by Kokomo Arnold and Sleepy John Estes), he not only recorded R&B songs by famous vocal groups of that genre (Coasters "Girls, Girls", "Money Honey" by the Drifters, "Bossa Nova baby" by Tippie & Clovers, "Down in the alley" by the Clovers), he also recorded "Reconsider baby" by Lowell Fulson or "When it rains it really pours" by his ex-stable-mate Billy the KId Emerson from sun records. He did tiger man (Rufus Thomas) another raw 50's blues original released on the sun label. He recorded Big Boss man which was even a bigger hit for Jimmy Reed than for Elvis. I could go on and on but I don't think you meant this seriously - and if you do not know much about music or Elvis at all. He even recorded 3 corn patches - a tune recorded by T-Bone Walker in the early 70's on his last album. You can take every decade from the 50's to 70's and find R&B or blues (Roy Brown, Wynonnie Harris,Ray Charles,Little Willie John,Charles Brown,Lloyd Price,Smiley Lewis).87.162.30.48 (talk) 15:28, 19 April 2010 (UTC) Franco, Deutschland

Italics for collections/work

How clear can it be? From {{Cite web}}:

work

If this item is part of a larger "work", such as a book, periodical or website, write the name of that work. Do not italicize; the software will do so automatically.

publisher

Publisher, if any—for example if the website is hosted by a government service, educational institution, or company. (The publisher is not usually the name of the website (that is usually the work).

This is because in most citation styles, including the near-APA used by Cite web, a collection of articles, chapters, etc., is italicized. The name of a specific item from within it is in quotes. |publisher= should only be used for the name of a firm in the publishing business. You don't choose what the item is based on whether you think it should be italicized; you choose based on what it is. (Those italics are for emphasis, which is different.) — John Cardinal (talk) 02:46, 7 February 2010 (UTC)

Again, see WP: ITALICS and every discussion at FAC in the history of mankind. RB88 (T) 22:42, 12 February 2010 (UTC)

If any further discussion is required, may I suggest this matter is now taken up at the WP: ITALICS talk page instead. We should ensure the involvement of all interested parties in any debate and/or change from current general practice that may turn out to be necessary. PL290 (talk) 03:21, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

Re:RB88 and WP: ITALICS: WP:Italics is not the right place to discuss this. Those rules govern the use of italics in article prose. Citation styles are different. In WP, we don't specify names as "last, first", but in citations, we do. In WP prose, we restrict periods to the end of a sentence, but in citations, periods are used as delimiters and are not restricted to the end of a sentence. In WP, we spell out low numbers ("one" vs. "1"), but in citations, page numbers always use digits ("p. 1"). In WP, we don't use bold text very often, but in citations, bold is used for volume numbers. My point is, there is a difference between WP prose styles and citation styles and that distinction is lost on many WP editors. It seems dead-simple to me: citation styles govern text formatting in citations, and the name of a collection of material is italicized in the near-APA style used by {{cite web}}. That's why |work= is italicized by default. — John Cardinal (talk) 05:55, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

John, I already realize it seems dead simple to you, but it's equally clear that despite your statements to that effect, the opposite seems dead simple to RB88! Even if the question were resolved here between the two of you (or by other parties who have researched the point weighing in), the fact that the debate here (which began with an exchange of perhaps half a dozen reverting edit summaries citing guidelines/practice) was possible in the first place—between two editors each respected for their experience with different aspects of citations on Wikipedia— shows that at the very least, the guidelines need clarifying. That's why I now ask that this be moved to a guideline talk page, in order that contributions to (and simply awareness of) the debate may be widened appropriately. The first sentence in WP:ITALICS is, "Italic type (text like this) has several uses on Wikipedia." One of those uses is the formatting of citations. WP:ITALICS should make clear its relationship to that latter, and should either include guidelines applicable thereto or provide a link to them. Furthermore, the discussion just above shows that more than mere clarification is needed, i.e., either a change to bring the guidelines in line with agreed practice, or, on the other hand, greater awareness that general practice has been incorrect and should change to conform with the guidelines. Either way, the discussion should now be extended to a wider representation of the WP community than frequent the Elvis Presley article talk page. PL290 (talk) 09:34, 13 February 2010 (UTC)

Musician?

Oxford English Dictionary's definition of musician is as follows: One skilled in music, esp. in playing an instrument. Based on this definition, the lead should be changed to read singer and actor rather than the incorrect musician. Elvis was known as a singer, so why not call him that?--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 16:50, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

I think Musician is generally used to include singers too. And he wasn't just a singer; he played guitar while performing. However, it's true that he was, mainly, a singer. What do others think? PL290 (talk) 17:10, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

He was a musician and arranger. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mfbinc (talk • contribs) 17:42, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Elvis has been quoted as follows: I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 19:44, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

I note that in articles about other icons including Johnny Cash and Paul McCartney, the lead is much more specific than the vague term "musician", and I recommend using articles like those as a model. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:13, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

I note that the comparable term in the McCartney infobox is "musician". Not "singer, musician"; not "singer, instrumentalist"; not "singer, bassist". Just "musician". I also note that the present article is featured, while the Cash and McCartney pieces are not. It is not irrelevant that the first sentence of this article is clear and focused, while the McCartney article begins with a laundry list. Hardly an inspiring model. DocKino (talk) 03:12, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

More precisely, the first sentence should read, "Elvis Aaron (or Aron^a) Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and B movie actor." Elvis didn't write his own songs and he only acted in bad movies. Onefortyone (talk) 20:39, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Dude seriously? If you don't stop trolling this article I'm going to block you. --Andy Walsh (talk) 20:59, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

I do not understand your remark, Andy. Elvis was a very good singer. That’s why I included the Henry Pleasants quote in the vocal style section of the article. But it is also a fact that he didn’t write his own songs as Paul McCartney does. To my mind, he was only a singer and should not be called a musician. Furthermore, most critics agree that Elvis’s movies were pretty bad. Significantly, the Wikipedia article says that his movies were "formulaic, modestly budgeted musical-comedies" and that "His films were almost universally panned; one critic dismissed them as a 'pantheon of bad taste.' " Elvis didn't appear on a theater stage, as serious actors do. He branded film producer Hal B. Wallis "a double-dealing sonofabitch" (Wallis both produced Elvis movies and serious films), realizing there had never been any intention to let him develop into a serious actor. See Peter Guralnick, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999), p.171. Actress Natalie Wood said about her friend Presley, "He can sing but he can’t do much else." See Peter Harry Brown and Pat H. Broeske, Down at the End of Lonely Street: The Life and Death of Elvis Presley (1997), p. 111. Onefortyone (talk) 21:33, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

It doesn't matter. To say one is a musician or an actor is not commenting on their choice of instrument (voice included) or venue or film. Contact any professional singer and suggest they are not a musician—they will receive this as an insult. We do not qualify such comments in the lead. Later in the article we might recount that someone was regarded as a poor actor or an actor in bad movies, with reliable sources. You have on your own user page that we must not insert our own opinions. The majority of your comments here that I've seen seem designed to let us know exactly what you think about Elvis. Alas, no one cares what you think about Elvis. We only care about the article text reflecting what is in reliable sources. Since this article passed FAC, you can assume the community consensus is that it does. For you to continue coming in here and making ridiculous remarks amounts to trolling. --Andy Walsh (talk) 22:09, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

It doesn't matter? As you can see, other users are also of the opinion that Elvis may be called a singer rather than a musician. It is a fact that he primarily was a singer. The first sentence should be as precise as possible. Film experts say he wasn't a serious actor. What about saying, Elvis was a singer and actor in musical comedies? By the way, calling me a troll seems to be a personal attack. We are here earnestly discussing the first sentence of the article. So would you please refrain from making your personal remarks against me. Thank you. Onefortyone (talk) 22:17, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

The featured article on Michael Jackson starts as follows:

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, businessman, philanthropist and record producer.

Interestingly, it is not mentioned that Jackson was a musician. Another example is the first sentence of the featured article on Bob Dylan:

Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and musician.

This means that Dylan not only wrote his own songs but also his own lyrics. The second paragraph additionally states that Dylan performs with guitar, piano and harmonica. This may be the reason why he is also called a musician in the first sentence. The article on Madonna (entertainer) (a former featured article now listed as one of the good articles) says:

Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone; August 16, 1958) is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur.

Significantly, she is not called a musician. The good article on Bob Marley reads at the beginning:

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers (1964–1974) and Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974–1981).

