Lisa Marie Presley held a deep connection to her father’s extensive musical catalog. While she appreciated every phase of Elvis Presley’s career, she often expressed a particular fondness for the songs he released during the 1970s. This era resonated most strongly with her, largely because it coincided with her formative years, allowing her to witness his performances and presence firsthand. For many fans searching for the unique bond between father and daughter through music, exploring lisa marie presley songs youtube or discovering which of his tracks she cherished most offers a poignant insight into their relationship and her musical taste.
“I’m definitely a fan of all that stuff,” Presley shared in 2012, referring to her father’s diverse body of work. She elaborated, “But for me, it’s just the fact that I was around more to see him perform in the ’70s.” She acknowledged her love for songs from his earlier Sun Records period and all other eras, but the music of the 1970s held a special place due to those personal memories. Growing up, she gravitated towards hits from the late ’60s and 1970s, including tracks like “Kentucky Rain,” “In the Ghetto,” “Solitaire,” and “Just Pretend.”
Lisa Marie noted that the ’70s songs “bring back more memories.” Interestingly, she also revealed a preference for her father’s darker, more melancholic tunes. “The sad ones, I get into, the dark ones that weren’t particularly a hit on the radio,” she stated. “Those I love.” This inclination towards the more emotionally complex tracks offers another layer of understanding into her connection with his art. For fans compiling a presley songs list or exploring the musical legacy of this iconic family, recognizing Lisa Marie’s specific preferences provides a unique perspective.
Here is a closer look at five Elvis songs that Lisa Marie Presley considered among her favorites:
“Just Pretend” (1970)
Written by Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett, “Just Pretend” was a song Lisa Marie had a particular attachment to. “I’m still really attracted to those songs of his like ‘Just Pretend,’” she said, explaining that seeing him perform these songs regularly solidified her connection to them. Elvis Presley and Lisa Marie songs often reflect this unique bond, even if they are not direct duets. Released a year after his Las Vegas debut, the song captures feelings of longing and distance, featuring lyrics about pretending to be close to a loved one who is far away. Recorded on June 6, 1970, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, it appeared on Elvis’ album That’s the Way It Is but was not released as a single. The song saw renewed interest in 2016 when it was featured on The Wonder of You: Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, including a duet version with Helene Fischer. Following Lisa Marie’s passing on January 12, 2023, at the age of 54, Elvis Radio on SiriusXM paid tribute by playing “Just Pretend” repeatedly, highlighting its significance as one of her most cherished tracks.
“Mary in the Morning” (1970)
Another favorite track from the That’s the Way It Is album was “Mary in the Morning.” Written by Michael Rashkow and Johnny Cymbal, Lisa Marie expressed her deep affection for this song, simply stating, “There’s a song called ‘Mary in the Morning’ that I just love.” This heartfelt ballad beautifully conveys the enduring love a man feels for a woman, with poignant lines like, When I awake and see her there so close beside me / I want to take her in my arms / The ache is there so deep inside me. The song was also notably covered by Glen Campbell in 1967 on his album Gentle On My Mind.
“Separate Ways” (1972)
Perhaps one of the most emotionally impactful songs on her list, “Separate Ways” held significant personal weight. Co-written by Red West, a former bodyguard and Memphis Mafia member, and Richard Mainegra, the song directly reflected the painful reality of Elvis’s deteriorating marriage to Priscilla at the time. The divorce was finalized in 1973 when Lisa Marie was just four years old. Despite its somber theme, Lisa Marie described the song as “treacherously painful” yet simultaneously one of the most “beautiful” songs her father ever recorded. Its raw, honest lyrics, such as There’s nothing left to do but go our separate ways / And pick up all the pieces left behind us… Some day when she’s older, maybe she will understand / Why her mom and dad are not together, likely resonated deeply with her own childhood experiences. “Separate Ways” was released as the B-side to Elvis’s famous cover of “Always on My Mind” in 1972. While “Always on My Mind” became a massive hit, Lisa Marie felt that “‘Separate Ways’ wasn’t paid nearly enough attention to as it should have been. It’s really beautiful.”
“You Gave Me a Mountain” (1973)
From the iconic album Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite, “You Gave Me a Mountain” was another song Lisa Marie held in high regard. “I also love ‘You Gave Me a Mountain,’ too,” she stated. Originally penned by country singer and songwriter Marty Robbins, the song achieved popularity when Frankie Laine released it in 1969, topping the Billboard Easy Listening chart. Elvis’s powerful rendition, released in 1973, resonated with audiences. This heartbreaking ballad tells the story of a young man’s struggle, including the pain of being blamed for the loss of his mother and feeling deprived of his father’s love, expressed in lines like, Born in the heat of the desert / My mother died giving me life / Deprived of the love of a father / Blamed for the loss of his wife. The depth of emotion in this track likely appealed to Lisa Marie’s preference for his more somber material.
“It’s Over” (1973)
Another song from the Elvis’ Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite album that deeply affected Lisa Marie was “It’s Over.” “There’s a song called ‘It’s Over’ that killed me,” she revealed, referring to Elvis’s cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ 1966 song. Rodgers wrote the song after witnessing a real-life breakup, capturing the finality and pain of a relationship ending. The raw emotion conveyed in Elvis’s performance of this track clearly resonated with Lisa Marie, fitting her appreciation for the more intense and sorrowful songs in her father’s repertoire.
Lisa Marie Presley’s appreciation for her father’s music, particularly the emotionally resonant songs from his later career, offers a unique and personal lens through which to view the vast legacy of the King of Rock and Roll. These favorite tracks provide a glimpse into the complex relationship between a legendary performer and his beloved daughter, highlighting the power of music to forge lasting connections and evoke deep memories.
