Help In The Ghetto In The Top Ten

What a BS!! I don't give a damn if he will enter the top 10. I have In the Ghetto a zillion times, among it on original single so I won't spoil my money on it either (nor did I do on the other singles). One series that never comes out of the box is enough...

I take it you won't be buying it then Lex; thank's for your help

In The Ghetto is a great song, sounds just as good now as it did when it was first released. I'll be doing everything I can to help.

I don't think they are asking you to buy it, but support it by requesting it be played on the radio. Am I wrong?

Well, to me it shows how pathetic some fans are, but good luck anyway.

Lex you are a disgrace to all Elvis fans , what are you doing on this side ?

Oooooooh I love it when your rough and tough Lex.

Yes Lex, what ARE you doing here? ;-)

Even though I can no longer afford all the releases that are coming out in this latest campaign, I would never think Elvis fans to be pathetic in buying them, I only wish I could!So keep them requests flowing in and keep Elvis' name alive

I don't have a problem with BMG trying to make money, I have no problem with the collectors that still want them (I was one of them for years). I do have "a problem" with fans that can't accept that this concept is not good enough anymore, it worked for half the series two years ago, but after they started to count downloads too it is impossible. Although I wouldn't be surprised if the next campaign by the likes of Albert or "always counting" Brian Q. will be "download the song all 10 times". Pathetic is what I call such campaigns (and thus the fans that start them).

Lex, You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. All that is really required is for fans to help e-mailing DJ's to play 'In The Ghetto'. So far, none of the singles released in the current campaign have been in the Top 200 Airplay Charts or for that matter the Download Charts. The rationale of the 'fan initiative' is that if more airplay is received the more people will hear the song and be tempted to buy it - hence more sales and a higher chart position. If fans wish to help out with this initiative then 'great' - if they do not then 'so be it'. No-one is putting pressure on anyone to do what they do not want to do. Sony BMG(UK) are enthusiastic about the initiative and have promised to get their PR team onto it.

My opinion is towards Lex in this case. I also dont think it is good for either Elvis or his music if the same old songs cant be on the charts by their own force. What is the use of manipulating something just for the sake that your a fan of something, I dont understand that. The train is BMG, and neither Elvis or nobody else here will benefit when stepping aboard and paying for a ticket that leads to nowhere. Think about it, you feel as though your part of something, but your actually not. Your loyalty towards being a fan is just used by BMG. Even though you in this case not even have to pay money, your loyalty as a fan is used so the record company can profit on your work in the end.

Jesper, The problem with your argument is that 'the same old songs' cannot make it on their own without 'airplay'. The DJ's will not play the Elvis tracks without requests. Other songs on the charts do get requests from the respective artists' fans and appear on the various radio station playlists. In my opinion, more Elvis fans need to get proactive in helping the King in the 21st Century - we cannot expect Sony BMG to do everything. Come to think of it, we have always had to fight for what we could get.

I understand 100 % what you mean Brian, but what I am talking about here is a fundamental problem/situation in general about being a fan of something. To simplify it you must ask yourself, -Why is it important to have Elvis on the chart all the time? Who is it good for? The plain answer is to still your hunger for success on something you like, while at the same time somebody else makes money on it. It´s a perfect symbiosis based on your vanity and loyalty as a fan, and other peoples greed. The image of Elvis´ face is the most powerfull tool in marketing since your supposed to feel guilty if you dont follow the request in this kind of ad, or support products with money. That´s why a lot of people even defend every Elvis product, cause if a product has the name and image of something/somebody they love, then they feel obligated to support it. To complete the treacherous circle, reports are being given on good chart results and how much money a dead celebrity like Elvis is still cashing in. That makes a loyal fan feel good and important, and glad to open his/her wallet once again. Am I right?

It is very hard for a man who has not recorded anything new since 1976 to have continued chart success in the 21st century with the same old songs. How many times can a song be successful? If Elvis was recording new songs such as Elton John say, and not achieving chart success then I'd be upset. But in Elvis' case with these single releases I am not. You cannot expect people to be that interested in the same songs over & over. I'm not buying them. Having said that, I think ELvis proved he could be a chart success as he did in 2002 with ALLC. Take a little know Elvis song, remix it or just release it as it is and see what happnes. So many people dont know classic B sides & album cuts such as Patch It Up, etc. It would be very interesting to see how the public reacts to a 'new' Elvis song.