In the good article on John Lennon, the star is called “an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, author, and peace activist”. By the way, Paul McCartney is also listed as a good article. Query: what is so different with Presley? He was primarily a singer who also acted in several musical comedies because his manager told him to do so for commercial reasons. Why not call him therefore "a singer and, for some years of his life, an actor in musical-comedies"? This is certainly more precise than simply call him a musician. Onefortyone (talk) 00:26, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

On the other hand, this recently featured article on Elvis Presley describes him as a "musician," which is a matter of fact. Goodbye.—DocKino (talk) 01:00, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

So you prefer the less precise version. As I said above, a featured article should be as precise as possible. Onefortyone (talk) 01:04, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I prefer the current version, which passed FAC. There is no consensus to change it. If you perceive it as imprecise, that is your problem. If it pains you, it appears you'll have to live with that ache.—DocKino (talk) 01:14, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I do not think that there is a consensus in favor of the current version, as there are other users who would like to change the first sentence. See above. Onefortyone (talk) 01:30, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Consensus doesn't involve strictly numbers—that would be a vote. Consensus also involves reasoned argument, of which I've seen none. That another article does something is no reason for this article to do it. I find the term "singer" inaccurate, as it in no way encompasses Elvis' role in the musical world. --Andy Walsh (talk) 01:44, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

"Musician" is too general. It's like calling Babe Ruth's occupation "athlete" rather than "baseball player". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:51, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

That's not at all an apt comparison. --Andy Walsh (talk) 01:53, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Sure it is. And to call the King of Rock and Roll simply a "musician" is inadequate. An organ grinder playing for handouts in a public park is a "musician". Elvis was a guitar player and singer, among other things. Follow the format of the other iconic musicians, and spell out what he was famous for in the lead. That's the point of the lead, to be able to read it alone and have a pretty good sense of what the article is about. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:06, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Elvis Presley does not meet the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of musician. Furthermore, none of the foreign Wikipedia articles on Elvis describe him as a musician; so why are we making ourselves conspicuous and open to ridicule from critics by being the only Wikipedian article to call him musician when he is known to the world as a singer?!!!! The article should read that he was a singer and actor. Why is there a problem with that?--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 05:40, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

A singer is a musician. Are you saying he wasn't a skilled singer? --Andy Walsh (talk) 06:37, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Musician is too generic a term. Elvis was specifically a singer, which has nothing to do with his skill or talent in that field whatsoever. Singer means a person who sings-full stop.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 07:06, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Elvis Presley played rhythm guitar in virtually all of his recording sessions and concert appearances from his very first in 1954 through 1960, encompassing his most influential work and the period of his greatest fame. Full stop.—DocKino (talk) 07:51, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I am aware of that. So let's say he was a singer, rhythm guitarist and actor; that way we specify everything about him. The word musician is just too vague!--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 08:52, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

What about this version:

Elvis Aaron (or Aron^a) Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most famous popular American singers of the 20th century. He also played rhythm guitar and acted in several musical-comedies.

To my mind, this is the most accurate version of the lead as it says that he was primarily a singer. Onefortyone (talk) 13:03, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Elvis a musician? The 20th century has seen the emergence of "pop singers", and it seems difficult for some of us to classify them as "musicians". But whether "serious" musicians would consider Elvis a musician in the "classical" sense (are opera singers "musicians"? yes, in my opinion), they may not now, but how will Elvis be remembered a century from now? He played at least one instrument, sang, composed... Music was his whole life. It is difficult to deny him the title of "musician" when the wiki article on that term lists pop singers & song writers as such. There is also this article American Federation of Musicians. Elvis was a unique case and it is difficult to put him in a category, or deny him one.

--Frania W. (talk) 13:46, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Elvis was not a composer. He didn't write his own songs. He was primarily a singer and this must be stressed in the lead of the Wikipedia article. Onefortyone (talk) 13:59, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

I agree with that. It's one thing to say that anyone involved in making music in any way, shape or form is technically a "musician", but that term tends to have a limited meaning, implying considerable skill on a range of instruments possibly including but not limited to the voice. It does not extend to conductors, or record producers, even though they're just as much part of the music making as the performers are. Would we ever refer to Maria Callas or Vladimir Horowitz as a musician? Hardly. Elvis is the Maria Callas of rock, so he's not a "musician" either. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 19:57, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

Of course Elvis was a musician. A singer's voice is his instrument. He also played guitar and piano. However that's not to say that he should be described as a musician. He is mostly known as a popular singer, and that would suffice.Musdan77 (talk) 21:06, 4 April 2010 (UTC)

And he was an arranger, too. So far, he was a singer, guitar player, piano player, and an arranger. And film actor. And soldier. You don't have to boil it down to one thing. He was many things, so just let it go and get on with his story. Santamoly (talk) 08:12, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

In the strictest sense, what, then, is a "musician"? --Frania W. (talk) 11:40, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

According to the OED, a musician is somebody who is skilled in music; especially in playing an instrument. By that definition, Elvis Presley cannot be classified as a musician. If we were MCs presenting Presley to the general public, we would be correct in describing him as a singer, film actor and cultural icon. The leading sentence should state this; further down in the article, it can mention that he also played the guitar, etc.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 12:06, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

According to my old Webster, a "musician" is "one skilled in music"; "a composer or professional performer of music." Please note that the word "instrument" is nowhere to be found in Webster's definition. However, when going to "sing", here is something interesting: "to produce musical tones by means of the voice"; "to utter words in musical tones and with musical inflections and modulations". So, to refuse a singer the quality of "musician" when his/her specialty can be described only in "musical" terms seems to me contradictory.

NOTE: I came here only to discuss the term "musician", and not what should be in the lead of EP's article.

Bonne journée ! --Frania W. (talk) 21:10, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

My Webster's says, "musician - 1. a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer on an instrument. 2. a person skilled in playing a musical instrument." Onefortyone (talk) 22:52, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Onefortyone: so, according to the definition given by your Webster, was EP a "musician" or not?

--Frania W. (talk) 00:20, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

In my opinion, he was primarily a singer. He is not well known as a musician (i.e. a performer on an instrument). Onefortyone (talk) 00:45, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Is not the voice of a singer a "musical instrument"? Just as a pianist (a performer on an instrument) has to practice scales & exercises daily, a singer has to exercise his/her voice daily. Or is it that EP did not practice anything before singing? I also find it strange that Jack of Oz does not consider Horowitz ("classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer", dixit en:wiki) to be a musician.

--Frania W. (talk) 01:07, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

It's just that the term "musician" is way too general to apply to people who were highly notable for their skill on a particular instrument or in singing, and a more specific term is used in their cases. We use precisely the same approach in our categorisation protocols. If a subject belongs in a specific lower-level category, they are not also put in higher level categories. Hence Horowitz is called by the specific term "pianist" and appears in pianist categories; he is not referred to as a "musician" and he does not appear in any musician categories. It doesn't deny that he was a musician, because of course he was; but describing him as such in the lede of an encyclopedia article completely misses the point of his notability. Same for Elvis or Callas. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 22:59, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

To my mind, this may be the best version:

Elvis Aaron (or Aron^a) Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular and controversial American singers of the 20th century.

He was loved by many teens and hated by their parents, and the entire article includes much detail about the controversy. Any comments? Onefortyone (talk) 22:59, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Comment: not happening. But you enjoy that in your "mind." DocKino (talk) 04:31, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Yo Yo Ma doesn't compose any of his own materials either so I guess he isn't a musician either? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 156.47.15.10 (talk) 19:07, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Questions over cause of death

The first paragraph of this section reads:

"Drug use was heavily implicated" in Presley's death, writes Guralnick. "No one ruled out the possibility of anaphylactic shock brought on by the codeine pills ... to which he was known to have had a mild allergy." A pair of lab reports filed two months later each strongly suggested that polypharmacy was the primary cause of death; one reported "fourteen drugs in Elvis' system, ten in significant quantity." Forensic historian and pathologist Michael Baden views the situation as complicated: "Elvis had had an enlarged heart for a long time. That, together with his drug habit, caused his death. But he was difficult to diagnose; it was a judgment call."

I have included some additional, well-sourced information:

"Drug use was heavily implicated" in Presley's death, writes Guralnick. "No one ruled out the possibility of anaphylactic shock brought on by the codeine pills ... to which he was known to have had a mild allergy." A pair of lab reports filed two months later each strongly suggested that polypharmacy was the primary cause of death; one reported "fourteen drugs in Elvis' system, ten in significant quantity." Moreover, "the liver showed considerable damage, and the large intestine was clogged with fecal matter, indicating a painful and longstanding bowel condition." Therefore, Presley had most possibly "been taken while 'straining at stool.' " Forensic historian and pathologist Michael Baden views the situation as complicated: "Elvis had had an enlarged heart for a long time. That, together with his drug habit, caused his death. But he was difficult to diagnose; it was a judgment call."

