My Top Ten Songs About Elvis: American Roulette (#2)

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I was going to post this at dinner before the tournament, but the best laid plans of hillbillies who leave their wallets at home.... I won the local tournament, so it was worth it. Here's my next song about Elvis. #2: American Roulette - Robbie Robertson The Band was the band! What an amazing band they were, with three great singers (Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Robbie Robertson). They could be credited with inventing "Americana" music -- the wonderful blend of rock, blues, country, and everything else roots music -- even though 4/5 of the band was Canadian! After their break-up the members went their separate ways. Some of the members re-formed The Band, but without Robertson it was considered a shell of its former self. Depressed about being reduced to playing tiny clubs keyboardist Richard Manuel hanged himself after a night of drinking in 1986, prompting Robertson to write a song ("Fallen Angel") about his former bandmate. That wasn't the only song about someone in particular on Robertson's stunning eponymous album from 1987. "American Roulette," a play on the term Russian roulette), looked at the deaths of three greats. This is the only song on the list that's not exclusively about Elvis. It's also about James Dean (the first verse) and Marilyn Monroe (last verse). The middle verse belongs to Elvis, though, and it's a powerhouse verse about the trappings of success which, like the other two, ended tragically. At the conclusion of that verse Robertson sings, "God, please, save his soul, he was the King of Rock and Roll." It's a killer song. Making it even better (for me, anyway) is the presence of BoDeans singers Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas on the track. American Roulette Written by Robbie Robertson Recorded by Robbie Robertson From Robbie Robertson, 1987 Say a prayer for the lost generation: