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Arts

African American artists like Romare Bearden and Henry Clay Anderson presented a different view of American life. Abstract expressionism was the first American art movement to gain worldwide influence. Its proponents included Barnett Newman, Franz Kline and Clyfford Still. Figurative art returned.

Literature

Published works included 'The Wall' by John Hershey, 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck, 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D.Salinger and 'The Naked Lunch' by Williams Burroughs. Beatniks and the beat generation reached their peak in the '50s.

Television

Sales of television sets increased dramatically in the '50s. Watching television became a national pastime. It became more popular than radio. Advertising increased manifold. Broadcasts that were earlier in black and white, later moved on to color. TV influenced people on a massive scale. The popular television shows for kids were 'Mickey Mouse Club', 'Walt Disney', 'Lassie and 'Howdy Doody Time'. The popular comedy shows were 'The Families of the Fifties', 'I Love Lucy' and 'The Honeymooners'. The popular drama shows were 'Private Everywhere', 'Superman', 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Dragnet'. 'American Bandstand' hosted by Dick Clark was one of the popular shows for teenagers. Sitcoms were introduced in the '50s. News broadcasting changed from newsreaders simply reading the news to videos of news events. Live broadcasting became more common. There were Quiz shows like 'What's My Line' and 'The Price is Right'. There were prominent newscasters like CBS's Walter Cronkite and NBC's David Brinkley and Chet Huntley. For the first time the Miss America Pageant was televised.

Films

The first 3-D movie 'Bwana Devil' was released starring Robert Stack. The famous movie stars of the '50s were Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne and Bing Crosby. The movie 'A Streetcar Named Desire' was extremely popular and well received. The Walt Disney Studios had a widespread success with animated films like 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Lady and the Tramp', 'Peter Pan', 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Cinderella. 'All About Eve' was released. James Dean, movie star of 'Rebel without a Cause' was killed while driving his car at high speed. Classics like 'Ben-Hur', 'Cleopatra', 'Hercules' and 'The Ten Commandments' were released. Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' was released. Many movies were released with the Cold war as a backdrop or were based on Science Fiction.

Music

Rock 'n' Roll was introduced. It was regarded as a threat to the character of America's youth. Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed coined the term 'Rock 'n' Roll'. Western and Country music were also popular. Popular artists and groups were Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and the Comets, Doris Day and Dean Martin. Some of the popular songs of the '50s were 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'I Saw Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus', 'Mr Sandman', 'Its All in the Game', 'Kisses Sweeter Than Wine', 'Doggie in the Window' and 'My Happiness'. Elvis Presley was the musical superstar of the 50's. It is claimed that Elvis bought the races together with his popularizing of 'black' music. With the introduction of new gadgets such as portable tape recorders, music could be heard in any location. Three rock and roll stars 'Big Bopper' Richardson, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. Crooners like Perry Como and Dinah shore were popular. The music of the '50s is still played today.

Drama and Theatre

Popular plays were 'Come Back Little Sheeba', 'The King and I', 'Waiting for Godot', 'The Crucible' and 'the Bad Seed'. The 'Cat on a hot Tin Roof' won the Pulitzer Prize.

'The Diary of Anne Frank' was one of the most emotionally charged plays of the '50s. Alvin Ailey created the American Dance Theatre.

Fashion

The fashion was conservative in the fifties. Ponytails were popular among girls and crew cuts for guys. Bermuda shorts became popular. The Marlon Brando movie 'The Wild One' made T-shirts and black leather motorcycle jackets popular. Women's skirts and hair became shorter. Marilyn Monroe made tight, v-neck sweaters popular. Pantyhose were introduced in the American market.