This information has been deleted by user DocKino who claimed that it was a “bad faith edit“. Could it be that DocKino’s removals of well-sourced contributions by other users are made in bad faith? Here is what reputed Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick says about Presley's death:

The only thing that appeared to have been missed, aside from the empty syringes, was the book that Elvis had in the bathroom with him when he died, a study of sex and psychic energy that correlated sexual positions with astrological signs. Warlick found a stain on the bathroom carpeting, too, that seemed to indicate where Elvis had thrown up after being stricken, apparently while seated on the toilet. It looked to the medical investigator as if he had "stumbled or crawled several feet before he died." ... nine pathologists from Baptist cond acted the examination in full knowledge that the world was watching but that the results would be released to Elvis' father alone. ... Francisco announced the results of the autopsy, even as the autopsy was still going on. Death, he said, was "due to cardiac arrhythmia due to undetermined heartbeat." ... But there were in fact at that time no results to report. The autopsy proper went on for another couple of hours. Specimens were collected and carefully preserved, the internal organs were examined and the heart found to be enlarged, a significant amount of coronary atherosclerosis was observed, the liver showed considerable damage, and the large intestine was clogged with fecal matter, indicating a painful and longstanding bowel condition. The bowel condition alone would have strongly suggested to the doctors what by now they had every reason to suspect from Elvis' hospital history, the observed liver damage, and abundant anecdotal evidence: that drug use was heavily implicated in this unanticipated death of a middle-aged man with no known history of heart disease who had been "mobile and functional within eight hours of his death." It was certainly possible that he had been taken while "straining at stool," and no one ruled out the possibility of anaphylactic shock brought on by the codeine pills he had gotten from his dentist, to which he was known to have had a mild allergy of long standing. The pathologists, however, were satisfied to wait for the lab results, which they were confident would overrule Dr. Francisco's precipitate, and somewhat meaningless, announcement, as indeed they eventually did. There was little disagreement in fact between the two principal laboratory reports and analyses filed two months later, with each stating a strong belief that the primary cause of death was polypharmacy, and the BioScience Laboratories report, initially filed under the patient name of "Ethel Moore," indicating the detection of fourteen drugs in Elvis' system, ten in significant quantity. Codeine appeared at ten times the therapeutic level, methaqualone (Quaalude) in an arguably toxic amount, three other drugs appeared to be on the borderline of toxicity taken in and of themselves, and "the combined effect of the central nervous system depressants and the codeine" had to be given heavy consideration. See Careless Love:The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999), pp. 651-652.

This means that my addition is well sourced, and it is certainly of much importance in a section dealing with questions concerning the actual cause of Elvis’s death. Onefortyone (talk) 14:49, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

No, the topic receives sufficient coverage as is. I'm actually beginning to feel sorry for you, 141. I hope that someday you find the help you badly need. DocKino (talk) 19:51, 7 April 2010 (UTC)

Egregious edting by Onefortyone continues...

Recent attempts by 141 have paid no attention to how they will improve the article. They have simply been made to add negative content. 141 made attempts to get lurid details about the circumstances in which Presley died shoe horned into a section in which the obesity/ill-health factor was NOT one of the questions over cause of death (it would have been a question if it had NOT been a factor in his demise). It is difficult to see this edit as anything other than an effort to add a detail simply because of its mention of stools, fecal matter, etc. It fits a depressing pattern.

More recently, we have 141 doing a tit for tat removal (three attempts) of the word 'popular' that completely ignores the context in which the word is used both times in the summary. This type of editing is ludicrous and is further evidence that 141 is being deliberately disruptive - a troll. Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 04:51, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Your double standard is all too transparent, Rikstar, if you compare these two edits: [1], [2]. Double standards like this certainly violate the principle known as impartiality, which is based on the assumption that the same standards should be applied to all Wikipedians, without regard to subjective bias as in your case. Elvis was one of the most popular and at the same time one of the most controversial singers of the twentieth century. You cannot deny this historical fact. As for Elvis’s well-known death on the toilet, it is well sourced. You cannot omit this fact because Elvis fans don't like it. According to reputed Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick, the singer's "liver showed considerable damage, and the large intestine was clogged with fecal matter, indicating a painful and longstanding bowel condition" caused by Elvis's drug abuse. Therefore, Presley had most possibly "been taken while 'straining at stool.' " See Guralnick, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999), p.651-652. This fact is as important as Presley's enlarged heart already mentioned in the section on the cause of Elvis's death. See also these commentaries by user Baseball Bugs: [3], [4]. Interestingly, the first sentence of this revision of the lead has not been removed. So much for your false claims above that I have paid no attention to the improvement of the article and only added negative content. Just the opposite is the case, as the singer/musician discussion above also shows. Onefortyone (talk) 15:50, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Third opinion

Sadly I must agree with Rikstar's assessment that the edits in question were unconstructive, and in precisely the ways he identifies. PL290 (talk) 16:23, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Sorry, PL290, as you are still removing several of my well-sourced contributions and were deeply involved in biased discussions concerning the said topic, your view is certainly not a "third opinion". Onefortyone (talk) 16:31, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Why are the gory details needed? It's undue weight. And this is Wikipedia, not General Hospital. Yes, everyone knows, "The King died 'on the throne'", or so the saying goes. A sentence or two explaining the facts should be quite sufficient. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:35, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

The problem is that it is not even mentioned in the article that Elvis died on the toilet, whereas other details (his enlarged heart, his drug use) are intensively discussed in the section on the cause of his death. Onefortyone (talk) 16:46, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

And that's exactly how it should be. You call it a problem; I call it a solution. Onefortyone, by your own admission, yours is a minority viewpoint. PL290 (talk) 17:04, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Far as I know, the only thing that's known for sure is he died in the bathroom. The 'on the throne' part was mostly a media joke. And it's undue weight to write paragraph after paragraph of speculation about it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:11, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Just for the record. It wasn’t simply a media joke. According to Guralnick, Warlick found a stain on the bathroom carpeting indicating "where Elvis had thrown up after being stricken, apparently while seated on the toilet." It is also a fact that Elvis had a longstanding bowel condition because of his heavy drug abuse. Therefore the doctors and Guralnick concluded that it “was certainly possible that he had been taken while 'straining at stool' ". What makes it so difficult to simply cite, perhaps in abridged form, what is written by reputed Elvis biographers? For instance, Greil Marcus precisely writes, "Elvis died on the toilet." See Dead Elvis: A Chronicle of a Cultural Obsession (1999), p.154. According to Sandy Carter, "Physically wrecked, 14 different drugs in his system, spiritually empty, Elvis Presley dies in 1977 at the age of 42 while sitting on his toilet, gold pajama bottoms at his ankles." Onefortyone (talk) 17:47, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

And why do all these medical details matter all that much? Why spend more than one sentence on it? No one dies neatly. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:22, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

I agree with Baseball Bugs. We don't need to go into all this lavish detail; one sentence or two will suffice.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 18:27, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

So you would agree to simply cite, for instance, Greil Marcus's short statement that "Elvis died on the toilet." Onefortyone (talk) 19:10, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Absolutely NOT. This is voyeurism in all its horror. --Frania W. (talk) 02:29, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

I would have to agree with DocKino and others 141,in saying that this topic receives sufficient coverage as it stands,and if it be and we were to include this extra information you wish to add to the article, then go all way and explain to reader, that as Alanna Nash explains it in her book "Baby Let's Play House", Elvis didn't die on the toilet dear, when they found him,he had crawled several feet away from the toilet and then vomited, his tongue, nearly bitten in half and she further explains, that Elvis's death had not been quick, nor had it been painless. But then if we put that in, the reader my feel empathy towards him and we carn't have that now, can we.--Jaye9 (talk) 19:49, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Guralnick also writes that Elvis had "stumbled or crawled several feet before he died." However, this fact does not contradict the other fact that he had been taken while straining at stool. Nash's report is of some importance as she was, as far as I can remember, among the first journalists to view the remains of Elvis and contacted several doctors about the case. Therefore, some details from her account could also be used for the article. It may at least be mentioned that his death wasn't painless. Onefortyone (talk) 21:08, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

This toilet and drug obsessed detail is truly morbid, disgusting, and perverse. There is no reason to include such revolting information in a quality biography about a fine and decent person. Out with it. Santamoly (talk) 21:39, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

End it

I have fed the troll for the last time (feels great!) and I respectfully ask my fellow editors to do the same. When the troll comes around, don't see red, think green. Silence here and reversion where it counts solves the problem with the least waste of energy. DocKino (talk) 02:43, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Recent Reverts

The most recent was by Rikstar replacing "popular—and". Normally I would agree with you, Rikstar, but in this case, I believe that the word "popular" is out of place in this sentence. The word "controversial" (or controversy) itself means that there are 2 sides - pro & con, so it's adding a word that's not needed. Now, the other option would be to replace "controversial" with a word that means the opposite of "popular."

