Elvis Presley was one of the few singers who could dance like no one was watching, but in reality, everybody was—not just watching but copying his moves

What makes a singer truly great? In history, there have been so many legendary singers who are known for playing instruments but not singing well. There have been others who are known for their dance moves more than their singing. And they have been a talented few who could sing, dance, and even play an instrument—Elvis Presley belonged to the third category of singers.

Born on January 8, 1935, in Mississippi, USA, Presley, because of his s*xually provocative dance moves, gained the moniker of “King of Rock and Roll.” However, on one unfortunate occasion, his dancing gave him a health scare.

Music in jail

Elvis Presley wasn’t only a singer, but he also forayed into the world of acting. A year after Presley produced his scandalous “Hound Dog” performance on the Milton Berle Show, he had three films under his belt; one of the films was Jailhouse Rock.

The film revolved around the life of a prisoner, Vince Everett, played by Presley, which included a scene in which Presley had to slide down a pole in a majestic fashion. As per a report in the Grunge, while coming down, Presley had hit his face on the pole, and a cap on his tooth came loose.

Cap in the lung

The worst wasn’t Presley hitting the pole but the fact that he had inhaled the loose tooth cap that had slipped down through his windpipe to the right lung. On May 16, 1957, The New York Times had written a new article with the headline “Porcelain Tooth Cap Removed From Singer's Right Lung.” Presley was operated on at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, and after the operation was successful, he was prescribed complete rest for a few days.

A steady job

Given all went well, the incident got overshadowed by Presley’s legacy of music and performances. However, that small tooth cap could’ve ended Presley’s singing career because the operation of extracting the cap was done by accessing the throat through a hole around his precious vocal cords. Fortunately, the job was done by incredibly steady hands that did not allow the end of Presley’s career.

The incident happened when Presley was merely 22 years old, but the successful operation allowed him to perform, work in films, and even take part in military service, which made him one of the earliest celebrities to have served in the defence force of the country. Unfortunately, at merely 42, Presley passed away due to a cardiac arrest.

On his birthday, we recommend the film Elvis (2022), one of the recent films on the life of the superstar that showcases several episodes from the King of Rock and Roll’s life.