The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley is considered to be one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. The best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, he excelled in commercially successful genres like pop, country, blues and gospel, giving fans creations like Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, Can't Help Falling in Love and Love me Tender to name a few.
Known for his good looks, charm, acting prowess and baritone voice, Presley found fame with his first No. 1 single, Heartbreak Hotel. Presley's career saw him shift from music, to movies to a military stint and back to music. He was one of the leading figures of the popular sound of rock and roll and he was also the first solo artist to have a concert, Aloha from Hawaii that was broadcast around the world.
Elvis Presley died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate at the age of 42. On the music icon's 42nd death anniversary, here's looking at a few of his most famous songs.
Are You Lonesome Tonight?
Written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman, it was recorded by Presley, following his two-year service in the United States army and became an immediate success in the US. The song topped Billboard's Pop Singles chart and reaching number three on the R&B chart. In fact, the success of Are You Lonesome Tonight? made Presley sing it at many of his live concerts.
Bridge over Troubled Water
The song, influenced by Gospel music and written by American music duo Simon and Garfunkel was rendered by Elvis Presley for his 1970 album That's the Way It Is. The album peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 8 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Can't Help Falling in Love
The 1961 song, recorded for the album Blue Hawaii was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody of the song was based on Plaisir d'amour, a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. Elvis Presley's version was at number one of the British charts in 1962, spending four weeks there.
In the Ghetto
Originally titled The Vicious Circle, the 1969 song by Presley was written by Mac Davis. A narrative about a boy born to a woman steeped in poverty and grows on to show the cycle of life in the ghetto. As a major international hit, Presley included it in his setlist during his return to live performances at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969.
Love Me Tender
The 1956 song, recorded by Elvis Presley was a love ballad written by Ken Darby. The single debuted at number 2 on the "Best Sellers in Stores" pop singles chart, the first time a single made its first appearance at the number 2 position. It was released shortly before the movie, Love Me Tender, was released.
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