Tommy Steele: was he really that big?
Posted by Lucas Hare on 29 April 2008 - 2:59pm.
Following on from the podcast, this has long troubled me. I know Steele had a hit or two in the late fifties, possibly even pre-Cliff Richard, and that he was a little bit of a local rock 'n' roll sensation for poor types who were incapable of recognising the real thing. My Dad always used to say that, at his school in about 1957, in the grand tradition of Oasis vs. Blur, and Stones vs. Beatles, that you were either a Tommy Steele fan or an Elvis fan. Can this possibly be credible? Was he ever really that big?
I mean, that in 1957, this:
was somehow comparable with this:
Surely not...
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In Sweden it was true
As I have been informed by a relative of mine. She hung out with other Tommy Steele fans back then. You were either Steele or Elvis there also. So I imagine therefore it was the case here too. Bizarre.
To be fair to the tousle-topped troubadour
I think he earned his unearned reputation as the UK's top rocker because his version of "Singin' the Blues" in 1957 was more successful than the original - No. 1 for several weeks in 1957. That's it, though. A one-hit wonder.
Flash in the pan Bang Wallop
When Tommy Steele was at his early peak, I was under ten, but I had singles by both Elvis & him in my little collection. Tommy's best was a cover of Tallahassee Lassie and the worst was Little White Bull, bought after seeing the film. It seemed OK at the time, though. Which is where the comment about poor types who were incapable of recognising the real thing misses the point. Rock hindsight had yet to be invented. It was all new, then.
Sure, Elvis' records were/still are infinitely better, rocked deeper, had great guitars and a mood that lightweight Tommy could never catch. However, in terms of stardom, I reckon they were equal for a while, but not for long. Tommy was accessible and home-grown, after all.
I had a teenage sister to look up to in terms of what was hip and don't remember her being that crazy about Elvis then. Don't forget, back in 50's England no bugger was aware of Sun Records, Scotty Moore and the rest of the stuff that we all revere these days. It was just pop music and pop stars. And Elvis had his share of crap films, too.
You really should read Bermondsey Boy, for an account of how Tommy Steele fell into it all and deliberately fell out of it again for a traditional career. It's hugely interesting. In the end, from Elvis to Rod Stewart, they all just want to be 'entertainers'. Wonder what would've happened if Elvis had been born in South London and Tommy Hicks in Tupelo?
The Light Programme
were not averse to playing the odd Tommy Steele ditty alongside other "Two-Way Family Favourites" (Google it!) but had a somewhat snooty attitude to singers from the United States, especially those with ridiculous Christian names.
Good Lord, "Elvis". I say, odd moniker, what? Is he a negro?
The time in Britain is twelve noon, in Germany it's one o'clock, but home and away it's time for "Two-Way Family Favourites".
It was another world entirely.
All very interesting
Thanks, all of you. Well put and enlightening.