July 1953

[Graeme]

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Many thanks for the above scan to the internets' Elvis forums most infamous poster Colin B, this is from the state-run Tennessee Employment Security Office, located at 122 Union Avenue in Memphis.
More sources than not have now placed Elvis as working directly from graduation at Parkers for the month of June, but those that place him there for July only are correct as Colin's scan shows.

M.B. Parker rolled a cigar in his clenched teeth and listened to an impassioned plea from Elvis Presley, who wanted his paycheck early. Elvis was a good employee and Parker saw no reason to deny the request. Parker wrote out a thirty-three dollar check and Elvis Presley ran across the street to a liquor store to cash it. He took twenty dollars home to Gladys, and set the remainder aside for the record. During the next three days, Elvis spent a great deal of time in the bathroom practicing his vocal skills. Since Elvis hated bathing, Vernon and Gladys were more than curious about such long, sequestered spells in the privy.
Despite the practice, and having the money all set aside for a session, Elvis Presley still couldn't work up the courage to make a recording just then. His confidence simply hadn't reached the point where he was willing to test the water. Instead, Elvis continued listen to songs that he might record. He listening intently to the Pied Pipers 1948 hit "My Happiness", and when he was tired of it, he'd play the Ink Spots' "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" on the family Victrola record player. Vernon loved the Ink Spots and he spent hours talking about their music. There is no evidence that Elvis Presley listened to or was influenced by country singer Bob Lamb's version of "My Happiness".
"Elvis wanted to cut a record real bad", Ronald Smith recalled, "and he asked us a lot of questions about music". "The Ink Spots were one of Elvis' favorite acts", recalled Humes High girlfriend Susan Johnson, "I couldn't figure out why for the life of me".

[Ironic note: For Elvis to begin his recording career he seems to have relied on getting money from a man calling the shots called Parker - get used to it Elvis!]

18th July

Elvis records 'My Happiness' and 'That's When You're Heartaches Begin' at the Memphis Recording Service. He chooses to pay the cheaper option of having just the disc as opposed to the disc and a tape copy. It was a Saturday. Elvis was working five days a week at M. B. Parker Machinists' Shop, though he would switch soon to Precision tool, where he and his cousin gene would work on a shell assembly line. It was hot, and there was no air conditioning in the waiting room, but the woman behind the desk looked cool in her cotton dress, her blond hair set in a permanent wave, her face a picture of genteel composure and kind respectability. Marion looked up from her typewriter to see the boy approach her almost sideways, figurative hat in hand. Can I help you? she said. She could barely hear his stammered reply - but, of course, she knew what he was there for, what else could he be there for with his guitar and that desperate look of need in his eyes? she told him how much it would cost to make a two-sided acetate - $3.98 plus tax, for another dollar you could have a tape copy as well, but he chose the less expensive option. While he sat there waiting, Marion told Jerry Hopkins in a 1970 interview, "we had a conversation, which I had reason to remember for many, many years afterwards, having gone through it with every editor that I tried to talk to during the time that I was promoting him for Sun. He said, "If you know anyone that needs a singer...." And I said, "What kind of a singer are you?" He said, "I sing all kinds." I said, "Who do you sound like?" "I don't sound like nobody." I thought, Oh yeah, one of those.... "What do you sing, hillbilly?" "I sing hillbilly." "Well, who do you sound like in hillbilly?" "I don't sound like nobody." The truth Marion discovered, was not that far removed from the boy's improbable self-description.

My Happiness        'That's When You're Heartaches Begin