The Downward Spiral

In 1960, Elvis had served in the army for two years, but he jumped right back into his career. There was an RCA recording session, a guest appearance on Frank Sinatra's Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley television special, and the filming of G.I. Blues. Elvis resumed his relationship with Anita, as well as with Elisabeth, his personal secretary in Germany who followed him to Graceland.

There had been some newcomers in the music industry since Elvis had been away. After his 1958 hit “Splish Splash,” Bobby Darin had won a Grammy Award in 1959 for “Mack the Knife.” Also, many of Elvis's rock and roll contemporaries were no longer on the scene. Jerry Lee Lewis had retired because of a sex scandal. Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens had died in a plane crash. Little Richard had become a minister.

Elvis had three number-one singles in a row in 1960: “Stuck on You,” “Now or Never,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” His popularity was undiminished, but two of these three songs were ballads. Where was the hard-rocking Elvis Presley?

When Elvis got back to Nashville, he went into the recording studio and recorded the album Elvis Is Back. The album quickly zoomed to number one on the charts. Next, Elvis went to Hollywood to film G.I. Blues. Most of the music in this movie is pop music. The film got poor reviews but was a smash success at the box office.