The previous revert was on a revision that I had made. And I'd like to ask everyone to look at it (http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Elvis_Presley&diff=cur&oldid=354886007) and say if you agree or disagree with the person who said that it was "terrible writing and bad style." And I ask that person, "Do you really think that every edit that I made was bad? And do you think that it fine to just remove everything that someone painstakingly did to try to improve an article -- especially an intro section that is much to long? An intro with 4 paragraphs is way too long - even for Elvis. It needs to be condensed. Thank you, Musdan77 (talk) 22:38, 10 April 2010 (UTC)

Yes, I'm afraid that virtually every edit you made was bad. On the one hand, this is a Featured Article, whose lead has received a lot of attention and work. On the other hand, your contribution was marked by awkward constructions such as "the new sound to be called 'rock and roll'" (which is also ungrammatical). You seem to be having difficulty grasping the meaning of "popular" and "controversial" (the latter does not indicate there is a "pro side" in the way that it indicates a "con"). Your mishandling of style included the introduction of an inappropriate ampersand and two improperly spaced em-dashes. The length of the lead, in fact, is perfectly in accord with both our guideline and our custom.

To improve your ability to contribute productively to Wikipedia, consider spending some quality time with our Manual of Style. DocKino (talk) 02:25, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

Sorry Musdan77, but I agree it was better as it was, and your analysis above is off the mark. By all means be bold in your Wikipedia editing, but don't be surprised when your edits (by which, incidentally, you too "just remove everything that someone painstakingly did to try to improve an article") are sometimes reverted. PL290 (talk) 09:27, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

I do not think that Musdan77's analysis above is off the mark. Onefortyone (talk) 19:03, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

I agree that the above remark should not have been removed. I do encourage you, 141, to redact the bit that is about editors, rather than content.- Sinneed 19:33, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

The shot against wikipedia editors needs to go, as it's a scattergun personal attack and could result in a block if it persists. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:38, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

There is an obvious tendency concerning "recent reverts" (the topic of this section). If anybody really wants to know what a personal attack is, he/she should have a look at this edit. Onefortyone (talk) 19:51, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

I see, it was archived and it is way too late to fix that. Everyone involved in the personal insults needs to stop. Please all: focus on the content, not the motivations, mental states, intentions, and skills of the editors.- Sinneed 20:07, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

Double standard concerning Ed Sullivan

On the one hand, DocKino says on Talk:The Ed Sullivan Show that the description of the event [i.e. Elvis’s Ed Sullivan appearance] "by one of the central participants [i.e. Elvis] is absolutely worthy of inclusion. Can we identify the source for the Presley quote? If we can, it should go in." See [5]. Therefore, I have included the full quote in the article on the Ed Sullivan Show. On the other hand, DocKino has removed a very short version of what Sullivan said to Presley from the Elvis Presley article, saying "Revert tendentious, bad faith edit by notorious troll. There is no issue of imbalance here to correct." See [6]. I would call this double standard. If it is only said at the end of the said paragraph that, at the end of the show, Sullivan declared Presley "a real decent, fine boy", the reader may get the impression that Sullivan really liked Elvis, whereby the additional quote clearly shows, for reasons of balance, that Sullivan’s words weren’t sincere. Here is what Elvis himself retrospectively said:

"So they arranged to put me on television. At that particular time there was a lot of controversy -- you didn't see people moving -- out in public. They were gettin' it on in the back rooms, but you didn't see it out in public too much. So there was a lot of controversy ... and I went to the Ed Sullivan Show. They photographed me from the waist up. And Sullivan's standing over there saying, 'Sumbitch.' I said, 'Thank you, Ed, thank you.' I didn't know what he was calling me, at the time. " See "Elvis Talks About His Career," on "Live in Las Vegas" (RCA), cited by Greil Marcus, "Real Life Rock Top 10", Salon.com, August 26, 2002.

Therefore, the following sentence should be reincluded in the Elvis article:

Though Sullivan made a backstage remark calling the singer "Sumbitch", at the end of the show, he declared Presley "a real decent, fine boy".

Wikipedia should tell the whole story, not only what Elvis fans like to read. Onefortyone (talk) 11:08, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

I find it hard to believe that a native New Yorker such as Ed Sullivan would use the expression sumbitch, which is a US southern slang term rarely heard north of the Mason Dixon line.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 15:55, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

Interestingly, Elvis himself heard Ed Sullivan using the term. Sullivan certainly knew that Elvis was a poor, rural Southern boy from working-class parents. Perhaps he wanted to tease the singer by using the derogatory term. Onefortyone (talk) 17:11, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

Perhaps it was the other way around and it was Elvis who had called Sullivan a sumbitch seeing as Elvis would have known Sullivan was a northern yankee!--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 17:26, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

According to Elvis's own words, there can be no doubt that Sullivan was "standing over there saying, 'Sumbitch.'" These are the facts. Significantly, around the same time, Webb Pierce also called Elvis "a son of a bitch". See Howard A. DeWitt, Elvis, the Sun Years: The Story of Elvis Presley in the Fifties (1993), p.105. Onefortyone (talk) 17:33, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

Presley's quote doesn't "clearly show" anything other than Presley's retrospective impression of the event. It is obviously not a "fact" that Sullivan called Presley a "sumbitch", only that Presley later claimed he did. Within the context of the Ed Sullivan article, which can devote a considerable amount of space to that show's most notable episodes, it is appropriate to include the quote. In this article, which must cover a vast amount of ground, it is not appropriate to repeat the entire quote, and the abbreviated version of it that was introduced was obviously misleading about its verifiability. Anyone with a passing familiarity with the professional literature on Presley knows that the Sullivan's famous, public, verifiable, broadcast statement is quoted repeatedly, and that Presley's fascinating but questionable recollection is quoted rarely. The latter simply does not belong in this article. Looks like you need to start a new one: Foul language and toilet activity associated with Elvis Presley. 65.88.88.214 (talk) 20:37, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

I totally disagree with your argument, DocKino (this time using an IP address from the New York Public Library). If Elvis says that Sullivan called him a "sumbitch", then this must be taken as evidence that Sullivan indeed used this expression. Who else should know about the exact derogatory term actually being used by Sullivan, if not Elvis, the direct ear-witness? Therefore, for reasons of balance, the article must somehow articulate that Sullivan’s words about the "decent, fine boy" Elvis weren’t sincere. There are several further sources supporting this view. TV Guide speaks of a "faint praise", Robert Rodriguez writes that "Elvis’s discomfort at the compliment is evident; he looked as though he’d just received a Judas kiss before being publicly neutered and declared to be safe as milk." It is evident that Sullivan didn’t like Elvis. His reaction to Presley's performance on the Milton Berle Show was, "I thought the whole show was dirty and vulgar." Therefore, it was decided to shoot the singer only from the waist up during his Sullivan performance. According to Tim Parrish, Colonel Parker "had threatened to remove Elvis from the show if Sullivan did not apologize for telling the press that Elvis’s 'gyrations' were immoral." Onefortyone (talk) 23:05, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

141 Are you aware of the fact that human beings, EP included, do have body parts above the waist, or are you interested only in the lower parts? You're tiresome. --Frania W. (talk) 23:16, 16 April 2010 (UTC)

I do not understand your remark. We are here discussing Sullivan's view of Elvis. Onefortyone (talk) 00:45, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Here are some further sources. According to TV Guide, Vol. 47, Sullivan "tried to make peace on the air, calling Presley 'a real decent, fine boy.' The boy just stared past him. It was too late - the battle lines between the rock-and-roll generation and its parents had been drawn on national TV." Eyewitness Jerry Schilling writes, "The way Elvis looked out at us at that moment, I thought I could see a mix of hurt over the attacks he’d been subjected to in the press, and a deep pride in who he was and what he was doing." See Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley (2006), p.45. Todd Slaughter and Anne E. Nixon say that Sullivan’s "patronising comments ... surely must have embarrassed Elvis." See The Elvis Archives (2004), p.33. Susan Doll calls Sullivan's remark "a somewhat hypocritical statement considering what the CBS censors had just done to his performance on that show." See Susan Doll, Understanding Elvis: Southern Roots vs. Star Image (1998), p.82. The same author adds on p.85 that, according to David Marsh, Elvis "was seen as a 'barbarian' who was attractive to the television executives and sponsors because he garnered ratings and generated wealth, but he was not welcome by the culture barons." According to Ron Rodman, "Gleason, Allen, and (initially) Sullivan all wanted nothing to do with Presley, viewing him as a vulgar hayseed. Yet Sullivan recognized the popularity that Presley generated ..." See Tuning in: American Narrative Television Music (2010), p.186. There are lots of sources of this kind. Therefore, for reasons of balance, Sullivan's derogatory remark certainly belongs in the article. Onefortyone (talk) 00:59, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Hey, buddy, I'm back from the library! (Are you back from the toilet?) And, boy, do I understand Frania W.'s remark. As for "Sullivan's derogatory remark", we can not take Presley's hearsay-based claim made twelve years after the fact on faith. (Yes, hearsay. Presley expressly admitted he was not an "ear-witness", you congenital liar.) Presley's statement has found its proper place on Wikipedia in the Ed Sullivan Show article, where it can be quoted in full and appropriately contextualized. But it's not going in here, where we've already provided considerable information on Sullivan's previously expressed views of Presley and need to keep the narrative moving on to other topics. End of story.—DocKino (talk) 01:18, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Can you provide a source which explicitly says that Presley expressly admitted he was not an "ear-witness"? According to the singer's own words, "Sullivan's standing over there saying, 'Sumbitch.' I said, 'Thank you, Ed, thank you.' I didn't know what he was calling me, at the time." This means that Elvis himself had heard what Sullivan had said. Don't call me a liar. Onefortyone (talk) 01:36, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

The source, as is obvious I'm sure to everyone reading this, is right there in his statement: "I didn't know what he was calling me, at the time."

