Elvis Presley in the South African musical imaginary
Loading...
Date
2015
Authors
Sewlall, Harry
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
This paper derives its impetus from a question an elderly American woman once asked
me: “Do people in South Africa know Elvis?” “Of course we South Africans know Elvis!”
I replied. Or do we, really? Using a historiographic approach, this paper is an attempt
to explore how Elvis Presley’s image was first imported into South Africa, especially
during the Apartheid era when there was no television and media censorship was a
fact of daily life. Additionally, this essay will reflect on the impact of the media – then
and now – in creating images, fantasies and illusions in constituting the subjectivity
of the Elvis of real life and the Elvis of sound, stage and celluloid in the South African
musical imaginary.
Description
Keywords
Presley, Elvis, Imaginary, Historiography
Citation
Sewlall, H. (2015). Elvis Presley in the South African musical imaginary. Acta Academica, 47(2), 54-71.