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MEMPHIS — My third visit to Graceland was more endearing than the first two. You would think that once would be enough to see where Elvis lived, played, ate fried banana sandwiches, and died.

But the big white house with the imposing front pillars in the heart of Memphis is so Elvis in every detail that it is easy to miss something on a first trip. Visitors see several rooms on two levels of the mansion, as well as memorabilia ranging from flashy stage attire to family photos that tell the story of the poor boy who grew up in a modest house and graduated to the mansion as the world’s king of rock and roll.

Graceland, named by its former occupants, was established by the Department of the Interior as a national historic landmark this year. About 600,000 people visit annually.

You don’t have to be an ardent Elvis fan to be drawn into the fairy-tale house and to the lifestyle of the man who lived there from 1957 until his death at 42 in 1977, when the funeral took place in the living room. An Elvis recording softly playing “Welcome to My World” as you enter the foyer stirs twinges of sadness mixed with nostalgia. Tomorrow — Elvis’ birthday — a large cake will be served at Graceland. The birthday anniversary is proclaimed Elvis Presley Day at the mansion.

So come with me as we celebrate the birthday that would have been his 72nd in the rooms where he chose the furnishings and where he sat down to play his famous guitars just for enjoyment.

The exhibit room at Graceland includes flashy costums, photographs, and other memorabilia of the rock 'n roll star's life and career.

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The Christmas decorations are still in place. Following a tradition he established, it is customary to put up the decorations at Thanksgiving and to leave them up until his Jan. 8 birthday.

Remember we are going back to the ’50s and ’60s, when Elvis’ taste would have been considered hip and funky. By today’s standards, many might find his decor a bit over the top.

As we travel from room to room the comments made by other visitors are often accompanied by tears of happiness that they finally reached the shrine of Elvis. Such emotions are magnified at the grave sites of Elvis and the family — our last stop at Graceland.

The foyer is meaningful though it is not as exciting as are the other rooms. Guests are said to have waited there, under a magnificent crystal chandelier, until the star descended the stairs.

To the right of the foyer, the living and music rooms are divided by glass panels, brilliant with leaded glass peacocks. A 10-foot coffee table is appropriate in front of the 15-foot sofa. Family photos soften the formality of the room that was once dressed in red from shag carpet to satin draperies when Elvis was in a decidedly red mood. When the house was opened to the public in 1982 the original furnishings were brought from storage. The red draperies came down and were replaced by the original royal blue panels that match the blue in the peacocks.

The adjoining music room is marked by a Story and Clark baby grand piano and one of 14 TV sets that are in the house.

Now turn around to the other side of the foyer and face the dining room. It is formal in design, but you can imagine it being more informal when it was filled with Elvis’ friends who are said to always have been hanging around the house — to a point that Graceland was sometimes compared to an upscale fraternity house.

The 8-foot round table, set elegantly for dinner for six, is under a cut glass chandelier. It is dramatic with a black mirror top that matches the black marble floor. From his usual place at the far side of the table, Elvis could see the living and music rooms across the foyer. A bell near his chair could be used to summon the kitchen staff.

The bedroom suite that was first used by Elvis’ parents, Gladys and Vernon Presley, and later by his grandmother Minnie Mae Presley, is down the hall on the right. It features purple velvet furnishings. Visitors also pass by the kitchen where it is said that old-fashioned Southern foods were prepared for the Presley family and ongoing group of guests.

The living room in Graceland has royal blue curtains, a 15-foot sofa, and a 10-foot coffee table.

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The room that is perhaps the most talked about was furnished as a den, but it has come to be known as the Jungle Room because of massive furnishings and faux fur upholstery Elvis chose for it. The green shag carpet establishes the ’60s vintage. A waterfall and the chairs and sofas that are hand carved with Polynesian figures are attributed to Elvis’ infatuation with Hawaii after filming Blue Hawaii.

The self-guided tour directs us into the basement to view the pool room and the TV room. The focal point of the first is the elaborately draped ceiling in a tightly pleated, bright patterned fabric.

The TV room, where the star tuned into favorite programs, ranging from college football to religion, is bright yellow with black accents. The shag carpet here is yellow. A dozen or so pillows on the long white sectional couch sparkle with sequins. If programs on the three TVs didn’t suffice, the room included a pull-down movie screen. And if his entertainment choices at home weren’t to his liking, Elvis often rented out a movie theater in the city.

The area labeled Special Display Room is an eclectic collection of memorabilia, including a red velvet sofa from the living room’s red phase, Priscilla’s wedding gown, and a scale model of the house where Elvis was born in Tupelo, Miss. The display includes the desk from the office of Elvis’ second-floor living quarters, that was given to him by RCA for Blue Hawaii sound track sales. The office draperies are patchwork leather and the walls are padded leather.

Sports memorabilia remind us that Elvis was passionate about many sports as well as music and that he held eighth-degree black belts in Kenpo and Tae Kwon Do.

The eternal flame at the head of Elvis’ tombstone is almost overshadowed by the number of floral, balloon, and stuffed animal tributes in the Meditation Garden. The garden was designed by Elvis in 1965 as a quiet retreat, but has become the final resting place for Elvis, his parents, grandmother, and stillborn twin brother.

The inscription on the base of the eternal flame that was given by his friends says it all: “You gave yourself to each of us in some manner. You were wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love. May this flame reflect our never-ending respect and love for you. May it serve as a constant reminder to each of us of your eternal presence.”

A letter by President Bush after he and Laura visited Graceland this year underlines the message by Elvis’ friends.

“Laura and I are reminded that Elvis Presley will live forever and have a special place in the cultural life of America.”

If you go...

Graceland is located near Highway 55 in Memphis at 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Occasional night tours are scheduled.

Tickets are $30 and include admission to the car museum with 200 vehicles including Elvis’ famous pink Cadillac and Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Tickets are purchased across the street from Graceland at the same building where complimentary audio equipment is distributed. Audios are available in Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Portuguese, and Dutch languages in addition to English.

Transportation from the ticket center to and from Graceland is by bus.

Nearby lodging includes the Heartbreak Hotel featuring theme suites such as Burning Love and Hollywood. The hotel is heavily booked. Advance reservations are advised.

For more information check www.elvis.com.

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