THE INFLUENCE of ROCK 'N' ROLL and ELVIS PRESLY on TURKISH CULTURE DURING the LATE 1950s by Elvan Bulut (elvanbulut@hotmail.com) The stylish America prevailed culturally and socially all around the world during 1950s. Like many countries, Turkey was open to the newness and modernity of America. American Rock 'N' Roll and its leader Elvis Presley were the two elements that were spread around the world via the globalization of US. Turkey welcomed these two cultural elements with a strong desire during the late fifties. This project aims to analyze the rapid spread of Rock 'N' Roll in Turkey, the effect of this music style on Turkish youth, the lacking points of Turkey in its period of Americanization, the transformation of American Rock 'N' Roll into the 'Anatolian Rock', the influence of Elvis Presley on Turkish youth, his effect on Turkish old generation, and some of the Turkish musicians who were inspired by Elvis. Mainly, what I would like to examine briefly is the diffusion of American culture in Turkey during the middle fifties. As we have learned throughout this course, American culture was being imitated by most of the countries. No doubt, one of these countries that copied American culture and life style was Turkey. From my point of view, the most significant reason for imitating American culture was that American life style became an icon that symbolized modernity, beauty, practicality, and felicity. For instance, in weekly Turkish magazines such as SES and 7 Gun that were published during 1950s, American life and American movie-music stars are being mentioned rather than Turkish life style and Turkish starts. Due to my research in 'Milli Kutuphane' about American culture in 1950s, I have realized that there are American models at the cover pages in all the publications of 7 Gun. In addition to these, neither Yesilcam nor Turkish music stars were being mentioned in these weekly magazines. The Turkish magazines during the fifties mostly consist of Hollywood and American music stars. Moreover, both Turkish men and women aimed to seem like American people by styling their clothing, hair, lifestyle, and dancing in an American way. Therefore, a great deal of Americanization was going on all around Turkey. That era was a significant period for the intense spread of Rock 'N' Roll in Turkey. It is not necessary to think about its rapid diffusion in Turkey, because it was inevitable to espouse Rock 'N' Roll at a period when 'Americanization' became inescapable. Like the youth of most of the countries, Turkish youth was ready to espouse a new culture from America. The Turkish youth began to be more American after they were affected by Rock 'N' Roll. The second photograph that I have taken from my uncle's scrapbook may clarify the condition of Turkish youth during fifties. I asked my uncle that if these boys were poor or rich, and he replied that they were all from poor families. For me, this detail is very significant to understand the spread of Americanization in Turkey during 1950s. They were poor, but Americanized. I told this issue to my uncle also, and he said that, that was why they were Americanized, and he added that American culture was richness for them. This handwriting is the back note of the 2nd photograph that is given above. My uncle had written the sentence of "Arkadaslarla birlikte bir rok and rol sahnesi" at the back of the photograph in 1958. From my point of view, this sentence is the other crucial detail that reflects the Turkish youth during the same era. They even do not know how to write Rock 'N' Roll, but they love and perform it. To me, the two wrong written words; 'rok and rol' clarify many problematic issues of Turkey. This may be the problem of that era, because to imitate something without ignoring its details is a problematic issue. In other words, to internalize something in a sketchy way is not enough. As it is mentioned in the second paragraph, for instance, Turkey tried to imitate stylish America by its cultural and physical appearance. However, Turkey ignored to focus on America's more stylish views, such as its advanced industry, technology, and education. That was why some lacking points and gaps were existed during the period of Turkish internalization of American life. When you form a detail thinking, the funny words 'rok and rol' may be interpreted as that Turkey had an incomplete path while it was taking its place in a globalizing world. The newborn American Rock 'N' Roll was also very effective in Turkish music industry during the late 50s. Many Turkish musicians were inspired by Rock 'N' Roll. Some of the Turkish groups and musicians followed the path of Rock 'N' Roll by adding Anatolian tunes in it. 3 Hürel, Moğollar, Cem Karaca and Erkin Koray were some of them who were created 'Anatolian Rock' during the same era. The reception of American Rock 'N' Roll in Turkish music industry was not hard that much, because 'music' could be modified easily. The creation of compromise between Turkish lyric and American sound revealed 'Anatolian Rock'. An interesting argument can be made as an outcome of a detailed thinking about the combination of Turkish lyric and American sound. Nobody can argue that 'Anatolian Rock' is either American or Anatolian. It is a mixture of two different cultural elements. That is why 'Anatolian Rock' does not have an identity. Therefore, I feel free about arguing that the Turkish young generation in 50s did not have an identity, because like 'Anatolian Rock', they were the mixture of Turkish and American cultural elements. For instance, our instructor in one of the class hours showed a picture from a magazine which, was published in the same era, reflected two models who smoke 'hookah'. However, there was something very interesting in that picture. The models were like American women. Their hairstyles, their makeup, and even their smiling were the exact reflection of imitated American woman. However, they were smoking 'hookah' that was completely belonged to Turkish culture. What a great combination! A hookah that was smoked by bogus American women. No doubt, when Rock 'N' Roll is pronounced, Elvis Presley enters people's minds. It is obvious that Elvis Presley is the outright icon of Rock 'N' Roll. It is not necessary to focus on his influence in Turkey during the fifties, because it is foreseeable that his effect and diffusion was enormous in Turkey. My curiosity about Elvis' effects on Turkish youth during the 50s ended after my interview with my uncle who belonged to Turkish youth of 50s. It may be hard to believe in that, but during my interview with him about Presley, I realized that there was still a great energy in him to make Rock 'N' Roll with Elvis' records. The first question that I asked to my uncle was that what they had found in Presley. He replied that they had found everything in Elvis. He told me that while they were listening to Presley's songs, they were feeling a great happiness that made them isolate themselves from the external world. He also added that Presley was a symbol of independence for them. His new dancing style, and new scene performance meant freedom for that generation. Then, I asked him that if these reasons were the mere ones which made Elvis influential in Turkey that much. He answered that they were not the major factors that made Elvis very effective on Turkish youth. He said that in 50s Turkey was a country that necessitated newness, and that was why it was open to any kind of modernity and newness. He continued that Turkey's openness to any kind of innovation made it to take America as a base, because US was the only country that could globalize its modernity and newness. He added that Rock 'N' Roll and Elvis were the two significant conjunctions of the chain of US globalization. The other question that I asked him is that if there was any star who could substitute for Elvis in Turkey since 50s, and he replied that no, there was not. Then, I wanted to learn that what he thought about Tarkan who might be thought as Turkish Elvis of the late twentieth century. He told me that he could not see many similarities between Tarkan and Elvis, but it was obvious that there were a few similarities. For instance, their styles were new for their own cultures, they both had make up, had an erotic dance style, they were both appreciated and insulted in their own countries, both accused of being homosexual, and both might be thought as globalized stars. However, Tarkan could not compete with Elvis 'globally', because Tarkan had a fan mass just in France and in his hometown Turkey. On the other hand, Elvis had a fan mass all around the world. Therefore, Tarkan did not globalize as much as Elvis. He also added that Elvis created a new style that was not seen before. Unlike Elvis, Tarkan had something that was ready-made in the society. He had earrings, performed an erotic dance style which was accustomed by the society a long time ago, and his music did not have diverse tones. After he told me these sentences, he continued that even he was 62 now, still, he was a fan of Elvis. According to him, Elvis was the God of Rock 'N' Roll, and nobody could take his place. It may be significant to underline the attributions of Turkish families toward Elvis during 50s. In Turkey, Elvis was a very different figure for both young and old generation of 50s. My uncle told me that Turkish old generation could not accept Elvis, because of his erotic style and feminine figure. He also said that especially the parents who had sons felt that their sons were in danger because of Elvis' feminine figure. My grandfather, for instance, hated Elvis and he did not let my uncle listened to him, and performed Elvis' dance. In addition to these, my uncle told me a very interesting and funny memory about himself. He said that he was very keen on making rock 'n' roll with a chair in his own room. One day, while he was dancing with a chair, my grandfather had entered the room and had seen my uncle dancing with a chair wildly. My grandfather had gone crazy and had told my uncle that he was going to shot at him with a gun just because of his love to Elvis. My uncle concluded that nearly all of the Turkish parents' attributions toward Elvis were like that. The last issue that I wanted him to explain is that if there was somebody in Turkey in that period that imitated Elvis. He answered that Erol Büyükburç was the major Turkish musician who was inspired by Elvis. He also added that Erol Büyükburç composed the song Little Lucy in 1958 after he inspired by Elvis. Moreover, in one of his televised interviews, Asım Can Gündüz said that Erol Büyükburç was the Turkish Elvis during the late fifties. My uncle told me that the other Turkish star who was inspired by Elvis during the late fifties was Erkin Koray. He performed his first concert in Galatasaray College in 1957. His repertory consisted of five songs and two of them were Elvis songs; Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel. It was argued that, that concert was the turning point of Koray's carrier. However, most of Koray's songs do not fit American Rock 'N' Roll, but the melodies that they have prove that Koray was inspired by American Rock 'N' Roll in a great sense. His song Yalnızlar Rıhtımı, for instance, fits American Rock 'N' Roll melodies very much. To sum up, Rock 'N' Roll and its leader Elvis Presley have a significant part in the American Global context. One of the conjunctions of the chain of American globalization during the fifties was Turkey. Like the other countries, Turkey was ready to absorb every essence of Americanization. American Rock 'N' Roll and its famous star Elvis Presley was absorbed easily by Turkish youth, because although they were not aware of it, they were the citizens of a rapidly globalizing world that was being managing by America. However, it is moot that Turkey was absorbing America whether in a right way or not. For me, Turkey neglected some key points while it was being Americanized. During the period when Turkey was trying to be Americanized, they just internalized American lifestyle and culture, instead of trying to learn about the ways of its systematic development. That was why gaps in Turkish culture existed.