Well said, Steve V. I agree with you completely. Here's an idea. How about a campaign of "Singles That Should Have Been." Create full color picture sleeves for them and everthing. Now I'd be interested in buying. Wudya think? Too creative for Sony/BMG?

JerryN - Great idea! Yes too creative for BMG, but not for the fans. I'd love to be involved with a campaign like that. BMG you listening? You want some ideas?

Now your talking. There's a whole laundry list of songs I know the casuel Elvis fans have not heard, and probably wouldn't buy a whole CD to hear or don't know they exist because they do not get air time, but probably would buy as a single. What ever happened to the album of all remixes they were to release this year? Some are really good. Felton Jarvis remixed quite a few. I hope somebody is listening because I really want the remixes and not as one here and there on a "new" CD release. :)

What's the need for the namecalling? Personally I think it is fun to see Elvis singles next to today's top 40 again on the shelves in the shop. It is nice exposure. Does it serve another purpose? Probably not. But I rather see Elvis' original singles on the shelves than all those cheap collections. If fans are willing to make the extra effort and get Elvis a bit higher on the chart than #14 you can chose to support it or not. Steve V's idea to release "The Singles That Never Were" could be a nice idea, Elvis recorded some great tracks that stood the test of time and certainly hold their own compared to today's music. This unknown side of Elvis could be brought to the general public through a marketing trick like this. "Patch It Up" on the charts would be nice. Next to all the hip hop, dance and house music there is room for good music on the chart, you hear it every now and then.

Lex, they seem to be giving you a hard time here. I tend to agree with you though. Why buy a single that we all have so many times already? If it gets into the top 10 becasue some people are buying or downloading multiple copies, then it isnt really making it into the top 10 at all - it is not a true representaion of what people in the UK are really buying. Just my opinion.

Let the poor deluded ones try to get airplay and they'll see how difficult it is. Apart from local radio station request shows, none of the national stations will play requests. Everything is programmed in advance. 'In The Ghetto' will bomb like all the others - and so it should. It has no place in today's charts. And I say that as a life-long fan, though many won't believe that. Still, continue to live in your own little world and chuck your money at Sony BMG for stuff you already have!

I don`t think Elvis needs to prove anything as far as the charts go...his success speaks for itself.I have to admit that when I first saw the singles in the shops I kind of thought "Who are these really for"??......at this point many non-Elvis fans must figure that the man only recorded about 20 songs in his entire career!.......give us something to be really proud of BMG....it`s wearing as thin as Tom Parkers carny tricks.

Personally I found "Colonel" Tom's carny tricks much more entertaining. Of course he had the benefit of a real live star to assist him. Elvis and the "Colonel" are dead. Long live Elvis and the "Colonel"!!

It's good to see there are at least a few normal people on this site :-).

As one of those "poor deluded ones" I am surprised at the negativity here. I suppose it boils down to what you want. I think it reasonable to assume that the common denominator of most people here is that they want more Elvis product, new Elvis product. Many of us have specific things in mid, some want more outtakes, some want unheard recordings, some want good quality reproduction of concerts. I want all of the above, and especially want to see things like the Elvis Aron Presley silver album and the Comeback Special DVD. Had Elvis disappeared into oblivion in the 1970's or 80's then there would have been no FTD label, there would have been no Silver Box, there probably would have been no 68 Comeback Special DVD and no A Little Less Conversation remix. There are 2 reasons Elvis has not disappeared into oblivion, both of which were essential. The first is the obvious, the excellence of the man himself. The second, equally important, is the "poor deluded ones" who made it economically viable for the various commercial interests to keep selling Elvis.

So I'll be supporting In The Ghetto, trying to give it that extra push, trying to ensure Elvis continues to be seen in the music industry as commercially viable. Because if the day ever comes when Elvis is seen as a comercial flop then we'll all be worse off.

In connection with the aforementioned Request Campaign to get 'In The Ghetto' played on UK Radio can I remind fans that NOW is the time to start requesting the track. My request for the record to be played is as follows: Dear, Would you please play ‘In The Ghetto’ by Elvis Presley during the week commencing 5th November as I think this is one of the finest recordings ever made. In today’s throwaway society we are now nearing the stage where human life is too often being thrown away for usually some trivial act of violence. Hopefully, if enough people hear this record it may help them think before acting on the spur of the moment and perhaps ruining the lives of whole families for the want of a little restraint. Many Thanks. Best Wishes.