Introduction
The Beatle Elvis Presley Loved Most (And It’s Not Who You Think)
One undeniable truth in music history is this: without Elvis Presley, there might never have been The Beatles. This statement is not an exaggeration—it’s a fact acknowledged by none other than John Lennon himself in a 1980 interview with David Sheff. Elvis was an essential influence on the legendary group from Liverpool.
As teenagers growing up in Liverpool, the Beatles were mesmerized by Elvis—his rebellious image, bold charisma, and coolness made a lasting impression. However, by the late 1960s, when The Beatles had reached an unimaginable level of global superstardom, their relationship with Elvis began to change. Elvis—whose career was in decline—started criticizing the Beatles as “anti-American hippie types.”
But according to David E. Stanley, Elvis’s stepbrother, the King of Rock and Roll still held a soft spot for one particular Beatle: George Harrison. In an interview with Daily Express in March 2025, Stanley revealed that Elvis considered Harrison to be the most talented songwriter in the group. Elvis especially loved songs written by Harrison, such as “Something” and “Here Comes the Sun” from Abbey Road (1969), and “If I Needed Someone” from Rubber Soul (1965). Another favorite track was “Norwegian Wood”, written by John Lennon, but it featured George Harrison’s iconic sitar playing, which gave the song its distinct sound.
George Harrison once reflected on how much Elvis influenced him. He said that hearing Elvis for the first time changed everything. “I’d never heard anything like it… The first song I remember was Heartbreak Hotel—or Heartburn Motel, as we used to jokingly call it in Liverpool.”
Elvis’s admiration for George Harrison wasn’t just praise from a fellow artist—it was a full-circle moment of inspiration in rock and roll history: from a musical pioneer to the next generation he helped inspire.