We all know Elvis is and always will be The King. But have you thought exactly why that is? Well, since we know most of the Elvii in Las Vegas and hold our own Elvis themed weddings, we like to think we are experts when it comes to the boy from Tupelo. Here are five reasons why we think Elvis will always be the top hound dog.

1. Shag Carpet on the Ceiling

If you’ve ever been to his house in Graceland, you know what we’re talking about. If not, it is simply something to be experienced. In several rooms of his gigantic mansion in Memphis, not only is there shag carpet all over the floor, he had it installed on the freaking ceiling!

Luckily, Elvis never found out that shag carpet went out of style, and it’s there to always be remembered for anyone taking the pilgrimage out to Tennessee.

2. The Elvis Sandwich

Bananas. Peanut butter. Bacon. Three great tastes that no one had ever thought of before Elvis came along and introduced it to the world. Now, people around the world have tried and fallen in love with the absolutely ridiculous sandwich aptly named “The Elvis.”

Yeah, it ended up killing Elvis, but he was notorious for eating them every day. As with all decadence, enjoy in moderation, folks!

3. Rhinestone Jumpsuit

Come on, who else could actually pull this off? Rhinestones were a staple of the country music world for a while, but only Elvis could make it part of his mythos.

Not only did he pull off a rhinestone encrusted jumpsuit, he also wore a cape! If you’re not a Baron or a superhero, you absolutely should not be allowed to wear a cape. But Elvis somehow managed to just make it work.

4. He Changed Music

Back when he was just getting started out, Elvis made a seemingly innocuous appearance on the Milton Berle show. He and his band performed a song first recorded by Willie Mae Thornton in 1952, called “Hound Dog,” much in the same way he had been performing for years before, by sashaying and swaying his hips to the music.

He had no way of knowing the world would explode! Parents everywhere lost their minds, while teenage girls’ hearts practically thumped out of their chests. He was dubbed “Elvis the Pelvis” and protests were heard in town halls everywhere. Unfortunately for the offended, the face (and hips) of music was instantly changed forever.

5. He Started His Car by Shooting it!

Elvis bought a 1971 De Tomaso Pantera for his girlfriend Linda Thompson but often drove it himself. Unfortunately, the engine was kind of a dud. When the car broke down, stranding him in the middle of Memphis, Elvis had about had enough. He had the car towed back to Graceland where it still wouldn’t start. While regaling the story to his friend George Klein, Elvis took out a gun and shot the car…and it started!

An avid collector of guns and other memorabilia, Elvis would go on to blow even more holes into the poor car. Luckily someone bought it after his death and had it fixed up, but the memory of Elvis’ eccentricity lives on forever with stories like this.

What’s your favorite thing about Elvis that confirms his King status on his 75th birthday?