The rock and roll icon died tragically young, at just 42, but left a musical legacy that will forever be impossible to rival. Elvis is everywhere: in record stores, on the Vegas strip, in karaoke bars the world over, and even on the internet, even though the internet was nothing but a twinkle in the future’s eye during Elvis’s lifetime!
It’s a little-known clip but is one of Elvis’s most moving numbers and a firm fan favorite. Elvis was known for his passionate performances. He was even chastised by slightly more prudish members of the public for his rambunctious dance moves and signature shaking and grinding of the hips. His moves, much like his music, were in some ways ahead of their time.
But Elvis was a born entertainer, from the second he first picked up a guitar to his very last breath. In the video of his very last performance, his body has aged and changed and he’s no longer quite the heartthrob that graced our screens at the start of his career. However, his voice still contains that trademark magic, range, power, technical ability, and crooning quality that melted hearts. And still does.
Some fans even argue that this recording is one of the icon’s greatest.
But his voice never lost those romantic, dulcet tones. “Unchained Melody” is a rare example of Elvis in the later stages of his career, weathered and changed by the industry, but nonetheless still a man with tremendous passion for melody, lyrics, and performance, and an unyielding love for making beautiful music.
Watch the moving performance for yourself, below, and witness the legend that is Elvis Presley; immortalized forever thanks to the miracle of modern technology.
Rest in peace, Elvis Presley, crowned king of rock and roll!
