2. In "Elvis," Marcus compares Elvis to what character envisioned by Ralph Waldo Emerson?
(a) The King of Rock 'n' Roll.
(b) The ubiquitous King.
(c) The transcendental Sun King.
(d) The elusive King of Soul.

3. What was Elvis called in the beginning of his career?
(a) The King.
(b) A good 'ole boy.
(c) Hillbilly Cat.
(d) Bilbo.

4. What song by Randy Newman was a satire on bigotry?
(a) "Suzanne."
(b) "God's Song."
(c) "Davy the Fat Boy."
(d) "Short People."

5. In "Elvis," what song does Elvis make his own by changing the story from hopelessness to hope?
(a) "Baby Let's Play House."
(b) "Mystery Train."
(c) "Pink Cadillac."
(d) "Hound Dog. "

Short Answer Questions

1. Who wrote "There's a mickie in the tastin' of disaster" (90)?

2. What does Sly shout back at the band in "Africa Talks to You 'the Asphalt Jungle'"?

3. According to Marcus in "Randy Newman," whose song was Randy Newman answering in his version of "Suzanne"?

4. What is the name of Elvis' mother?

5. According to Marcus in "Sly Stone," what two words make the song "Poet" poetry?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Marcus in "Elvis," what are Elvis Presley's roots?

2. According to Marcus in "Elvis," what was ironic about Elvis' natural, spontaneous appearance and sound in his music?

3. According to Marcus in the section "Sly Versus Superfly," why does Riot matter?

4. What is the epitaph written by John Hurt? Why does Marcus include the Stag-o-lee epitaph at the end of "Sly Stone: The Myth of Staggerlee"?

5. Why was "Short People" so controversial? What did this mean for Newman?

6. In the section "Sly vs. Superfly," what problems emerge from the black movies being made in the early seventies? How is real life different from the movies?

7. Why did Marcus entitle a section "Mystery Train" in "Elvis"? Why is this also the title of the book?

8. What is the basic plot for the Myth of Staggerlee?

9. According to Marcus in "Randy Newman," what is important about the Beach Boys? (101)

10. In "Elvis," Marcus compares Elvis Presley to Abraham Lincoln, why?

(see the answer keys)

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