I'm sorry you didn't like my choice of words. Your record of gross misrepresentation of source material via selective quotation and, as in this case, false characterization, as well as your history of outright fabrication of essential reference information is well documented in our archives. If I can think of a nicer term with which to summarize that mode of contribution, I'll be sure to share it with you. DocKino (talk) 01:47, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Your frequent personal attacks are very interesting. Your last statement sounds as if it has been written by my old opponent, Ted Wilkes. He also falsely accused me of "outright fabrications" and more than once called me a liar. Therefore, he was banned from Wikipedia. Are you identical with Wilkes? Be that as it may, my reading of Elvis’s words is that the singer was not aware of the derogatory meaning of "sumbitch", at the time, and this reading is far more plausible than your’s. Furthermore, and significantly, you do not discuss the many other sources I have provided, which are all in line with Elvis's statement. Onefortyone (talk) 02:06, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Do you have the slightest clue how sad it is that you have a history of "old opponents"? Pathetic. No, I'm not Ted Wilkes. I don't recall ever encountering him, but he sounds like an alright guy. And I'm sure your outright fabrications back then were as verifiable as they are now. As for the idea that Elvis heard "sumbitch" and didn't know it was derogatory? That is funny. DocKino (talk) 02:23, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

It is indeed very sad that I have a history of old opponents. Most of them were Elvis fans and several of them sockpuppets of hardbanned users. Perhaps they were part of a fan club. Interestingly, all of these users were attacking me simply because I have a more critical and balanced view of Elvis and his life. As I am frequently citing my sources, my contributions are certainly not fabrications. As Elvis reportedly was still a shy guy at the time, it could well be that he wasn't aware of the meaning of Sullivan's words, especially in view of the fact that he said, "I didn't know what he was calling me, at the time." He didn't say, "I didn't hear what he was calling me." However, more important as this latter detail is that Elvis himself said that Sullivan had used the expression. Interestingly, you have also removed the alternative source I have provided, though the Elvis article doesn't mention that Sullivan's statement was hypocritical. There is certainly not enough information for readers to decide for themselves how "hypocritical" Sullivan's statement was, as you falsely claim. Onefortyone (talk) 02:54, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

A recent edit summary of a revert of 141 is worth repeating here, made by DCGeist: "I don't like what I'm seeing here: repeated lone-wolf attempts to introduce material into an already VERY long article without consensus and in the face of well-reasoned opposition" (06:12, 17 April 2010).

I would say that NO ONE in their right mind would like what they are seeing here. And now we've got 141 making tiresome and personal sockpuppet claims in addition to his tactic of simply ignoring reasonable arguments. There's probably no one still around who knows more than me how familiar and predictable 141's arsenal of tactics is. 141 has an answer to most comments: I've responded enough times (as have many others) in over three years to expose his pitiful weaknesses, disturbing predilictions, highly dubious intent and shameless tenacity. Unless someone thinks that it is worth making the effort to get 141 banned for trolling, or something, perhaps we can stick to DocKino's advice:

"... I respectfully ask my fellow editors [not to feed the troll]. When the troll comes around, don't see red, think green. Silence here and reversion where it counts solves the problem with the least waste of energy". Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 09:44, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Just for the record. As in an earlier discussion DCGeist has called some of my critical remarks about the Elvis article, “dross”, his view is certainly not an uninvolved, and unbiased, opinion regarding the current content dispute. As for the article's length, user DocKino has included lots of additional material (see [7]) and in this case DCGeist didn't protest. Very interesting. Onefortyone (talk) 21:13, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

I have to agree with editor DCGeist's summary. The article is indeed very long and it contains sufficient information for any reader wishing to learn about the life and career of Elvis Presley. It certainly would not be improved by the trivial anecdote regarding Sullivan having allegedly referred to Elvis as a sumbitch. In point of fact, it would only serve to introduce a frivolous and puerile element into a decent, well-written article.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 13:28, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

141's argument that "Because Elvis said Sullivan said it, it must be true" is preposterous. The best that can be said is that Elvis claimed Sullivan said it. But unless someone got it on videotape or kinescope, it's strictly hearsay. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:52, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Exactly. We have clips of Dean Martin insulting the Rolling Stones when they performed on his show; there are also clips in which John Lennon refers to his infamous Jesus quote; however, there is nothing which proves that Sullivan called Elvis a sumbitch other than Elvis himself many years after the fact. It's possible Sullivan used the term sonofabitch! as an exclamation of surprise and awe after seeing Elvis' performance and the audience's reaction to it; and Elvis misunderstood the alternative meaning, taking it to be an insult. Anyway, I really cannot picture a native New Yorker in the 1950s using the strictly rural Southern term sumbitch or its kissing cousin summabitch. The world was not as globalised as it is today.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 14:07, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Jeanne remarks: "It's possible Sullivan used the term sonofabitch! as an exclamation of surprise and awe ...". This is what I have been thinking all along as no one knows the "tone" in which the word was said - if said at all. How often do I hear my American friends use that very expression in "surprise and awe" when watching a spectacular event!

Another thing, if sumbitch is a southern expression, I doubt very much that a guy from Mississippi, namely Elvis Presley, did not know what it meant!

To finish, 141 is having a field day with all this attention paid to him. Is not it time to follow DocKino's advice & ignore him? The tragedy of Poland & Iceland's volcano disrupting life & travel all over the world are, in my opinion, events of more importance that 141's élucubrations.

--Frania W. (talk) 14:39, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

I've heard the recording of this "Sonabitch" comment from Elvis and he clearly isn't saying it in a negative way. The way Elvis says it sounds more like Sullivan was, as said above, surprised and a little in awe of Elvis and his performance. However, I agree it doesn't deserve a place within the article, despite Elvis having actually said it. For anyone interested it's available here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSNVu9vd_Pw. It's also on the Live In Las Vegas boxset and probably a few other cd compilations. Make up your own minds, but to me it definitely sounds less negative and more in contemplation. The part about Elvis "not knowing what he was calling me" I think is clearly Elvis just not being within earshot and he was told afterwards, the idea that Elvis, at 21, wouldn't know what "Sonabitch" was is ludicrous. ElvisFan1981 (talk) 16:00, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

That's quite an interesting recording. And you're right. The way he's citing Sullivan there, it's merely like Sullivan's saying "Wow!" Note that Elvis calls himself "sumbitch" in a gently mocking tone at 3:58. It's clear that the expression is no big deal to him, and he's making jokes throughout this little talk. Lifting the Sullivan portion out and trying to make something serious of it (or something worthy of inclusion here) is a significant distortion of the reality. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:47, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

To sum up the above. There can be no doubt that Elvis actually said that Sullivan used the term “sumbitch”. This means that Elvis’s statement is not only hearsay. Yet we do not exactly know if Sullivan’s remark was an exclamation of surprise or a somewhat derogatory dig at the singer and if Elvis, at the time, was aware of what Sullivan actually meant, as the singer replied, “Thank you, Ed, thank you,” and claimed, “I didn't know what he was calling me, at the time.” As Elvis also said that “there was a lot of controversy” and that they photographed him only from the waist up, the context of the quote strongly suggests that, in 1969, Elvis was thinking that Sullivan’s remark wasn’t just made in good humor. Be that as it may, there seems to be no consensus here on including the “sumbitch” remark in the Elvis article. So it should not be included.

