Elvis grew up as poor as anyone you can imagine. He saw white people fall into the same traps as poor black people. This isn't a racial issue, financial desolation destroys everyone equally.

Preacher said to Elvis when he was starting out, “ If you can’t say it, sing it “. And Elvis did that.

Elvis understood poverty and hunger because that was his life. He witnessed whites and blacks of all ages suffer. He went hungry and his family went hungry. His parents picked cotton along with the poorest black and white families. All during the great depression and segregation. Elvis Presley was singing in the 1940s in black and white churches down during this dangerous racist time. His viewpoint coming from dirt poverty was profound. His own twin brother was stillborn and buried in a SHOEBOX due to lack of ANY funds for a proper burial. His home was a shotgun shack, built by his father by hand, and with no electricity. That was his humble beginnings. He grew up in two legendary neighborhoods Shakerag in Mississippi and Beale Street in Memphis Tennessee. Two ghettos and music hubs. And the rest is history.

Elvis helped thousands of people during his short life, white, black, brown, yellow,…. It didn’t matter,. He was the most generous, kind and loving , and most important humble human being. Rest In Peace Elvis.

i am old enough to remember Elvis coming out with this song. It was written by Mac Davis and he asked Sammy Davis Jr to record it. Sammy said he didn't know anything about that kind of life but that Elvis would be able to do since he grew up in the "ghetto" in Tupelo, MS. Elvis said yes and fought his manager and others to do the song - he won and we are still enjoying it.

Man, this is a powerful song, and it's crazy and sad to think that this was almost 50 years ago and the ideas are still applicable today.

Elvis lived in a house with no electricity, no running water and no indoor toilet until he was 13 years old when his father moved the family to Memphis and Public housing. Prior to that Elvis was raised in a predominately black neighborhood referred to as "the hill" in East Tupelo, MS. There were only four white families that lived "on the hill" in East Tupelo, MS and the Presleys were one of the four. This was during the Great Depression and jobs were non existent! Elvis' father, Vernon had a very hard time finding work as did many people then.

Dude! Understand that this song was written by Mac Davis, a country music star. Mac wrote the song, Elvis heard about it and asked Mac if he could record it. Mac said; HELL YES ELVIS!

Elvis never forgot where he came from and he didn't know color. He never took credit for the songs he sang from the black musicians but gave THEM the credit and never accepted being called the "KING" which he gave that honor to the blacks such as Fats Domino to carry that title. I love watching the blacks reaction to Elvis because many blacks thought he was racist and he was anything BUT racist. Some just bought into certain rumors that were far from the truth.. Thanks to all of you for realizing who the real Elvis was and what he did to change the music world that still lives on today. He gave respect and honor to black music and always gave credit to whom it belonged to which was the black community where it all started...THANK YOU! He was the best humanitarian the world had ever seen in that day. He gave more of his wealth than what he kept because he didn't want to see anyone live in the poverty he grew up in as a child. His family was dirt poor so he shared anything and everything any chance he could including over 200 new cadillacs, new homes, medical help to the sick and dying and countless donations to children's hospitals and charities every year at Christmas....and so much more with most of it privately and anonymously. Due to his generous heart, he died with little money. He loved giving, That is what made him happy. Footnote: RCA fought him producing this song because it was too "down" and sad. He told them "don't care if you all like it " I'm recording it! The song went to #1 and stayed there for many weeks in many countries. We ;love you Elvis you will never be forgotten!

Elvis got the best back up singers ever.Vonnie ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

We... the fans gave him that... that title!!! Whether he liked it or not?! He was the king!!! He is still is THE KING.

He also didn't want to be called boss either. One of his back up singers called him boss and he said "I'm not your boss, I'm your brother".

Elvis is from the GHETTO

Thank you depper...some folks think Elvis was just singing from a what is called "white man's point of view". Elvis was deeper than that in heart and Soul.

Most perceptive line ever: "or he's going to be an angry young man someday "

TRUE! Elvis did not like being referred to as "The King". There is only one King and he is in heaven. Elvis was very religious. A true believer. Elvis LOVED to sing Gospel.

Elvis managed to climb out of the ghetto and ruled the world with his music. But he never forgot where he came from, and this song is as relevant today as it was then.

The message is relatable then...and now. Elvis didn't see color. Elvis saw pain and suffering, but he also had hope!

Elvis started supporting his parents, cousins, and some of his friends by the time he was 20 and he continued to do so for the rest of his life. He was lucky enough to use his talent, charisma, and hard work to get hie entire family out of extreme poverty. But he never forgot his roots.

If you haven't already you should check out Elvis and the Black Community ( that echo will never die)

In a very early interview a reporter asked Elvis how it felt to be The King.... Elvis pointed towards Heaven and said there is only one King.

