**ELVIS PRESLEY…in Pakistan (50’s through 60’s)
**
Elvis Presley regularly visited Pakistan..mainly Karachi during mid-50’s through late 60’s.
His stay always, was a busy one at PALACE, REX & PARADISE cinemas.
I met Elvis for the first ever time on phonograph—or a Record (not money) Changer
via 45 RPMs in 1957..with my cousin and a dear friend..Chicoo Jehangir. Soon, Elvis
LPs starting becoming our close friends also. My dad helped us in introducing them during
his UK and USA visits when I requested him to catch hold of them and bring them to our country.
The HYDN Centre on the then, Elphinston (now Zebbunissa) Street was always an Elvis friend
and helped us a lot to manage Elvis Presley FAN club at Karachi where Farzana Farooqui the eldest
of Mrs. Maryam Farooqui of Happy Home School got to create a large Elvis Fan Club.
The first time I met Elvis Presley in person was at Paradise Cinema (of Danny Mobed) in karachi
when Elvis was there to attend a party at the JAILHOUSE which rocked like anything for us
teenagers then…much so much that our Garden Road Colony buddy Hasan Ali…literally stood up
and joined Elvis and his mates…dance on Jailhouse Rock at the cinema hall amidst a thunder of
claps and deafening whistling sounds.
Jail House Rock..was like this;
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpzV_0l5ILI&feature=related
NEXT time I met Elvis was at the Palace Cinema adjacent to Hotel Metropole-Karachi. That was sometime
in 1960…and Elvis stood like a KING and Creoled with his spanish…with us almost standing and dancing
to the beat…remembered today just like that of yesterday…!
Elvis playing his spanish went on CREOLING like this;
OR
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA_zS6-dO7Q&feature=related
***Some years later, it was at REX Cinema near the Governor’s House-Karachi that I met Elvis Presley
dressed as an American G.I…with all the hit songs…and since that year & date…I have never
stopped singing or humming..that beautiful song which had some German lines as well…which too have
been hummed without knowing what they really mean…
Elvis and that PUPPET female were glorious in that scene presenting WOODEN HEART to us;
***
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9NxlkP60oE
***In 1966 I wrote to Elvis Presley a letter and mailed it with no address…just his name and USA.
After 2 months I received a letter from Elvis courtesy of Col. Tom Parker..where Elvis thanked me
for the compliments I had paid to him in my class-X English I knew then..and he also enclosed his
photo with Ann Margaret.
The only 45 RPM which has been fortunately maintained by me of Elvis Presley..which my Dad had brought for
me on one of his USA tours…is that of the song I have immense love for…Hear it;
***
or
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4p9USIZ8y0&feature=related
LADIES & GENTLEMEN—BOYS & GIRLS;