However, what about the other sources I have provided? DocKino says that some sources suggest that Sullivan’s patronising remarks about the “fine boy” Elvis were sincere, others clearly suggest that they were hypocritical (see sources cited above). Without additional information, the reader of the Wikipedia article isn’t aware of these different interpretations and of the “sumbitch” expression and may conclude that Sullivan totally changed his mind about the singer and that his remarks at the end of the show were indeed honest. That’s why I have included this well-sourced, additional commentary in the article:

At the end of the show, Sullivan declared Presley "a real decent, fine boy"—a remark that could either be interpreted as a "ringing endorsement" that "legitimized the singer with an adult audience" or as being "somewhat hypocritical."

Unfortunately, this addition has been removed by DCGeist. But to my mind, for reasons of balance, the reader must somehow be informed that Sullivan’s remarks could be interpreted as hypocritical. What about this alternative:

At the end of the show, Sullivan perhaps somewhat hypocritically declared Presley "a real decent, fine boy."

This is a very short addition and in this case the reader who is not aware of the “sumbitch” quote and the other sources will know that Sullivan’s compliment could be interpreted as hypocritical. Otherwise he/she won’t know. Perhaps there are further, and better, alternatives to solving the problem. Anyone got any ideas?

Furthermore, it is very characteristic that no other participant in the current discussion has criticized DocKino and Rikstar for their frequent personal attacks against me. I have been falsely accused of having a “history of outright fabrication of essential reference information” and of “pitiful weaknesses, disturbing predilictions, highly dubious intent and shameless tenacity”, and I have been derogatorily called “buddy”, “boy”, “congenial liar”, “troll”, etc. (see above). See also this attack. According to Wikipedia policies, such recurring attacks and insistences on a confrontational style are unacceptable. Even if there are content disputes, and we may have opposing opinions and wish to have our well-sourced viewpoints included in the Elvis article, annoying personal remarks directed against other Wikipedians should be avoided. Onefortyone (talk) 20:57, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

In my own opinion, I think that most people who see the clip where Sullivan refers to Elvis as a fine boy will know that he is being sincere. I don't see any hypocrisy in it at all. The way I see the whole situation is like this; Sullivan didn't want Elvis on the show, he even went as far as to say it publicly that Elvis would never appear on his show. However, following huge ratings for his rival, and being beaten in the ratings, he decided that it was perhaps a good idea to get Elvis on his show. Despite this, he still had reservations about Elvis because of all the negative press and the things that people around Sullivan were saying about Elvis and his evil ways. You could say that Sullivan had judged the book by the cover. Anyway, after actually meeting Elvis and getting to know him over the course of the few months they worked together, I think that Sullivan realised that Elvis was not the evil character that he was portrayed to be by the media and Sullivan's "henchmen", he was in fact a fine decent boy. Anyone who knows the background of Ed Sullivan will know that he was not one to say positives about people unless he meant it. I believe that Sullivan, after getting to know Elvis, wanted the press to lay off. In 1956, a positive review from a household name such as Ed Sullivan was almost guaranteed to push your profile and make you seem less "dangerous". To imply that Sullivan in any way was being false or backstabbing towards Elvis shows a complete lack of knowledge of the man himself.

As for Elvis' remarks in the recording. We will never know how much of it is actual fact. Just because Elvis said it doesn't make it true. It's possible that he slightly over exaggerated things for "comedy" effect, after all he was talking to the audience and wanted to tell an entertaining account of his career; he was, after all, an entertainer. I have heard Elvis joke many times about all kinds of aspects of his career. He used to come on stage and say "Good evening, folks, I'm Wayne Newton." Does that mean that we should change the title of the article to Wayne Newton because it "must be fact" as Elvis said it? Elvis would often recite stories to other people, including audiences, changing bits each time, adding in some new stuff (NOT necessarily true stuff) and ommitting other information (NOT necessarily false stuff). ElvisFan1981 (talk) 21:16, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

These are your personal opinions. Some sources may support your view, other written sources think otherwise. Wikipedia should provide a balanced view and let the reader decide. Onefortyone (talk) 21:38, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

There's no indication that Elvis' comment about Sullivan allegedly saying "Sumbitch!" was any more than one of the many little jokes Elvis cracked during that talk. Nor that Sullivan's on-stage supportive comments about Elvis were anything else but supportive. As a TV observer, I saw Sullivan's remarks as implying "I was wrong about Elvis - he's a good guy". And in the absence of any other evidence, that's the only way to take it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:46, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

I know that these are personal opinions, 141, hence why I said "In my own opinion....", but it's just as equal as your opinions about how Elvis meant what he said. Neither of us know if we are right and so there is no point mentioning any of it in the article. I agree with what Baseball Bugs says, that's all. ElvisFan1981 (talk) 21:51, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

As I said above, several written sources think otherwise, and for reasons of balance, a Wikipedia article should not omit these sources. Onefortyone (talk) 21:59, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

If those "written sources" are basing their opinions on that same audio clip, they are of no value. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:01, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

You can be sure that all the different opinions to be found in the written sources are not based on that same audio clip. They are also based on eyewitness accounts, etc. Onefortyone (talk) 22:08, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

It's hearsay, gossipy stuff that is not supported by anything recorded, and doesn't belong in the article. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:10, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

This may be your personal opinion, but Wikipedia articles are primarily using the material to be found in books, articles, etc. Onefortyone (talk) 22:15, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

We cannot post information that we know to be either false or uncertain. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:20, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

According to Wikipedia policies, Wikipedia articles should be based on reliable, third-party, published sources, making sure that all majority and significant minority views that have appeared in reliable, published sources are covered. Wikipedia articles are based on the opinions of reliable authors, and not the opinions of Wikipedians who have read a book or watched a DVD and interpreted the primary source material for themselves as false or uncertain. Written sources should directly support the information as it is presented in an article, and should be appropriate to the claims made. That’s why I am always citing written sources. Onefortyone (talk) 22:46, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

There's also the matter of notability, and there's no evidence these little comments by Elvis are notable. Just because something is found in print and allegedly "reliable" doesn't make it notable. And if an alleged fact is clearly false, wikipedia can't use it, regardless of its source. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:50, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

There seems to be some misunderstanding. We are talking now about the material to be found in books on Elvis or American culture (no longer about Elvis's "little comments" to be found on YouTube and elsewhere, although this material is not unimportant). For instance, Elvis expert Susan Doll calls Sullivan's remark about the "fine boy" Elvis "a somewhat hypocritical statement considering what the CBS censors had just done to his performance on that show." See Susan Doll, Understanding Elvis: Southern Roots vs. Star Image (1998), p.82. This is what Wikipedia calls a "reliable, third-party, published source." Onefortyone (talk) 23:02, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

It's just some writer's personal opinion, and it has no more validity in a wikipedia article than yours or mine does. By the way, I see you're from Germany. Do you speak English natively? If not, maybe that's the source of some of your confusion on these matters. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:14, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

According to Wikipedia policies, there can be no doubt that such expert opinions are notable. (I have been working for a Dutch company in the USA for some years.) Onefortyone (talk) 23:19, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Quite the opposite. There's no indication that those particular comments have any value whatsoever to wikipedia. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:31, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

You are wrong. As the Elvis article contains two sections that comprehensively deal with Elvis's Sullivan appearances, expert comments on these events are important. By the way, according to Wikipedia policy, the threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. Opinions by experts can certainly be cited. All articles must adhere to Wikipedia's neutrality policy, fairly representing all majority and significant minority viewpoints that have been published by reliable sources. Anything challenged or likely to be challenged must be attributed to a reliable source in the form of an inline citation, so that the source directly support the material in question. Where there is disagreement between sources, their views should be clearly attributed in the text. Even minority views can be cited. In the latter case, it should always be clear which parts of the text describe the minority view, and that it is in fact a minority view. The majority view should be explained in sufficient detail that the reader may understand how the minority view differs from it, and controversies regarding parts of the minority view should be clearly identified and explained. When reputable sources contradict one another and are relatively equal in prominence, Wikipedia editors should describe both approaches and work for balance. Concerning Sullivan’s statement, there are reliable sources interpreting his words either as sincere or as hypocritical. Therefore, both opinions should be cited, for reasons of balance, in abridged form in the Wikipedia article. Onefortyone (talk) 00:14, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

So-called "verifiability" is irrelevant if it's known to be either false and/or non-notable, which the "sumbitch" stuff is. As far as "interpretations" of Sullivan's supportive comments of Presley, unless someone actually talked to Sullivan directly and he admitted to being two-faced about it, the writers are just playing guessing games and their opinions are not valid for inclusion here. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:32, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

As I said above, according to Wikipedia policy, the threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. And we are not talking about the notability of the "sumbitch" stuff, as there is no consensus to include this material in the article. We are talking about the other written sources. From a historical point of view, it is of some importance that Sullivan's remarks about the "nice boy" Elvis were seen as hypocritical. On the other hand, your personal opinion about the "guessing games" of the experts is irrelevant. Wikipedia cites, from a neutral point of view, what is to be found in reliable sources, and the reader may decide. Onefortyone (talk) 00:49, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