As Elvis said, the is only one King, the Lord

Memphis Girl here. Elvis' family was dirt poor. When they moved from Tupelo, MS to Memphis they lived in the projects. It's the reason he was so generous with his parents, friends and even strangers once he made it big. There's no telling how much of his wealth he gave away. He had the biggest heart of probably any major star. 😎

I had to subscribe that was an awesome reaction. I wonder had Elvis lived how many more songs he would have added to his Platform relating to racism, poverty, hunger and class warfare. Thing is when Elvis sang it Everyone knew the song and generations later they knew this song so his power and reach was truly unheard of and still is unheard of. This song and If I can dream was powerful and sadly still relevant.

Mac Davis, The Writer Of This Song, First Wanted To Give It To Sammy Davis Jr., Knowing That He Knew Something Of That Life, But Sammy Had Turned It Down, Because He Never Experienced It, And Told Him That He Knew Elvis Did, So You Might Want To Take It To Him, And He Did, And The Song Went To N0# 1, And Of Course When He Heard The Version From Elvis,The 1st Time There Was Something Wrong With The Lyrics,,,, Elvis Added 4 Words, And Before He Could Find Out Why, He Was Already Driving To The Bank From The 1st Royalty Check, And Mac Davis Found Out Later That Elvis Had Heard His Mother Cry Many Times When Vernon Was Locked Up, The 4 Words Are, (And His Mama Cried.) Elvis Learned It First Hand, Living In The Ghetto.

Elvis said Jesus is the King not meee!!!!!

Elvis was always heavily influenced by black blues and R&B artists...people claiming he was racist are clueless and idiotic

The original title for this song was “ Vicious Circle” Elvis sang from his heart. He once said there was no amount of money he could possibly earn that would make him forget being poor🙏👌💕🕺

Elvis understood poverty

Great reaction. Elvis lived this. He grew up extremely poor in Tupelo until moving to Tennessee when he was 13 even then they still struggled. He never forgot where he came from. I hope that you will react to more of his music. Once you know the man you appreciate his music so much more. If I can dream..dedicated to MLK is a beautiful song. Thank you for not only sharing EP but your experience as well as your compassion for those who still struggle.

It is a vicious cycle, children are born to people who were born to the same circumstances. It’s easy to judge and condemn when you are not born into that struggle.

I think a good fair title for Elvis without insulting sensitive people these days would be 'The Influencer' as he was the most influential artist of all time. He influenced in some way or another everybody from The Beatles to Michael Jackson and Prince to modern day stars like Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Katy Perry, and Doja Cat among so many more. Everybody from Country and Hip-Hop to Gospel and K-Pop.

Elvis father was arrested for writing a bad check to put groceries on the table. He was the less fortunate brother!💯

Good call LEX. When Elvis played in Toronto there was a giant banner that said "Toronto welcomes the king". Some reporter asked him where that nickname started. Elvis said "I don't really know, but Jesus is the real king".

This song was 50yrs ago. He lived this life

This is a powerful song! Elvis had love for everyone including the less fortunate. Beautiful soul he had. I couldn’t see if you covered his song “If I can dream” (white suit). Another beautiful and powerful song. A tribute to MLK. ❤

Elvis never saw color, he only saw people, he grew up in the worse ghettos in both Tupelo, Miss and Memphis, Tenn. He was generous to a fault, I had read where he was at a car dealership and he saw a middle-aged couple looking at a beautiful car, Elvis asked them if they liked it, the wife said yes but we could never afford it, Elvis went in, talked to a salesman and came out and handed them the keys, that's the kind of man he was, and no matter how famous he became, he still never forgot where he came from.

Thank you brother for your honest reaction 🕺

Please play where no one stands alone by Elvis and Lisa Marie Presley.thank you Vonnie 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

The things you talk about your experiece are very dear to your heart but I think you might be missing that this song was sung in the 60's. That's what I find is where the problem is mostly missed is even though you can connect with his lyrics, this was sung 60 years ago and is still going on today. That's why NO one fucks with Elvis songs today. He is untouchable within the music industry cause no artist can ever try to pretend to relate to what he's trying to say to the audience imo.

Go down the Elvis rabbit hole, you will learn how he was so far ahead of his time on these songs

I love how serious he was when singing that

Please play where no stands alone by Elvis and Lisa Marie Presley.thank you.Vonnie ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤❤

This one hits you in the feels

Great reaction. God bless you.

He is the kaaaaang.

Great reaction! Thanks for your soulful honesty. I'm a new sub!!!