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Hunter Quitzon

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7y ago

Arts

African American artists like Romare Bearden and Henry Clay Anderson presented a different view of American life. Abstract expressionism was the first American art movement to gain worldwide influence. Its proponents included Barnett Newman, Franz Kline and Clyfford Still. Figurative art returned.

Literature

Published works included 'The Wall' by John Hershey, 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck, 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D.Salinger and 'The Naked Lunch' by Williams Burroughs. Beatniks and the beat generation reached their peak in the '50s.

Television

Sales of television sets increased dramatically in the '50s. Watching television became a national pastime. It became more popular than radio. Advertising increased manifold. Broadcasts that were earlier in black and white, later moved on to color. TV influenced people on a massive scale. The popular television shows for kids were 'Mickey Mouse Club', 'Walt Disney', 'Lassie and 'Howdy Doody Time'. The popular comedy shows were 'The Families of the Fifties', 'I Love Lucy' and 'The Honeymooners'. The popular drama shows were 'Private Everywhere', 'Superman', 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Dragnet'. 'American Bandstand' hosted by Dick Clark was one of the popular shows for teenagers. Sitcoms were introduced in the '50s. News broadcasting changed from newsreaders simply reading the news to videos of news events. Live broadcasting became more common. There were Quiz shows like 'What's My Line' and 'The Price is Right'. There were prominent newscasters like CBS's Walter Cronkite and NBC's David Brinkley and Chet Huntley. For the first time the Miss America Pageant was televised.

Films

The first 3-D movie 'Bwana Devil' was released starring Robert Stack. The famous movie stars of the '50s were Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne and Bing Crosby. The movie 'A Streetcar Named Desire' was extremely popular and well received. The Walt Disney Studios had a widespread success with animated films like 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Lady and the Tramp', 'Peter Pan', 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Cinderella. 'All About Eve' was released. James Dean, movie star of 'Rebel without a Cause' was killed while driving his car at high speed. Classics like 'Ben-Hur', 'Cleopatra', 'Hercules' and 'The Ten Commandments' were released. Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' was released. Many movies were released with the Cold war as a backdrop or were based on science fiction.