You're misreading the rule. It doesn't mean that finding a source is license to post it. It simply means you can't post it if you can't find a valid source. Finding an allegedly valid source does not automatically mean you can post it. There are other issues, such as notability; and frankly the credibility of the source. Merely being in print doesn't confer either validity or credibility. And I say again, some writer guessing that Sullivan was being hypocritical don't make it so; nor does it make it notable. All we know for sure is that Sullivan said it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:34, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

141, isn't it clear from the article already that Sullivan's views could be viewed as hypocritical? He announced that he would never had Elvis on his show, and within a matter of months he was calling him a fine, decent boy. I think that's enough. Anyway, we don't know that Sullivan's opinions are hypocritical because that would suggest that he didn't like Elvis at the time he said that statement. Do you have evidence to back up the suggestion that Sullivan didn't like Elvis the night he told him he was a fine boy? I think you're mixing up the word "hypocritical" with the words "liar" or "backstabber". People, including Ed Sullivan, are allowed to change their minds about someone, that doesn't make them a hypocrite. ElvisFan1981 (talk) 07:19, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

Before I completely lose the will to live, can I point out that Presley's time on the the Sullivan shows is covered in detail in the Ed Sullivan Show article. Anything about sumbitches, hypocrisy, etc. should be discussed and added there - not in a mainstream biography. Troll feeding time is over. Let's move on. Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 10:49, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

Lead

Just adding a few details and paraphrasing a few others in the lead.Closeminded8 (talk) 03:13, 19 April 2010 (UTC)

I've reverted. Virtually all the changes lowered the quality of the lede:

• It is clunky and redudant to add "at age 19" when "at the age of 13" appears just a few words before, and 1954 in the same sentence can be compared to his birth year of 1935 given immediately above.
• You eliminated Scotty Moore and Bill Black, whose central roles in Presley's rise to fame and his place in music history figure prominently in the article.
• You ruined the narrative by eliminating the fact that "Heartbreak Hotel" was released in January 1956 and entirely eliminating mention of his film debut in November 1956. Not only is there no good reason for the latter excision, but now it is no longer clear to our readers that what is described in the intervening text—"He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popular—and controversial"—all came to pass within the span of less than a year.
• Replacing "number one" with "#1" violates the consistent style of this article. The number sign violates good style for ordinary prose in general.
• The location in Germany where he served is hardly crucial enough to be mentioned in the lede.
• "Future wife"..."whom he later married" is, of course, redundant.
• "Whom he later married and had a daughter" is, of course, bad English.
• You fundamentally screw with the narrative again when you eliminate "two years later". Now the reader doesn't have a clue when he returned from the army and "relaunched his recording career with some of his most commercially successful work".
• You cut the mention of "soundtrack albums", a central aspect of his career, for no good reason.
• You choose to name one of the films he made during the period—a plausible notion—but you pick Viva Las Vegas, which is seen as one of his better films (though that's not saying much). A completely inappropriate choice when the sentence revolves around critical derision.
• "Succession" is excess verbiage.
• It reflects a poor understanding of focus, emphasis, and narrative flow to introduce the names of three hit songs from a four-year span, when so far the lede has named only one of the dozens of hits he had over the previous thirteen years.
• A date span such as 1969–1972 takes an en-dash, not a hyphen.
• "Drug abuse" is an everyday English term and should not be linked here.
• The weight you wanted to put on Graceland was wildly disproportionate. Its latter-day fame is noteworthy—and the article notes it—but it is hardly key to understanding who Elvis Presley was and what made him significant, which must be the focus of the lede.

The one notion you had that—in very different form—might arguably enhance the lede, is introducing the name of Priscilla Presley (if 'twere be done, I'd do it in 1967, when they married). Given the focus of the article, the editors have so far determined that it is not essential to refer to her in the lede and that is reasonable, as well.

I say this to be encouraging: it would behoove you to gain some more writing experience before your next venture into the realm of the Featured Article.—DCGeist (talk) 04:24, 19 April 2010 (UTC)

Lead

I want to add some information to the lead. A little bit about Graceland at the end. I've also noticed on many pages of high-profile celebrities it lists a bit of personal information. That's where Priscilla comes in, she should be mentioned in the sentence about him in the army, and again for her work with EPE and opening Graceland to the public.Closeminded8 (talk) 01:34, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

One mention of Priscilla is more than sufficient. I think mentioning her when they marry in 1967, and noting there that they meet when she was 14, better respects the chronology, than mentioning her in 1958 and anticipating the marriage. Flashing back usually feels more natural than flashing forward. In addition, introducing her in the lede in 1958 may suggest they were intimately involved for much or all of the time between then and their marriage. I believe they were not.

At any rate, there are two propositions here:

• A brief mention of Priscilla in the lede.
• A brief mention of Graceland in the lede.

Editors?—DCGeist (talk) 03:13, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

IMO, a brief mention of Priscilla in the lead is sufficient. It could say "from 1967 to 1973 he was married to actress Priscilla Beaulieu". I'm not sure about Gracelands. I suppose the lead could say that "his Memphis home, Gracelands is a tourist attraction which draws many visitors".--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 06:22, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

On Graceland, I concur with DCGeist's recent utterance that it has no key significance, per se, in the artist's biography. It is only famous because of who he is. So I think the mention in the primary text is sufficient. On Priscilla, when considering the question a little while back, I looked at some other FA bios of musicians who are/were married. I found there was no mention of spouses in the lead of Bob Dylan or Michael Jackson's articles, while in Frank Zappa's, there was. I don't have too strong a feeling, in principle, about whether we mention her in the lead or not, but I don't think it's essential. The lead was subjected to close scrutiny and polish by editors over a lengthy period prior to the FA nomination, based on our guideline that the lead should summarize the most important aspects of the subject. I think it probably flows best as it is without shoehorning in anything else.PL290 (talk) 08:24, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

I agree with PL290's assessment above. Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 15:19, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

To be completely honest, I'm not really that pushed about having either in the lead. If the article received an FA without it, why break up the smooth flow of prose just to add something that is already mentioned in the main body of the article.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 15:33, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Agreeing with Jeanne that the lead should be left alone. In fact, the whole article should be left alone, because when an article has received the FA status and is 167,884 bytes=kilometers long, any proposed "improvement" should be top-notch. Articles have lost their FA status because of so-called improvements. New information should be added only if of real importance, such as the discovery that EP was born on the Moon. Otherwise, before it turns into a circus, leave the article alone for a certain period of time. Lock it, even, and throw away the key.

--Frania W. (talk) 16:13, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Well, she has never gone by the name "Beaulieu" professionally or personally since marrying him. If she is mentioned in the lead the article should refer to her as "Priscilla Presley." No reason to compare this page to Michael Jackson's - whose 2 very brief marriages produced no children and neither wives have anything to do with his estate. Priscilla has was the Chairman of the Board for EPE, opened Graceland, mother to Lisa Marie, etc. Someone also said it should not mention about them meeting in Germany in 1959 because they weren't romantically involved then - but they certainly were. In Priscilla's book she states so, and they lived together for years prior to their wedding. How about "They married 8 years later and had a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, before their divorce in 1973" or somewhere along the lines of that.

It looks out of place to list a 1956 timeline that goes on for nearly an entire paragraph, then list the highlights of the last 20 years of his life in one paragraph. Why not take away the months, and list only the year "1956" and instead of mentioning "Love Me Tender" as his film debut (where he had a support. role) and say he appeared in 33 films mostly during the 60s. Maybe say, "such as Viva Las Vegas".

Graceland should have a place in the paragraph, maybe at the end. I was looking at some other singers pages, but on Elvis' it only lists one song. I think where I mentioned "During 1969-1972 he released a succession of hit singles such as...." because that was his musical comeback. What do you think?Closeminded8 (talk) 20:22, 24 April 2010 (UTC)

I don't think it's necessary to mention a six-year marriage that ended in divorce, where the spouse had no significant effect on his career, but I wouldn't be vexed by it. Consider me neutral. If there was consensus to include it, I'd do it this way: "In 1967, he married Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he had met during his military service when she was 14. They had one child, Lisa Marie, before their divorce six years later." But don't even add that, unless and until there's clear agreement here to do so.

I wouldn't mind adding to the final paragraph of the lead section, "Memphis's Graceland mansion, Presley's home for most of his adult life, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in America." Consider me mildly supportive--but only for something that length, no longer.