The terrible circle of life in the Ghetto, it is a huge shame that we as people accept that Ghettos exist, but they do exist all over the world not only in USA

Mac Davis wrote this. When he was growing up he was best friends with the son of his Dad's coworker. He could never understand the justification for his black best friend to live in the ghetto while his white family had a nice house in a nice community. His friend's dad and his dad had the same jobs but provided much different lives for their children. Originally he offered the song to Sammie Davis Jr.... Sammie said, "I don't know that life... but Elvis grew up in the ghetto, you should talk to him."

Great reaction brother!

What a great reaction man. Heartfelt and serious.

The song doesn't blame the young man... The song blames society and the people who don't help which perpetuates the cycle.

I apologize if someone already pointed this out, but I didn't notice it in the comments I read through... Mac Davis who wrote this song, wrote it about a friend of his & that young boy's family when they were growing up together. Mac Davis' family didn't have a lot, but they had enough he said; one of those things where you didn't realize you were low income or poor because so many around you growing up were in similar situations, and you just made do. His Dad worked at the local factory with a friend, a black man, and that man's son was one of Mac's close friends. Anyway, Mac started to notice that even tho both his Dad & his friend's Dad worked at the same factory, same job, they lived in a different part of town.. rundown, poorer than even Mac's family, they lived in an area he later came to realize was considered a ghetto. He didn't understand why his friend's Dad didn't make as much as his Daddy did? Why he didn't always have a coat or adequate shoes.. And it really upset him, the injustice of it all made him mad. Mac Davis shared toys, his lunch, clothes, his parents had them to dinner often, etc... He also didn't understand why his friend couldn't go to his church with him, why there were different churches for Black & White, and that really bothered him! Anyway, that's what inspired him to write the song he said in an interview.

Great reaction

Mac Davies wrote this song and was told if he sang it his career was over, Elvis said screw 'em I’ll sing it and when a white venue refused his black background singers entry and he refused to perform if they couldn’t.

Subbed. Elvis. If I can dream. In the white suit please. God bless

Pisses me off that we still have essentially the same problems today. I mean in a lot of ways I think it is better but this is still a huge problem. Generational poverty, young men face down in the street with a gun in their hand. There has got to be a way to end this.

It's funny how you said even teachers might look down on him. My Mom was struggling when I was little. I wore jeans with holes in my knees to school (early 80's). My teacher was a snobby b!tch and sent a note home from school saying that she needed to dress me better, etc. I remember how mad my mom was. Until that point, I didn't know that holes in the knees meant something. Until then, I didn't know I was "poor". It changed me a little. Years later that teacher came into the shop my mom had (I was about 29) and I was so mean to that old witch and I still don't feel bad about it. lol

A few more bangas from Elvis: Mean Woman Blues: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e9iDbKWHvLPJn30.html&t= Hound Dog: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l7SJis9imK-7mI0.html Stuck On You: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/obBmrKSKrdmsoZs.html and a great Spanish dance craze number from the 1960s by the name of BOSSA NOVA BABY: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/la2RodJ2qp26hZc.html Recommendation: After his friend MLK was assassinated, Elvis delivered maybe the greatest social justice song ever recorded in his honor: If I Can Dream. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q5Ogg8KVqMvSenU.html Recommendation: Elvis and the Black Community. A great collaboration of interviews by legends and historic figures in the black community discussing Elvis. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rspho7uolqrRo3U.html Recommendation: Elvis' close black childhood friend Sam Bell who sadly passed away shortly after this historic and beautifully personal interview: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gth2dtx_sty-h58.html

Elvis was amazing. You should listen to his An American Trilogy live from his Aloha from Hawaii concert... here's the link... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ZqyEZraev8XeqGQ.html Great reaction to In the Ghetto. Elvis was so poor they had dirt floors and no indoor plumbing.... he grew up in the black community from the projects, to church...but you notice in this song...race is never mentioned... poverty affects all, no matter who they are...Elvis knew that and he never saw color. He saw people. One venue he was to sing at told him he couldn't bring his back up singers because they are black and he said if he can't bring them then he wasn't going, either. I loved him.

This was about pre Crack days this song was released in 1969 so was about the days in the ghetto in the early 60s back when I was living in the ghettos , Elvis grew up Poor's as poor can be in the 40s and 50s son of a sharecropper

Elvis once said fats dionno is the king of rock n roll.

It is apalling how cruel ignorant people can be, also how resistant they are to being educated, to learn how, about what when and why they should be doing so much better, without costing themselves much at all, yet still causing so much misery all around them. Perpetuating prejudice based on untruth, will only be embarrassing to the perpetraters of hate, once they learn the truth of what insubstantial foundations, their beliefs are based on.

More Elvis plz. Don't forget to check out Chris Stapleton as well. =) Thank you!!!

Glad I found you again. Thought you may have gotten canceled...🍻🤙💞

Could u react to jailhouse rock from the movie jailhouse rock by Elvis presley.

Check out ' Elvis and the Black Community the Echo will never die " Elvis did not see color he saw people .

Actually Elvis lived in a ghetto area of Memphis Tennessee from 1957-77

How do we fix it!!!!!! There has to be a way to change our country and get rid of the Ghetto!!!!

I like that you stop to point out that, ok Elvis, not every kid in the ghetto is gonna go steal & fight. Like, that is not a universal experience of life in the ghetto. Even if you can see it around you. But I started to look a the song backwards instead. Here we have Chicago, the highest violent crime rate in the USA. The public opinion about that is usually so calloused and negative, and everyone loves to use it as a bad example. So then in the song here we have a story about just one such incident, but he really puts the humanity back into the story. So it's tragic and tender instead of calloused, provoking people to look at this and care and want to support.

You know who wrote that song for Elvis was Mac Davis

You might want to try his tribute to MLK with "If I Could Dream" - the version where he is in White --- it's.... it's...

I think he means stealing food from being so impoverished and hungry 👌🏼

Elvis's family was dirt poor, and in the projects, on the "wrong side of the tracks" even in a whole TOWN that was considered wrong side of the tracks.

He said there was one king and that was BB King.

Three 6 Mafia sampled it!! ✌🏼& ❤️

He always said there only one king and that's up above that's why he didn't like be called king

And he was from the Ghetto..

When I was coming up we lived in a twin single with coal fired heat it was on one side my aunt my grandmother my mom and us 4 kids and on the other side was my other anut her husband their 5 kids and my uncles sister and her kid and we all ate at the same table and there was never enough to go around

I think EP is telling us his life story,,,,,he is that little boy/young man

That happens anywhere someone picks on other all over the world.

Let the song play and give your comments afterwards

This song is not everyone in the ghetto it's about one person

You know we dont got ghetto here in my country the netherlands . Some say here yea we from the ghitto but no not here . We got part of town's that are poor . But yeah like we say here no dog will eat from the street .

I can understand what his words mean, dude

About halfway thru your vid - you had a mild objection to the "Learns ho to steal" line. I am a white boy - who grew up in a ghetto. I started stealing and smoking when I was 6 years old. He did not mean that in a racial way - he KNEW IT from the poverty - ghetto way. We do what we gotta do when we young and stupid.

Elvis grew up dirt poor in Mississippi

Ghetto to me as a child was about Nazis confirning Jews... I didn't understand Elvis song until I saw that people that had melanin in skin were "othered"

Elvis would say Jesus is the king

Check out walk a mile my shoes you will like it too.

BB King is taking a BB gun to him

4:10 His father went to jail for theft.

Jailhouse Rock earlier Elvis classic.

he drove a truck 2.75 hr

It would be a much better time watching if you could forgo the nicotine addiction for a mere 8 minutes.

PLEASE LISTEN WHAT THE SONG IS SAYING. NO ONE WOULD DO THIS SONG. YES MAC DAVIS WROTE IT BUT ELVIS DID IN A LAS VEGAS IN PROMINENT WHITE PEOPLE. THERES NO SMILE ON HIS FACE.. THE PART COMES TO HE SINGS AS THE WORLD TURNS HE BOWS HIS HEAD. PLEASE WATCH ELVIS AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY TWO PARTS. HE ALWAYS SAID HELP YOUR FELLOW MAN ALONG THE WAY, FOR GOD MADE YOU IS THE SAME GOD MADE HIM. 💞💞💞

Elvis rubberneckin from change of habit please

Elvis opened doors of white people houses around the WORLD for music categorized as Unacceptable

My Anonymous Op-ed to the DNC (Democrat Party) For over 50 years you told me that you had my back. You convinced me that if I voted for you, my life would be better. You lied, my life has not become better, in fact it is becoming worse. When we first met I had a family - a wife and two children. My children were both attending decent public schools. They were getting good grades, and on their way to having fulfilling careers. Our neighborhood had movie theaters, grocery stores, dry-goods stores, auto mechanics and banks. Now my family is fatherless, our children are attending Public Schools where we are taught to embrace diversity and give up personal responsibility. We were told that in order to qualify for public assistance, I had to leave my family and my wife had to raise the children on her own. We want, as you got stronger. We thought that as you got stronger our lives would get better. It's become increasingly obvious that as you got stronger and more powerful that instead of helping us, you decide to help powerful people. You have helped the educational elite, Hollywood celebrities, and corporations like Nike get stronger. You promised to help us and said that if we joined you, that the American dream would be ours too. And after 50 years it is not the case. We are poor and miserable; worse off than when we first met. Signed, American Black People.

dude i've tried to watch this twice, i love this song but your constant interruptions ruin it. save it for the end or maybe pause once