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Introduction
Elvis Presley's very first No. 1 record ever was his hit 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget.' The song became No. 1 in 1955 and stayed like this for about 5 weeks on the Billboard Country charts. -
Growth
The second best selling song in Elvis Presley's career was "Jailhouse Rock," released on September 24, 1957, and increased his popularity significantly. -
Maturity
At this point in his life, Presley was at the climax. He released "Can't Help Falling in Love" on October 1, 1961, his best-selling song. It received much praise and appeared in the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii. -
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Decline
The nonstop touring and Las Vegas engagements played a part in Elvis Presley's physical and spiritual decline as did his dependency on a variety of prescription drugs. He claimed he needed drugs to maintain his energy onstage and then drugs to sleep after his performances, but some of the prescription drugs he got his hands on were not designed for those purposes. During the 1970s, Elvis' overuse of drugs evolved into a frightening level of abuse. -
Decision Point
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. He was 42 years old. His girlfriend Ginger Alden found him slumped over in the bathroom. Paramedics were called, but they failed to revive him, and he was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital where further attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was pronounced dead by his physician, Dr. George Nichopolous, who said he died due to an erratic heartbeat, likely caused by an overdose.
