Elvis Presley vs. Michael Jackson vs the Beatles.

[Goodbook]

Think its common knowledge elvis was taking a lot of prescription medication.

 

[Sammy-San]

Think its common knowledge elvis was taking a lot of prescription medication.

What did he take medication for?

 

[Dave-W]

What did he take medication for?

To wake up and to go to sleep. That was every day.

Before going on tours he went on some really aggressive diet pills, often dropping over 50 lbs in a few weeks.

 

[Sammy-San]

To wake up and to go to sleep. That was every day.

Before going on tours he went on some really aggressive diet pills, often dropping over 50 lbs in a few weeks.

Was Elvis was people would consider a drug addict?

 

[Dave-W]

Was Elvis was people would consider a drug addict?

Addict? Unknown.

I think a better descriptor would be an abuser of prescription medications.

 

[Goodbook]

Addict, abuser, same thing, different perspective. I would say he had a chemical dependency.

 

[Sammy-San]

In that case, MJ was the best all round musician. He could sing, write and he could dance..better than elvis, beatles couldnt dance.

While Mj didnt play instrument specifically, he orchestrated and choreographed all his music.
And not only that, he involved his fans with his music in a way elvis amd beatles never did. Like he would get childen up singing and dancing with him. He gave back to fans..he touched them personally. In an emotional way, a childlike way.
But he was much maligned for this.

What about the fact that the Beatles had more top songs than either one? They were more innovative than Elvis no question (a lot of his early music was just 1950's dance-just fun music, not really great). Jackson was a singer, songwriter, and performer, just like the Beatles all were-and Elvis was a solely a singer/performer who wasn't very good or efficient at any particular instrument.

 

[Dave-W]

Elvis was an ok acoustic guitarist, but not a great one. He wrote nothing AFAIK.

But he was a ground breaker in a way the others weren't. Had Elvis "the pelvis" not done his gyrations on stage, would the way have been open for MJ to do his dances on stage? Perhaps not.

 

[Goodbook]

I dont think he liked being called 'the pelvis' and it was he was doing it unconciously. MJs strange crotch grabs also, I dont know why he did those.

 

[Hank77]

Elvis's voice was the best of all of them. I would argue he was one of the best, if not the best, singer of all time, even surpassing Michael Jackson in his vocal ability.

I think some people are gifted songwriters, and musicians but crappy singers! Eg carole King. (Sorry carole! But she just dont have the chops)
So..i think its voice for me...i cannot listen to a song thats been murdered.

Most accomplished and gifted pop/soft rock voices, imo, Roy Orbison and Whitney Houston.

It's really hard to compare the three in this thread. They were all very different and their influenced the art in very different ways. I'd say they were equally important. All around gifted talents, Michael Jackson.

 

[Goodbook]

Yes, I've been into the 'big O' recently.
In Dreams is amazing.
Whitney has always been jaw droppingly good, when she was in her hey-day. Its sad that she lost it all, to drugs/cocaine etc.

Maybe start another thread on singers who are amazing to hear. Karen carpenter would be top of my list.

 

[Sammy-San]

Well..each was best in their different areas.

Mj. Best performer, dancer, showman
Elvis. Best singer
Beatles, best songwriters.

Happy?

Even as a singer, wouldn't you say Elvis's 50s music, a big part of his career, was highly overrated? I mean, it was just rock and roll with no real substance-the 50s equivalent of top 40 pop artists? Songs like, "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock" aren't even on the same level of talent as the Beatles or Michael Jackson. "If I can Dream", "Sweet Caroline", "Love me Tender", "My Way", "now or never" and "in the ghetto", a list of my favorite songs from Elvis in the 60s and 70s, in the later part of Elvis's career, are very good, but Michael Jackson and the Beatles are easily 100x better than his earlier music.

 

[Goodbook]

Elvis early music wasnt very good IMHO. ly groundbreaking at the time but nothing comoared to what came later. When he got serious about music and not peddling rockn roll trash.

He actually didnt like it himself but it got him in the spotlight. He was better at ballads.

 

[Goodbook]

I like cant help falling in love

At the moment, listening to MJ.

 

[Sammy-San]

Elvis early music wasnt very good IMHO. ly groundbreaking at the time but nothing comoared to what came later. When he got serious about music and not peddling rockn roll trash.

He actually didnt like it himself but it got him in the spotlight. He was better at ballads.

What's your favorite Elvis ballad? Mine is Sweet Caroline. I've literally listened to it for hours this week.

 

[Goodbook]

Thought sweet caroline was by neil dimond.
See above for my favourite ballad.

 

[Citanul]

Sweet Caroline was by Neil Diamond, but it turns out that Elvis covered it.

Although I would have said that's a bit too lively to really be a ballad.

 

[zippy2]

Love Me Tender would melt this gals heart. Got to see him sing it in person once too in Odessa , Tx.

 

[seashale76]

I actually like most of the music for all three. I view Presley and Jackson as tragic figures. I think John Lennon was and is overrated. He was neither working class, nor a nice/good man, nor a good father, nor any kind of peace promoter. He was a hypocrite.

 

[Sammy-San]

I actually like most of the music for all three. I view Presley and Jackson as tragic figures. I think John Lennon was and is overrated. He was neither working class, nor a nice/good man, nor a good father, nor any kind of peace promoter. He was a hypocrite.

What about Paul Mccartney-do you think he was a better person than Lennon, character-wise?