Music

Rock 'n' Roll was introduced. It was regarded as a threat to the character of America's youth. Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed coined the term 'Rock 'n' Roll'. Western and Country music were also popular. Popular artists and groups were Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and the Comets, Doris Day and Dean Martin. Some of the popular songs of the '50s were 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'I Saw Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus', 'Mr Sandman', 'Its All in the Game', 'Kisses Sweeter Than Wine', 'Doggie in the Window' and 'My Happiness'. Elvis Presley was the musical superstar of the 50's. It is claimed that Elvis bought the races together with his popularizing of 'black' music. With the introduction of new gadgets such as portable tape recorders, music could be heard in any location. Three rock and roll stars 'Big Bopper' Richardson, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. Crooners like Perry Como and Dinah shore were popular. The music of the '50s is still played today.

Drama and Theatre

Popular plays were 'Come Back Little Sheeba', 'The King and I', 'Waiting for Godot', 'The Crucible' and 'the Bad Seed'. The 'Cat on a hot Tin Roof' won the Pulitzer Prize.

'The Diary of Anne Frank' was one of the most emotionally charged plays of the '50s. Alvin Ailey created the American Dance Theatre.

Fashion

The fashion was conservative in the fifties. Ponytails were popular among girls and crew cuts for guys. Bermuda shorts became popular. The Marlon Brando movie 'The Wild One' made T-shirts and black leather motorcycle jackets popular. Women's skirts and hair became shorter. Marilyn Monroe made tight, v-neck sweaters popular. Pantyhose were introduced in the American market.

