Priscilla Presley Discusses The Awkward Meeting Between Elvis And John Lennon

“John was shy, timid, looking at him… I really believe that he just couldn’t believe that he was actually there with Elvis Presley,” Priscilla says. “It was a little bit awkward because they just kept looking at him and not really saying anything and not really sitting down, just staring at him.”

Lennon freezes and becomes speechless

Priscilla remembers that it felt like a really long time of just staring in awkward silence between all of them. That’s when Elvis decides to break the ice, saying, “Elvis just said, ‘You know, guys, if you’re just gonna stand around and stare at me, I might as well just do my own thing.” He grabs a bass guitar and begins to play, which evidently lightens the mood amongst all the musicians.

In an interview several years later, Lennon does admit that he was “nervous as hell” meeting Elvis. “We were terrified. He is our idol. We went in and he was sitting in front of a TV. He had this TV, I remember; he had an amplifier and a bass plugged into. And watching with no sound on the TV. And playing bass and singing, and we were sort of singing along. But we were really just watching him.”

Lennon continues in the interview, “It’s a strange story… I just remember sitting there and him playing the bass. And me thinking, ‘It’s Elvis! It’s actually Elvis.’” I guess idolizing someone for so long can definitely make you this way! Check out the interview with Priscilla Presley below, and watch for when she talks about Elvis and John Lennon.