As a tribute to her father, Elvis Presley, and the 20th anniversary of his death, Lisa Marie Presley released a posthumous duet with her dad of his 1969 single “Don’t Cry Daddy,” along with a music video. Throughout the next two decades, Lisa Marie continued the tradition of releasing more duets and covers of her father’s classics.
“I just started this little tradition where I did ‘In the Ghetto, ‘ and five years later I did ‘I Love You Because,’” shared Lisa Marie in 2013. “It was a tradition for the fans. It’s all for the fans. We always gather in Memphis every five years. I’m always there, so I try to do something for them.”
Lisa Marie, who died on Jan. 12, 2023, at age 54, released three albums, including her 2003 debut To Whom It May Concern, Now What in 2005, and her third and final album Storm & Grace from 2012.
In between making her own music, she always stopped to honor her father.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 5 “Darker” Elvis Presley Songs Lisa Marie Presley Called Her Favorites]
“In the Ghetto” and “I Love You Because”
In remembrance of the 30th anniversary of her father’s death in 2007, Lisa Marie chose one of her favorite songs by Elvis to cover, his 1969 Mac Davis-penned classic “In the Ghetto.”
The single served a dual purpose, first as a tribute to Elvis and second, to help benefit those impacted by Hurricane Katrina. All proceeds from the song went directly toward opening a transitional housing facility for homeless families in New Orleans through the Presley Charitable Foundation, which was also founded by Lisa Marie in 2007.
Released on Elvis’ tenth album, From Elvis in Memphis, his first non-soundtrack album of songs, following the end of his contract with Paramount Pictures, “In the Ghetto” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart, while Lisa Marie’s version peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart.
“We had two hours to lay down my vocals,” said Presley of recording her vocals for the song. “The next morning, I heard the rough and I’ve never cried when I’ve done anything ever, but I just lost it when I heard it.”
Just five years later, Lisa Marie revisited Elvis’ “I Love You Because,” written by Leon Payne and recorded at Sun Studio in 1954 during the same two-day session Elvis recorded his debut single “That’s All Right, Mama.” Both tracks appeared on Elvis’ 1956 self-titled debut.
The updated version of “I Love You Because” by Lisa Marie, and produced by T-Bone Burnett, was another honor for her father, marking the 35th anniversary of his death, and featured a music video with the next generation of Presleys, Lisa Marie’s four children.
“Where No One Stands Alone” and Elvis’ 88th Birthday
In 2018, to mark the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ death, Lisa Marie added her vocals to one of her father’s gospel songs, “Where No One Stands Alone.” Written by gospel singer and minister Mosie Lister, the song was originally released on Elvis’ 1967 album How Great Thou Art and later served as the title track of the 2018 compilation, a collection of his gospel songs.
Accompanied by a music video, Lisa Marie shares rare performance footage of her father along with home videos and family photos.
“It’s whatever seems appropriate at the time,” Lisa Marie said in 2013 of channeling her father through the different releases. “‘Don’t Cry Daddy’ seemed appropriate for the first one. I loved ‘In the Ghetto’, which raised money for housing projects, so that seemed appropriate. And T-Bone actually picked ‘I Love You Because’, but I loved it and thought it was appropriate. Each one kind of has a different vibe and a different energy.”
On Jan. 8, 2023, just days before her death, Lisa Marie shared one last tribute to her father, greeting fans at Graceland on what would have been his 88th birthday.
“Today, he [Elvis Presley] would have been 88 years old,” she said during the event. “That’s hard to believe. I think that he would be proud.”
Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Wonderwall
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