Did Elvis Presley hate John Lennon? | Page 4 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

fabfouremily said
I know what views The Beatles (and particularly John) had at this time but ”anti-Americanism”? Isn’t that a bit over the top? John was never anti-America, as you say – we all know he loved the place – so that can’t be a reason for Elvis not liking them.

How would you feel if you were the most successful artist of the time and suddenly a band from Liverpool came along and they were bigger than you? Would you not feel resentment towards them, even just a little bit? I know I would.

You and a few others are getting into technicalities a little too much. Perhaps Lennon wasn’t anti-American in the sense that he hated the country and all of its people but he was against everything that America has to be (imperialistic). You should understand back then being against the American government was seen as anti-American because of the USSR stressing everyone out. It’s not like today where America is the sole superpower of the world, back then it was “us against them.” Them being the commies. Today if you’re anti-government it’s seen as anti-corruption but back then it was seen as being a traitor or hippy or any so called name they dubbed people that didn’t support the government’s policies.

So yes, essentially Lennon was considered ‘anti-American’ at the time. Everyone with pockets full of money is going to enjoy America and New York City especially but that doesn’t mean that they love ‘America’ as an idea. This was essentially why Elvis wanted the Beatles out of the country, because they were using their influence and following to promote anti-war and what he and many other ‘patriots’ considered “weakness and hippy culture.” Also the drugs must have bothered him to no end. Elvis did not even smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, never mind marijuana and other drugs. Also his ever increasing dependence on prescription uppers and downers for his scheduling and sleep problems must have made him even more anti-drug than anyone else knowing the health effects first hand from just prescription drugs. 

Again as I said before, Elvis signed into movie contracts immediately returning from the army, before anyone even knew what the Beatles were. He wanted to make a name for himself as an actor, not a singer. That was his ambition at the time. His contracts ended only in 1970, after the Beatles split up. Elvis felt no resentment toward the Beatles for their enormous success in America because the Beatles were in music and Elvis was in film. It would be the same as Leonardo DiCaprio resenting Justin Bieber for his success these past few years. By the time Elvis came back into singing, he had become the most influential thing again which is rare in itself, a singer to take a 12 year break from singing then go back up to number one again after all that has changed in the world from the time he first started singing. In 1972 he held a concert that 1.5 BILLION PEOPLE watched via satellite, a success that hasn’t been repeated until this day.

I love the Beatles, and I love Elvis which is why I always resent how people compare this BAND to this SINGER in aggressive ways, always trying to elevate their favorite to the top spot in music. It’s the same how people compare Michael Jackson to Elvis Presley and some people even say MJ was the best singer of all time.

unknown said

ElviszePelvis said 
Again as I said before, Elvis signed into movie contracts immediately returning from the army, before anyone even knew what the Beatles were. He wanted to make a name for himself as an actor, not a singer. That was his ambition at the time. His contracts ended only in 1970, after the Beatles split up. Elvis felt no resentment toward the Beatles for their enormous success in America because the Beatles were in music and Elvis was in film. It would be the same as Leonardo DiCaprio resenting Justin Bieber for his success these past few years.

I thought most of Elvis’ movies were musicals, Leonardo DiCaprio does not do musicals, so that is completely different. If Elvis felt no resentment towards The Beatles, then why did he want them deported from America?

All of Elvis’ movies were musicals but that can hardly be considered making music. He merely sang songs in relation to the movies. He wasn’t devoting himself to music and making hit singles despite the fact that he produced several number one records and many top ten records simply from his movie soundtracks with songs like Wooden Heart, Return to Sender, etc. But that was simply because of his musical abilities. Had he not been limited to producing songs not of his own selection for the sake of the environment of the current movie he was making he would have been chart topping through out the 60’s. Unfortunately we didn’t see as many number ones from him as he could have had he not enter into those movie contracts. Elvis once said, “The Beatles are taking over music while I’m stuck here making movies.” That is about the closest thing we can consider resentment although it doesn’t seem resentful toward the Beatles but rather at himself for being locked into those contracts. I think the most wonderful thing about Elvis was his staying power in the changing world of music. I mean the man simply produced hits in all three era’s (50’s, 60’s and 70’s). That was remarkable. I think the only resentment he had was in himself. He showed no signs of resenting the Beatles for their musical success.

Elvis wanted the Beatles deported from America because of their ideological beliefs such as anti-war and drug use. I mean Paul wanted to make a documentary about touring the US in a van doing drugs along the way. John constantly made remarks about America and war. Elvis was a 1960’s and 70’s patriot which meant supporting the government and the war against the commies wherever it may be. “All the way with LBJ” was a slogan Elvis was familiar with. Although I wish Elvis had never gotten drafted into the army because I loved his childish and wild behavior before going into the army, that is what happened and he took to army culture and patriotism quite a bit after that.

Personally, even though Elvis might have hated being locked into the movie contracts, I believe it helped Elvis’ iconic status once he died. I also believe the fact that all of his movies were non serious and sort of comedic and hero-like helped produce a kind of ‘superhero’ persona of Elvis after he died. I don’t think anyone wanted to see Elvis in roles like Tom Hagen from the Godfather which apparently he was supposed to have considered playing. I think we all wanted Elvis to be a superhero in film and didn’t want to picture him in any other kind of scenario. Even King Creole which is his best and most serious movie, is still comedic in a sense and gives him a superhero vibe once again. Would we have more chart toppers had he spent the 60s making music? Sure. But perhaps the ‘superhero’ would not be one of the personalities we link to Elvis if he did. Just my two cents.