How John Lennon Lost His Love for Elvis Presley: “It’s Awful”

In the early days of The Beatles, the Fab Four often modeled their work and their look after Elvis Presley. They covered several of his songs early on and didn’t hide their appreciation for him. However, after The Beatles broke up and Presley’s act had changed, John Lennon once expressed his dislike for The King.

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Over a couple of decades, Lennon had seemingly changed his mind about Elvis Presley. Much of it came down to Presley’s theatrical movements, his over-the-top stage acts, and even the music itself. Lennon explained the lack of love to Rolling Stone in 1971.

“This is interesting: in the early days in England, all the groups were like Elvis and a backing group, and The Beatles deliberately didn’t move like Elvis,” said Lennon. Although The Beatles admired Presley, they apparently didn’t like his dance moves. “That was our policy because we found it stupid and bulls–t.”

John Lennon Once Explained Why He Fell Out of Love With Elvis Presley

The Beatles’ stoic stage act worked for them. At least, for a time. When The Rolling Stones burst onto the scene, Elvis-like movements became the big new thing.

“Then Mick Jagger came out and resurrected ‘bulls–t movement,’ wiggling your arse,” John Lennon continued. “So then people began to say The Beatles were passé because they don’t move. But we did it as a conscious move.”

Lennon mentioned that in their early days, The Beatles used to move around the stage much more. “When we were younger, we used to move, we used to jump around and do all the things they’re doing now,” he said. But they quickly decided that wasn’t the look they were going for.

As for John Lennon’s feelings about Elvis Presley, they began around the release of “Devil In Disguise” and seemed to grow from there.

“I used to go mad on Elvis, like all the groups, but not now,” Lennon told Juke Box Jury in 1963. “I don’t like this. And I hate songs with ‘walk’ and ‘talk’ in it — you know, those lyrics. She walks, she talks. I don’t like that. And I don’t like the double beat: doom-cha doom-cha, that bit. It’s awful. Poor ol’ Elvis.”

While Lennon admitted that he had fallen out of love with Elvis Presley, he still felt nostalgia for The King. “Well, I’ve got all his early records, and I keep playing them,” Lennon said. But in regards to “Devil In Disguise,” he was adamant. “He mustn’t make another like this. But somebody said today he sounds like Bing Crosby now, and he does. I don’t like him anymore.”

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