THE BLUE VELVET REVOLUTION: HOW ELVIS PRESLEY BECAME THE ETERNAL KING OF CHRISTMAS
In the late summer of 1957, while the rest of Los Angeles was sweltering under the September sun, Elvis Presley was inside Radio Recorders on Santa Monica Boulevard, creating a winter wonderland that would change the music industry forever. The result was Elvis’ Christmas Album, a record that didn’t just top the charts—it redefined how the world heard the holidays. With over 20 million copies sold to date, it remains the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the United States, cementing a legacy that sparkles as brightly as a tinsel-covered tree.
A Scandal in the Snow
At twenty-two years old, Elvis was already the most controversial figure in America. When word got out that the “Hillbilly Cat” was recording a holiday album, traditionalists braced for impact. The tension peaked with his cover of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” Elvis, inspired by the R&B stylings of The Drifters, gave the song a soulful, rhythmic makeover.
Irving Berlin was so incensed by what he considered a “profane” parody of his masterpiece that he reportedly launched a campaign to have radio stations ban the song. However, the attempt at censorship backfired. The public couldn’t get enough of Elvis’s dual nature—the way he could transition from the growling, bluesy grit of “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” to the reverent, angelic purity of “Silent Night.”
The Birth of “Blue Christmas”
While the album was packed with classics, it was “Blue Christmas” that became the crown jewel of his holiday reign. Originally a country song from the 1940s, Elvis injected it with a signature “tear” in his voice and those iconic “woo-wee-woo” backing vocals from the Jordanaires. Interestingly, Elvis initially didn’t want to record it, but his casual, effortless take ended up creating the definitive version of holiday longing. It transformed the Christmas season into something more than just family gatherings; it became a time to acknowledge the beauty of a lonely heart.
A Legacy Wrapped in Gold
Elvis’ Christmas Album was a pivotal moment in his career because it bridged the gap between the rebellious youth culture and the more conservative adult audience. It proved that he wasn’t just a passing fad of rock ‘n’ roll, but a versatile vocalist with deep roots in gospel and blues.
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Lyrics
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I’ll have a blue Christmas without youI’ll be so blue just thinking about youDecorations of red on a green Christmas treeWon’t be the same dear, if you’re not here with meAnd when those blue snowflakes start fallingThat’s when those blue memories start callingYou’ll be doing all rightWith your Christmas of whiteBut I’ll have a blue, blue, blue, blue ChristmasYou’ll be doing alrightWith your christmas of whiteBut I’ll have a blue, blue, blue, blue ChristmasYou’ll be doing all rightWith your Christmas of whiteBut I’ll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas