Lisa Marie Presley offers a unique perspective shaped by an extraordinary life, particularly concerning her relationship with her iconic father, Elvis Presley, and her own journey through fame, love, and motherhood. At 46 (at the time of the original interview), the singer-songwriter shared candid insights into the men who have impacted her life, starting with the most significant figure of all. “I was just nine when my father [Elvis Presley] died, but I had a very special relationship with him,” she recalled. “He was the most incredible, enigmatic, powerful, dynamic human being I’ve ever met. As far as men go, he left big shoes to fill.” Despite his enduring global presence, she finds comfort, not strangeness, in his continued relevance in popular culture.
Memories of Elvis: A Daughter’s Perspective
Most of Lisa Marie’s cherished memories with her father are rooted in their time together at Graceland. “Our rooms were on the top floor of Graceland,” she shared. “We would sit in my room and watch TV, and spend a lot of time together upstairs alone. He’d take me on golf-cart rides, or we’d visit my grandfather or the pet store.” She remembers Elvis as a man of extremes: “My father was very funny, very playful, but he also had a very bad temper. Across the board, he was extreme: either really funny, really playful, or in such a bad mood that people were running for the hills.” She attributes some of his frustrations to the negative influences surrounding him. “He had so many vampires around him, stupid people, and they’d tick him off… Like everybody, he was human.”
Navigating Fame and Finding Normalcy
Growing up as the daughter of Elvis Presley didn’t preclude a sense of normalcy, especially compared to the intense media scrutiny celebrities face today. “Things weren’t quite like they are now in the US, where you’re in a fishbowl because of celebrity news sites like TMZ,” she explained. “Back then I felt I had a bit of space, and I could privately make my own mistakes and grow up.” This relative privacy allowed her to navigate her formative years away from the constant glare of the public eye.
Lisa Marie Presley reflecting during interview about father Elvis Presley and relationships
Perspectives on Men and Relationships
Lisa Marie felt comfortable around boys growing up and never saw them as “alien.” However, she observes distinct differences between men and women. “One thing I will say about men: if they’ve had a good relationship with their mother, and are close with their mother, they are better partners for women. That is a fact,” she stated firmly. For her, the most desirable qualities in a male partner are “dedication, loyalty, honesty and refraining from going elsewhere for their needs.”
Early Motherhood and Marriages
Life moved quickly for Lisa Marie. “I got pregnant and married very early. I was pregnant [with actress daughter Riley Keough] at my 21st birthday,” she revealed. She embraced motherhood fully, finding stability rather than restraint in the role. “I liked being stable and didn’t have any wild oats to sow – I’d already sown them. Motherhood is my favourite thing. I’m a lioness. A caretaker. I would have 15 children if I could.” She looks back on her marriages—to musician Danny Keough, pop star Michael Jackson, actor Nicolas Cage, and music producer Michael Lockwood—without regret. “They were all incredible, fun experiences… Some were marriages of whim – I was wild, they were wild, and we did wild things, but I don’t regret them.” She acknowledges that each ended for different reasons, viewing them not as failures but as partnerships that weren’t ultimately the right fit.
Reflections on Michael Jackson
Her marriage to Michael Jackson was particularly intense. “With MJ [Michael Jackson], unfortunately, too much happened, too much got between us,” she reflected. “There was a very deep strong love there; intense. But people got in the way, on my end and his end.” She believes external interference played a significant role in their separation. “Had it been just he and I, towards the end, I don’t think we would have divorced.”
Finding Stability with Michael Lockwood
At the time of the interview, Lisa Marie had been with her husband, Michael Lockwood, for 11 years. “We met when we were working and we’re very close. We’ve never been apart for a night and we never fight,” she said. She praised his easy-going nature, intelligence, and thoughtfulness. “He lets me be myself, doesn’t get worried or jealous, and he’s the coolest guy I’ve met in my f…ing life.” Humorously, she added, “If he’s taught me anything about myself, it’s that I’m a complete raving lunatic!” Interestingly, despite Lockwood being a “huge muso,” her father’s music wasn’t a major topic between them, though Lockwood was a massive Beatles fan – a band Lisa Marie once saw as “competition” due to protectiveness towards her father, though she now loves John Lennon.
Family Life and Musical Inspirations
Family remains central to Lisa Marie’s life. She spoke lovingly of her children: twin daughters Harper and Finley Lockwood (5 at the time), son Benjamin Keough (21), and daughter Riley Keough (24). “Benjamin has me wrapped around his finger and I spoil the hell out of him… Riley is the same, while the little ones are the most precious things ever.” Her son Benjamin was the inspiration for the title track of her album “Storm & Grace.” “[It’s] about the kind of pressures and expectations placed on men,” she explained. “It’s about how he’s got the biggest heart but he’s learnt how to put up a protective shell… When men get hurt, they get more and more protective and closed off. I’m not sure how we can fix that. I wish there was a way.”
In conclusion, Lisa Marie Presley’s reflections reveal a woman shaped by immense love, loss, and the unique pressures of her legacy. Her memories of Elvis paint a picture of a complex, deeply loved father whose influence remains profound. Her journey through relationships and motherhood showcases her resilience and strong sense of self, while her music provides an outlet for processing these deep experiences and observations on life and the people within it.