I'm opposed to any of the other additions you suggest. The lead is a good length, clear, and well-focused. It doesn't need tinkering with at this point. DocKino (talk) 21:18, 24 April 2010 (UTC)

Yes but they were still "partners" for 8 years before getting married, making 13 years until the separation and 14 years altogether. That's definately noteworthy. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are both mentioned in each other's leads and they're not married to each other, and have only been together 5 years.Closeminded8 (talk) 06:39, 25 April 2010 (UTC)

Grammy Awards

Dockino requested: "May we please discuss this in Talk? This is the longest article ever to receive FA status, and we must be VERY wary of any further growth. (Also, the '74 "How Great Thou Art" was not an album.)" Actually, Doc, "How Great Thou Art" WAS an album. Otherwise article's FA status should not be a consideration when the bulk of the article is a disgrace to the memory of an honorable man. I added a little (<1kb) wikitable on Elvis' Grammy Awards to offset some of the sick and perverted content, so there should be no reason to revert it. I'd like to put it back, if only for the reason that the Grammy Award information isn't available anywhere else; it's even hard to find on the Grammy website. Any objections? Santamoly (talk) 22:12, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

I object. It clutters the article unnecessarily—there is no existing section where it belongs and it is hardly substantial enough to warrant a new section. It is redundant—all of the information in the table is already contained in the article. Additionally, DocKino is right and you were wrong to contradict him: Elvis won a Grammy in 1974 for his recording of the song "How Great Thou Art", which appeared on the album Elvis: As Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis. I'd like to think my observations have reached you, but if you honestly consider "the bulk of this article a disgrace" to Presley's memory, I have a feeling the odds of our having a rational discussion about this are slim.—DCGeist (talk) 22:40, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

Although Presley's Grammy awards and nominations are significant, it is mainly because the awards were all for gospel recordings, AND because he won so few awards and nominations compared to other recording artists. Because of the latter case, I don't think they merit a table of their own. I too wonder what could be usefully gained from exploring the so-called "sick and perverted content" that apparently irks Santamoly. Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 23:52, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

I think that Elvis' Grammy Awards are important to mention, but why not put it on the discography page? And speaking of... Why is there a discography section when there's a discography page? Musdan77 (talk) 04:11, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

You know, I've never quite understood this impulse to create a table for something just cause it'll fit it into a dang table. Is this compulsion peculiar to Wikipedia, or do people do this in other walks of life? "I saw five pretty girls while strolling down the street today. I'm going to go home and make up a chart listing the height, hair color, and skirt length of each. Mmmm-BOY."

As for the actual--you should excuse the expression--topic here... Musdan, I agree, Elvis's Grammy Awards are important to mention. And they are already mentioned. More than once. In the lead section of the article, it says, "Nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, he won three." In the course of the article, we give full information on each of these three Grammys: the name of the record; the year it was released; and in two of three cases, the precise name of the category (it's perfectly clear in the final case that it's a gospel song--as it shares its name with a gospel album he previously won a Grammy for...hey, how's that fact-checking class going, Santamoly, old buddy? Can you spell "F" yet?) And then after we describe that third Grammy win, we actually stop the narrative for this parenthetical special announcement: "All three of his competitive Grammy wins—out of 14 total nominations—were for gospel recordings."

Sorry, Musdan, I'm not going off on you. We've been down this road with Santamoly before, and it got wearisome a long time ago. He knows very well that we detail every Grammy. He knows very well that we make sure to name (and link) not only all three of Presley's gospel albums (even the one that won nothing), but his gospel EP, as well—even while our narrative has no room for the albums Blue Hawaii and Roustabout, which were only number one hits. He knows very well that the number one hit singles "Good Luck Charm" and "Surrender" (secular songs) don't get a single mention in the narrative, but the number three "Crying in the Chapel" (religious) sure does. He knows very well that we devote much more attention to the role gospel played in Presley's life and music than does any other general-interest survey of his career. He knows all this, but he's back, as usual, to maul us with his POV for a while. And, as usual, it will get him absolutely nowhere.

As for your question about the discography section, Musdan, in fact most fully fleshed out articles on pop musicians and groups have a discography section, whether or not they have a separate discography page. This one is somewhat more detailed than most, for well-considered reasons. You can read about the logic behind its particular design here (actually, in the middle of the thread, Santamoly gives a fine introduction to his peculiar perspective). One thing this discography does is it allows us to at least acknowledge and link somewhere on the page those best-selling albums and singles that our narrative just doesn't have room for.

Thanks for your questions. DocKino (talk) 05:16, 21 April 2010 (UTC)

Doc, while we're grateful for the energy that you bring to this article, I still wish that you wouldn't use insults to make your points. It unnecessarily increases the overall shabbiness of the article. And we sure don't need that. Santamoly (talk) 06:08, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

Santa, you really don't get it. You pay lip service to my "energy", but you reek of disrespect for the countless hours of work and care that I, and PL, and Rikstar, and sweet ElvisFan, and many others have put into making this article the best, most comprehensive, most balanced, most accurate, most engaging it can be. You say most of it's a "disgrace". You need say no more. DocKino (talk) 07:54, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

I can appreciate that you're so pleased with your own work that you feel a need to defend it against any changes. This is called resting on your laurels. Regardless of your efforts to protect the more scurrilous parts of this article, it will likely stay in its present obsessive and perverse condition because of the huge effort you're making to keep it unchanged. You can never improve an article by simply defending trash and diminishing other editors. The article still remains low-level junk. And try to remember that Talk pages are for improving the article, not controlling it. Santamoly (talk) 15:49, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

Santamoly, YOU are guilty of diminishing other editors. Please don't imply that DocKino is the only editor defending this featured article. I defend it, and so would many others who had an arduous hand in editing it, and assessing it's FA candidacy. Suggestion: copy and paste from this article - minus the 'trash' and 'junk', of course - into your own sandboxed version. Add your own ingredients, stir well, and then allow your wiki peers to judge the result. If it gets the thumbs down, what will you do then? Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 19:30, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

Yes, go and play in the sand. Don't leave provocative, unfounded remarks here about the real article. Apart from anything else, it does nothing for your credibility. Now that the article's finally made it into mainstream form, minority fringe views at either extreme, or unnecessary bloat, are unlikely to gain consensus here. To ensure you achieve a balanced result, take your "German buddy" with you: it will give him something useful to do. I'm sure the two of you can find plenty to disagree about. PL290 (talk) 08:09, 24 April 2010 (UTC)

I'm enjoying watching you guys digging yourselves into a rut trying to barricade a mickey-mouse article. Wikipedia is about constantly improving articles, not slagging potential contributors. The Talk Page, especially, is supposed to be about improving the article - especially a lame-ass and nasty-minded article like this one. Individually, you're all very intelligent types, but somehow when you work together, the result is obsessive trash, sort of like "whats-his-name" on steroids. The puzzle for Wikipedia students is: what causes a group of otherwise intelligent editors to create such a low quality article? Santamoly (talk) 06:42, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Santamoly, I'm not enjoying you making non-specific claims, nor your tendency to ignore the responses of others, nor the whole consensus thing regarding this article that involved many more ascenting voices than just 'us guys'. So, once again, Santamoly: write a version of this article (or parts of it) that YOU approve of. You know, minus all the lame-ass and nasty-minded stuff. If it is so bad, it can't be that difficult to improve it. Then invite others to read it and pass judgement. And, if it is indeed an improvement, there must be droves of intelligent types ready to agree with you. This is a sort of like "put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is" kinda deal. It's not slagging you - it's getting you to offer evidence that it can be improved AND meet wiki guidelines and peer review. After all, you said, " Wikipedia is about constantly improving articles, not slagging potential contributors. The Talk Page, especially, is supposed to be about improving the article". Telling your fellow editors they've created a mickey-mouse bunch of crap and little else doesn't quite meet your own standards, does it? Rikstar⁴⁰⁹ 08:55, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Santamoly, perhaps it would be helpful if you mentioned which specific points of the article are trashy (and thus worthy of removal), and what could be added to the article to improve it, and why. Jprw (talk) 16:50, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

Elvis' military service...

The section on Elvis' service in the Army is quite interesting. When my Dad was sent to Germany in the early sixties, he was assigned to Elvis' old outfit. Elvis was out of the Army by that time, but Dad said several of the guys in the outfit remembered him, and they said he was a good soldier.

Are there any (reliable) books that would give more details about this chapter in Presley's life?76.4.66.91 (talk) 15:28, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

So pleased that you found the section on Elvis' service in the army interesting. I beleive that certain editors have worked very hard to interpret information that they have read from books, back into this article correctly. This is what the article should be about.

For further reading may I suggest: "Sergeant Presley: Our Untold Story of Elvis' Missing Years" by Rex Mansfield: "Private Presley: The Missing Years---Elvis in Germany" by Andreas Schroer, hope this will be of help to you.--Jaye9 (talk) 03:09, 28 April 2010 (UTC)