Hi
I'm thinking of including a trip to Memphis to see
Graceland in my trip to the US. Is it interesting/a good
tribute to the man or just tacky? If any of you out there
have been I'd be grateful to hear your impressions of the
place.
Than'youv'much in advance
Tara
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Graceland is a cool place - but they no longer employ
guides, but give you ear phones and a walkman and you listen
to a creepily fierce pro Elvis monologue and walk around the
house like a robot. It is neat to see, but I would
definitely not go to Memphis especially to see it as that
city is a complete dump!
But that would probably suit you.
It's incredibly tacky. If you're an American, just stay home and watch daytime TV. If you're a visitor to the US, it is the Classic American Experience, expecially if you go from there to Branson, Missouri.
Any thing that is a shrine to Elvis has to be tacky.
The tour whitewashes Presley's life (esp. the Vegas years
and the circumstances surrounding his death) and the inside
of the house is a monument to low budget bad taste from the
60s and 70s (e.g., a room with cheap shag carpeting on the
walls and ceiling). If you're truly hard core, this will be
fine because it's his house and stuff---otherwise, it comes
off as a joke (and some visitors such as myself go
expressly becuase we ecpect it to be over the top). Memphis
is trying to revitalize itself with an ersatz recreation of
Beale Street and some other efforts, but basically it is a
sad, troubled city with less to do than many places its
size. You'll get better blues in Chicago and if you want a
dignified homage to Elvis try the Rock-n-Roll hall of Fame
in Cleveland.
It's closed on Tuesdays.
Depends what you're looking for. The best part is the
graffiti outside.....it's brilliant!
We tried to think up a question stupid enough to get us
kicked out, but found that there isn't a question that
stupid!
"What instrument did Elvis play in the Civil War?"
"I don't know. Was Elvis in the Civil War?"
I kid you not!
Have fun!!
a haunting picture of the King on black velvet.
Every country in the world must have done a tv documentary
making fun and showing how incredibley tacky it is.
If you happen to be near go and make up your own mind!
Being of that era we really identified with the decor of
the 60's and 70's and life was like that.
I am glad I went. Enjoy your travels!
Thanks to you all above. Despite the generally negative
views I think I will go - yep I'm a big fan. I'm a Brit
who's done the six months backpacking round India thing
which I loved, but am now in the mood for some first world
glitz and tack (I'm also going to Vegas) so it maybe what
I'm looking for. Thanks again.
Tupelo, in the northeast corner of the state of Mississippi,
is where Elvis was born, and you can visit the house. It's
really very tasteful, believe it or not.
One of the later highlights of my visit was a convenience
store clerk who was smearing Elvis's stardust all over
herself. If you can get through the town Tupelo without
meeting someone who claims he/she went to high school with
Elvis and was his friend, you have very poor luck indeed!
(*Maybe that's good luck*)
Of course it's tacky. But in many ways, America is tacky.
(Yes, I'm American) Graceland is a surreal schlockfest, and
a wonderful part of Americana. Gogogogogo
Memphis is an industrial town - but you can make it a helluva trip if you 'd like - They have a righteous civil rights
museum set up in the hotel where MLK was shot. There's Beale St. the home of the blues- if you like the blues, you
have to make the pilgramage to where it all began and still is performed nightly. You can also visit Sun Records,
where the King made his debut. Memphis is also home of some of the world's best BBQ ribs - this one place has
them sent by air delivery around the world. A bizarre side trip can be made to the Pink Palace - its a former
residence of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain owner. The entire house is constructed out of pink marble. It's a
museum now.
How do I know all this? I live in Nashville, the superior city by far.