By Oliver Radcliffe
One of the biggest hits of the late 80s and early 90s, Black Velvet was a tune that could be heard blaring from radios and Sony Walkman’s across the globe.
This hit single catapulted Alannah Myles’ career to astronomical heights with its distinctive pop-rock sound.
The song topped charts worldwide with millions of copies flying off the shelves. The track even achieved diamond status in her native Canada, making Myles the first female artist to do so while also going platinum in the US.
In the three decades since it first graced our ears, it has also been a hit on digital platforms, now boasting over 300 million streams on Spotify.
But despite its popularity, fans are only just discovering what the song is actually about. Its title isn’t a reference to the fabric but instead pays homage to a Rock n Roll icon who inspired Alannah and co-writer Christopher Ward.
The legend?, reports the Irish Star. None other than the king of Rock n Roll himself – Elvis Presley.
While this intriguing fact may not come as a surprise to die-hard music historians, the origin was a shock to its millions of listeners as the song contains no obvious tribute to The King and doesn’t mention him by name.
The inspiration for the track began during a trip to Memphis. Ward was moved by the emotion of Elvis fans during a bus ride to the city for the 10th-anniversary vigil in 1987.
Though the origins of the title remain shrouded in mystery, many speculate it nods to the ink-black hair dye that defined Elvis’ unmistakable look.
In a candid chat with TV Obsessive, Alannah opened up about her smash hit: “It is a country blues song with a chorus, ushering in a time when country music won the hearts of the masses away from disco, punk, and grunge music.”
She proudly claimed, “If it was a crappy song no one would remember it. ‘Black Velvet’ was written for my debut album, tailored for my voice by it having been whispered to me upon first listen.”
Riding high on the success akin to an Elvis classic, ‘Black Velvet’ charmed critics and snapped up the Best Female Rock Vocal Performance gong at the 1991 Grammy’s, alongside a haul of Juno Awards back on home turf in Canada.
Following up with her sophomore album ‘Rockinghorse,’ Alannah scored yet another Grammy nod, but failed to eclipse the sky-high acclaim of ‘Black Velvet’.