Elvis Black Velvet Views
There are some interesting theories about the Black Velvet title.1 I prefer to think of it as a very apt description of Elvis’s style, his look and his voice.A Something awfully sexy and dangerous about black velvet.s However it’s possible that it refers to the Elvis on Black Velvet paintingsr you can still find in some people’s homes or, and I think this is a pretty cool idea too, it refers to the hair dye Elvis always used which was called “Sullivan’s Black Velvet”.
The song is a written story about Elvis Presley. The words black velvet are a multi-faceted reference that can be applied to Elvis in numerous ways. (1) The Velvet Elvis phenomenon of his likeness frequently being painted on black velvet. (2) The soulful and smooth black baritone sound of Elvis' voice and the many African American recording artists and singers he emulated to create his special brand of rock n' roll. (3) Black Velvet was also the brand name of the hair dye Elvis used to give his normally light brown hair its distinctive black sheen.
Black Velvet is described as a new religion that'll bring you to your knees, a possible reference to the near-religious fervor with which Elvis was regarded by many fans early in his career. The chorus tells of Black velvet and that little boy's smile/Black velvet with that slow, Southern style , a reference to Elvis' trademark lopsided grin and Southern heritage. The end of the first verse claims that The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything/Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for [black velvet] , a reference to Elvis' singing, distinctive movements on stage, and charisma.
A Velvet Elvis is a painting of Elvis Presley on velvet, sometimes known as a Velvis, a portmanteau originally coined in 1984 by David Knechel.[citation needed] It typically represents a costumed torso of Elvis holding a microphone, painted on black velvet (or velvet of some other dark color, such as navy blue, red or purple). This iconic velvet painting is considered an archetypical example of kitsch.