
However, none of the Beatles songs that Presley covered were “Lennon” songs. They were all “McCartney” songs except for one written by George Harrison.
Probably the most prominent Beatles’ song covered by Elvis is “Something” due to the fact that Presley sang it live during his “Aloha from Hawaii” concert special in 1973. This concert was broadcast all over the world via satellite and has been captured for posterity on the concert DVD and album.
George Harrison revealed in “The Beatles Anthology” from 1995 that he met Elvis a second time (after the Beatles infamous meeting with Presley in 1965) in New York at Elvis’ Madison Square Garden concert in 1972. Harrison intimated that at the time he did not like Elvis’ 1970s sound and wished he would go back to singing his old 1950s hits. Ironically, a few months later, Elvis showcased Harrison’s “Something” with a pinnacle performance in Aloha from Hawaii.
Elvis joined the list of performers who have recorded “Yesterday”, the most covered song of all time, when he sang the song during his August 1969 shows in Las Vegas. The concert recording (click here for audio) was released the following year on the album called On Stage.
Watch Presley singing the song during the rehearsals for his 1970 Las Vegas concerts which were filmed for a documentary called That’s The Way It Is.
Watch Presley singing the song combo during the rehearsals for his 1970 Las Vegas concerts in That’s The Way It Is.
Listen to the audio from a studio outtake of Elvis Presley singing The Beatles’ song, “Lady Madonna.”
5) Hey Jude
“Hey Jude” was probably not the best fit for Elvis’ vocal range, at least not the impromptu version that he recorded during his 1969 American Studios sessions in Memphis. The song was never completed properly, but released without Presley’s approval nevertheless on the album Elvis Now three years later in 1972.
Recorded less than six months after The Beatles released the song, listen to the audio from Elvis Presley’s studio version of “Hey Jude.”
In 2002, a rare EP collection containing all five songs was released on CD called Elvis Sings Beatles’ Songs.
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Read more fascinating stories about the behind-the-scenes relationship between The King and The Fab Four in the new book by Trina Young called, Elvis and The Beatles: Love and Rivalry Between the Two Biggest Acts of the 20th Century
Listen to the audiobook for free on YouTube
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