THE INFLUENCE of ROCK 'N' ROLL and ELVIS PRESLY on TURKISH CULTURE DURING the LATE 1950s by Elvan Bulut (elvanbulut@hotmail.com) The stylish America prevailed culturally and socially all around the world during 1950s. Like many countries, Turkey was open to the newness and modernity of America. American Rock 'N' Roll and its leader Elvis Presley were the two elements that were spread around the world via the globalization of US. Turkey welcomed these two cultural elements with a strong desire during the late fifties. This project aims to analyze the rapid spread of Rock 'N' Roll in Turkey, the effect of this music style on Turkish youth, the lacking points of Turkey in its period of Americanization, the transformation of American Rock 'N' Roll into the 'Anatolian Rock', the influence of Elvis Presley on Turkish youth, his effect on Turkish old generation, and some of the Turkish musicians who were inspired by Elvis. Mainly, what I would like to examine briefly is the diffusion of American culture in Turkey during the middle fifties. As we have learned throughout this course, American culture was being imitated by most of the countries. No doubt, one of these countries that copied American culture and life style was Turkey. From my point of view, the most significant reason for imitating American culture was that American life style became an icon that symbolized modernity, beauty, practicality, and felicity. For instance, in weekly Turkish magazines such as SES and 7 Gun that were published during 1950s, American life and American movie-music stars are being mentioned rather than Turkish life style and Turkish starts. Due to my research in 'Milli Kutuphane' about American culture in 1950s, I have realized that there are American models at the cover pages in all the publications of 7 Gun. In addition to these, neither Yesilcam nor Turkish music stars were being mentioned in these weekly magazines. The Turkish magazines during the fifties mostly consist of Hollywood and American music stars. Moreover, both Turkish men and women aimed to seem like American people by styling their clothing, hair, lifestyle, and dancing in an American way. Therefore, a great deal of Americanization was going on all around Turkey. That era was a significant period for the intense spread of Rock 'N' Roll in Turkey. It is not necessary to think about its rapid diffusion in Turkey, because it was inevitable to espouse Rock 'N' Roll at a period when 'Americanization' became inescapable. Like the youth of most of the countries, Turkish youth was ready to espouse a new culture from America. The Turkish youth began to be more American after they were affected by Rock 'N' Roll. The second photograph that I have taken from my uncle's scrapbook may clarify the condition of Turkish youth during fifties. I asked my uncle that if these boys were poor or rich, and he replied that they were all from poor families. For me, this detail is very significant to understand the spread of Americanization in Turkey during 1950s. They were poor, but Americanized. I told this issue to my uncle also, and he said that, that was why they were Americanized, and he added that American culture was richness for them. This handwriting is the back note of the 2nd photograph that is given above. My uncle had written the sentence of "Arkadaslarla birlikte bir rok and rol sahnesi" at the back of the photograph in 1958. From my point of view, this sentence is the other crucial detail that reflects the Turkish youth during the same era. They even do not know how to write Rock 'N' Roll, but they love and perform it. To me, the two wrong written words; 'rok and rol' clarify many problematic issues of Turkey. This may be the problem of that era, because to imitate something without ignoring its details is a problematic issue. In other words, to internalize something in a sketchy way is not enough. As it is mentioned in the second paragraph, for instance, Turkey tried to imitate stylish America by its cultural and physical appearance. However, Turkey ignored to focus on America's more stylish views, such as its advanced industry, technology, and education. That was why some lacking points and gaps were existed during the period of Turkish internalization of American life. When you form a detail thinking, the funny words 'rok and rol' may be interpreted as that Turkey had an incomplete path while it was taking its place in a globalizing world. The newborn American Rock 'N' Roll was also very effective in Turkish music industry during the late 50s. Many Turkish musicians were inspired by Rock 'N' Roll. Some of the Turkish groups and musicians followed the path of Rock 'N' Roll by adding Anatolian tunes in it. 3 Hürel, Moğollar, Cem Karaca and Erkin Koray were some of them who were created 'Anatolian Rock' during the same era. The reception of American Rock 'N' Roll in Turkish music industry was not hard that much, because 'music' could be modified easily. The creation of compromise between Turkish lyric and American sound revealed 'Anatolian Rock'. An interesting argument can be made as an outcome of a detailed thinking about the combination of Turkish lyric and American sound. Nobody can argue that 'Anatolian Rock' is either American or Anatolian. It is a mixture of two different cultural elements. That is why 'Anatolian Rock' does not have an identity. Therefore, I feel free about arguing that the Turkish young generation in 50s did not have an identity, because like 'Anatolian Rock', they were the mixture of Turkish and American cultural elements. For instance, our instructor in one of the class hours showed a picture from a magazine which, was published in the same era, reflected two models who smoke 'hookah'. However, there was something very interesting in that picture. The models were like American women. Their hairstyles, their makeup, and even their smiling were the exact reflection of imitated American woman. However, they were smoking 'hookah' that was completely belonged to Turkish culture. What a great combination! A hookah that was smoked by bogus American women. No doubt, when Rock 'N' Roll is