A Baby Boomer Visits Graceland

For years, my husband and I talked about visiting Memphis. We finally made the trip this month and in addition to visiting Beale Street, the Rock and Soul Museum, Stax Museum and the National Civil Rights Museum, we visited Graceland. I have to say that Graceland exceeded my expectations. I expected Elvis's home to be tacky but instead saw a home that reflected the style of the 1970's, the defining decade of my childhood. The upstairs bedrooms are not open to the public so perhaps that's where the tackiest decor is. 

My first surprise was that from the outside, the home was not nearly as grand as I expected a mansion to be. It probably seemed so at the time Elvis bought it, when he was only 22 years old. On the inside, the home is like a time capsule of the 1970's with wood cabinet TV's, a harvest gold refrigerator, and extensive use of gold accents, mirrors, stained glass, shag carpeting and vinyl.

My favorite room was the living room, which was decorated with white furniture and blue drapes that matched the ones in the dining room and at the top of the staircase. There were beautiful stained glass peacocks separating the living room from the music room. Even though gold is no longer popular, I still thought it was an elegant room. My sister told me that the kitchen is surprisingly tiny; she was right. Today, it's hard to imagine having such a small kitchen in an expensive home and even harder to believe that anyone ever thought it was a good idea to have carpeting in the kitchen!

They say Elvis had three TV's in his media room because he heard that President Johnson watched the three major networks at the same time. The wet bar at the end of the room was oh so 70's from the yellow counter top to the vinyl stools. We also saw his pool room, which was decorated with fabric on the walls and ceilings, a bit too much, in my opinion.

The one room that I found tacky was the "Jungle Room," though a friend told me she liked it. I took several pictures of it because it was dark and hard to photograph (flash cameras were not allowed). The furniture was intricately carved, heavy and uncomfortable looking. Though I can see why little Lisa Marie would have enjoyed cuddling up in the big round chair in the corner, next to the rock wall. 

Touring a home that is stuck in the 1970's made me feel a bit nostalgic for that decade. (It also made me feel a bit old). Though the styles look old fashioned now, it was a simpler time. Elvis had several TV's in his home, but most families only had one. We were not addicted to electronic gadgets as we are now; we actually talked to each other. On the other hand, with an iPad to guide me on the Graceland tour, I was able to go back in time 40 years and easily access additional media about Elvis - photos, videos and recordings.

Elvis's Trophy Room was an incredible display of his career achievements, with a long corridor lined with gold records and awards. There were also a couple of displays highlighting his generosity to the community. In 1970, the Jaycees named Elvis one of "Ten Outstanding Young Men" in the country. He treasured this recognition.

I enjoyed looking at the awards in the Trophy Room, but was especially drawn to an exhibit of Elvis's 1968 TV special. I was five years old at the time. I'm not sure if I remember watching the special or if I just think I remember it. While touring this room, we were told that Elvis had a seven year dry spell which led him to perform in Las Vegas for several years.

I also liked watching some of Elvis's movies, though they were not really all that good. He was just incredibly handsome. When I got home from Memphis, I looked up Elvis's movies to find out which one had Donna Douglas, "Ellie Mae" from the Beverly Hillbillies. I learned from a fan's Elvis Women website that while filming Frankie and Johnny, Douglas and Elvis used to talk a lot about religion, one of my favorite subjects.

Elvis's racquetball building is now used to exhibit additional memorabilia and some of the jumpsuits he wore while performing. I wasn't a great fan of Elvis during his Vegas years - he seemed to care too much about his star image. Admittedly, he was a talented performer. He successfully played up his sex appeal, even as he put on the pounds in the last few years of his life. But I have to wonder how much harm was done to his health when he performed in Vegas. Did Vegas kill Elvis, as a Daily Mail article suggests?

Last on the tour of the mansion was the "Meditation Garden" where Elvis is buried next to his parents, his stillborn twin brother and his grandmother. Elvis was at least somewhat religious and recorded some great gospel songs. I have a few on my iPod; my favorites are Swing Down Sweet Chariot and How Great Thou Art.  I like his gospels so much, I'm going to buy one of his albums.

I was fourteen when Elvis died and remember the speculation that prescription drug abuse contributed to his death at only 42 years of age. He was a gifted man, idolized by many, but he had feet of clay. It is sad that so many talented people engage in self-destructive behavior. Visiting Graceland reminded me of what I admired about Elvis - his music, his charm, his generosity, and the fact that he didn't try to be like someone else.