Latifah was absolutely thrilled when she received this pin-badge after being accepted into the Elvis Presley World Wide Fan Club. Photo: Mohamed Rafique Sher Mohamed
If there ever was a more devoted Elvis Presley fan, it has to be my sister, Latifah.
We like to think that she probably was the biggest Elvis fan in the country.
I am not sure if it was his songs or early movies at the onset of the Elvis phenomenon around the mid-1950s, or both, when as a young teenager, she was smitten by the Elvis magic.
She may have been influenced by her big brother or her friends to Elvis's new style of music which was revolutionising the music scene. It was unlike anything the world had seen.
At first, there was no Elvis in our home in Ipoh. The next moment, Elvis appeared on the scene and we were all drawn to his great music due to my sister's enthusiasm.
He forged a sound all his own and gave teens all over the world, including tweens, aged around 10, like myself, music to grow up with and listen to, as most singers in his time were crooning to grown-ups.
Elvis also had a unique look. With his sultry good looks which stole the hearts of so many young women, including my sister's, his inspiring side burns that caused so much angst and adoration during his early momentous years, curled lip, greased iconic pompadour hairstyle, locally referred to as the Elvis "curry puff" cut, his dance moves, including gyrating and swivelling hips, electrified his young fans and made women swoon.
Elvis changed popular music forever, ushering in the age of rock and roll.
Whatever Elvis collectibles was available and she could get her hands on, like his post-cards, autograph book, the Elvis Monthly fan magazine, bubblegum Elvis cards (a set of five), glow-in-the-dark photo and Elvis guitar modals, etc, which she purchased using her savings and pocket money.
My sister's zealous admiration for Elvis was contagious and before we knew it, we all got struck with Elvis fever.
Elvis's records started piling up in our home, and we were all rocking to his music which made our lives fun and exciting. What an impact his music from 1956 to 1958 and from his movies during this period, like Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole had on all of us.
It was a big hassle to get tickets for his movies, with all the shoving in the long queue but we did not mind it.
His dynamic vocal style, passion and energy in his songs mesmerised us – we just could not get enough of Elvis nor wait to see his next movie.
In the meantime, we began sporting Elvis's hairstyle, wearing open-necked shirts with the short sleeves rolled up, and those who had facial hair began showing of their dashing side burns.
We would go to roadside shops and alleys to look for his pictures – and could not wait to show them off to our friends.
While alone listening to his songs – Baby I Don't Care, Hard-headed Woman, Hound Dog, Blue Suede Shoes, etc – yours truly attempted to imitate Elvis's signature dance moves. Being bashful, I was careful not to be seen by any of my siblings while doing this.
It was a matter of time before dad got weary of all this fixation on Elvis and expressed concern about his "negative" influence on all of us.
Eventually, though, dad came to terms with this worldwide Elvis sensation, most likely with some gentle persuasion from mother.
Don't Be Cruel happens to be my sister's favourite song. It makes her melt. There's something about the part where Elvis goes, "Mums Mmmmmm", which elicited screams from his young female fans and makes them go to pieces. To this day, this song is a masterpiece and one cannot help moving to the rhythm of its beat.
Many of his non-movie songs were also great hits like It's Now or Never, Are you Lonesome Tonight, Suspicion, All Shook Up, etc.
Sometime in the early 60s, after Elvis had completed his two-year army service, Latifah and her good friend Lai Ping when scouting around Ipoh's newsstands, hoping to find the latest "hot" articles about their heartthrob.
During his hiatus, his sensational music was kept alive by the nation's radio deejays.
While browsing through magazines, she came across an article on The Elvis Presley Worldwide Fan Club, based in the UK.
Both quickly forwarded their applications for membership.
It was a long wait and finally only my sister's membership application was accepted.
She received a letter signed by Elvis albeit a cyclostyled one and The Elvis Presley World Wide Fan Club badge. She was absolutely delighted but her friend was devastated.
Latifah was absolutely thrilled when she received this pin-badge after being accepted into the Elvis Presley World Wide Fan Club. Photo: Mohamed Rafique Sher Mohamed
This was the beginning of a new relationship with Elvis. With her burning love for Elvis, her loyalty upgraded to mega fan status even though he was now no longer the Elvis we knew after his stint in the army.
We continued to watch his movies, among them, Gl Blues, Blue Hawaii, Fun In Acapulco.
Even though we enjoyed many of his movies and the soundtracks, there was something missing – his exhilarating dance moves were never to be seen again.
Between 1956 and 1969, Elvis made 31 films and two documentary feature films, Elvis:That's The Way It Is in 1970 and Elvis On Tour in 1972.
My sister did not miss any of his movies, being a diehard fan, even when the quality of his films began to deteriorate.
By the time we moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1963, my younger sisters were older. They were carried away with all her intense feelings and adoration for Elvis. What joy and excitement they shared at the prospect of watching an Elvis movie and the stories they exchanged of their rock and roll superstar with their brothers and friends.
There was also a tinge of jealousy when Elvis's co-stars expressed their personal feelings for Elvis. In one particular "engagement story", they flew off the handle which sent their tongues wagging.
They also had their fair share of comments when Elvis got married to Priscilla.
By the 70s, the King had changed his act and started live performances on stage and concerts in his iconic dazzling jumpsuits. How thrilled we all were to see his performances on television. He retained his undeniable charisma.
The years passed... and then on Aug 16,1977, Elvis died suddenly in his Graceland mansion. He was 42 years old. The world mourned and lamented the loss of an irreplaceable entertainer.
When local media carried headlines of his death, my sisters cried and were comforted by mother who understood how much they had loved and adored Elvis.
As for me, I was speechless, had a lump in my throat and flashbacks of the King moving and dancing on stage in his wigglin' and quiverin' way, spreading his arms, shaking his legs and swinging his hips. There will never be anyone else like Elvis.
His music has withstood the test of time and he remains the bestselling solo artist in music history to this day.
The writer's sisters Latifah (right) and Imtiaz in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, the United States, in September 1996. Photo: Mohamed Rafique Sher Mohamed
On Sept 27,1996 – 19 years after her idol's death – Latifah accompanied our youngest sister Imtiaz, who was on a business trip to Philadelphia,the United States, together with her kids. She however, did not reveal her real intention for tagging along.
She was not able to meet Elvis during his lifetime but fulfilled her dream of getting as close to Elvis as possible, by visiting his home and feeling his presence and experiencing firsthand the life he would have led.
All of them were absolutely delighted with their self-guided tour with an audio hearing kit but it was a poignant experience for my beloved sister when she set her eyes on the grounds where the King was laid to rest.