pronounced, Elvis Presley enters people's minds. It is obvious that Elvis Presley is the outright icon of Rock 'N' Roll. It is not necessary to focus on his influence in Turkey during the fifties, because it is foreseeable that his effect and diffusion was enormous in Turkey. My curiosity about Elvis' effects on Turkish youth during the 50s ended after my interview with my uncle who belonged to Turkish youth of 50s. It may be hard to believe in that, but during my interview with him about Presley, I realized that there was still a great energy in him to make Rock 'N' Roll with Elvis' records. The first question that I asked to my uncle was that what they had found in Presley. He replied that they had found everything in Elvis. He told me that while they were listening to Presley's songs, they were feeling a great happiness that made them isolate themselves from the external world. He also added that Presley was a symbol of independence for them. His new dancing style, and new scene performance meant freedom for that generation. Then, I asked him that if these reasons were the mere ones which made Elvis influential in Turkey that much. He answered that they were not the major factors that made Elvis very effective on Turkish youth. He said that in 50s Turkey was a country that necessitated newness, and that was why it was open to any kind of modernity and newness. He continued that Turkey's openness to any kind of innovation made it to take America as a base, because US was the only country that could globalize its modernity and newness. He added that Rock 'N' Roll and Elvis were the two significant conjunctions of the chain of US globalization. The other question that I asked him is that if there was any star who could substitute for Elvis in Turkey since 50s, and he replied that no, there was not. Then, I wanted to learn that what he thought about Tarkan who might be thought as Turkish Elvis of the late twentieth century. He told me that he could not see many similarities between Tarkan and Elvis, but it was obvious that there were a few similarities. For instance, their styles were new for their own cultures, they both had make up, had an erotic dance style, they were both appreciated and insulted in their own countries, both accused of being homosexual, and both might be thought as globalized stars. However, Tarkan could not compete with Elvis 'globally', because Tarkan had a fan mass just in France and in his hometown Turkey. On the other hand, Elvis had a fan mass all around the world. Therefore, Tarkan did not globalize as much as Elvis. He also added that Elvis created a new style that was not seen before. Unlike Elvis, Tarkan had something that was ready-made in the society. He had earrings, performed an erotic dance style which was accustomed by the society a long time ago, and his music did not have diverse tones. After he told me these sentences, he continued that even he was 62 now, still, he was a fan of Elvis. According to him, Elvis was the God of Rock 'N' Roll, and nobody could take his place. It may be significant to underline the attributions of Turkish families toward Elvis during 50s. In Turkey, Elvis was a very different figure for both young and old generation of 50s. My uncle told me that Turkish old generation could not accept Elvis, because of his erotic style and feminine figure. He also said that especially the parents who had sons felt that their sons were in danger because of Elvis' feminine figure. My grandfather, for instance, hated Elvis and he did not let my uncle listened to him, and performed Elvis' dance. In addition to these, my uncle told me a very interesting and funny memory about himself. He said that he was very keen on making rock 'n' roll with a chair in his own room. One day, while he was dancing with a chair, my grandfather had entered the room and had seen my uncle dancing with a chair wildly. My grandfather had gone crazy and had told my uncle that he was going to shot at him with a gun just because of his love to Elvis. My uncle concluded that nearly all of the Turkish parents' attributions toward Elvis were like that. The last issue that I wanted him to explain is that if there was somebody in Turkey in that period that imitated Elvis. He answered that Erol Büyükburç was the major Turkish musician who was inspired by Elvis. He also added that Erol Büyükburç composed the song Little Lucy in 1958 after he inspired by Elvis. Moreover, in one of his televised interviews, Asım Can Gündüz said that Erol Büyükburç was the Turkish Elvis during the late fifties. My uncle told me that the other Turkish star who was inspired by Elvis during the late fifties was Erkin Koray. He performed his first concert in Galatasaray College in 1957. His repertory consisted of five songs and two of them were Elvis songs; Hound Dog and Don't Be Cruel. It was argued that, that concert was the turning point of Koray's carrier. However, most of Koray's songs do not fit American Rock 'N' Roll, but the melodies that they have prove that Koray was inspired by American Rock 'N' Roll in a great sense. His song Yalnızlar Rıhtımı, for instance, fits American Rock 'N' Roll melodies very much. To sum up, Rock 'N' Roll and its leader Elvis Presley have a significant part in the American Global context. One of the conjunctions of the chain of American globalization during the fifties was Turkey. Like the other countries, Turkey was ready to absorb every essence of Americanization. American Rock 'N' Roll and its famous star Elvis Presley was absorbed easily by Turkish youth, because although they were not aware of it, they were the citizens of a rapidly globalizing world that was being managing by America. However, it is moot that Turkey was absorbing America whether in a right way or not. For me, Turkey neglected some key points while it was being Americanized. During the period when Turkey was trying to be Americanized, they just internalized American lifestyle and culture, instead of trying to learn about the ways of its systematic development. That was why gaps in Turkish culture existed.

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