Elvis and Me

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The estate was run by Elvis’s father, Vernon, until he died in 1979, leaving the mansion, grounds, artefacts and bills to Priscilla. Every second cafe, clothing retailer and hairdresser seems to have festooned their window displays with Presley iconography, as businesses pump out into the city’s main streets the classics All Shook Up, Blue Suede Shoes and Love Me Tender.

Priscilla also began to understand the spotlight that would constantly be on her as Elvis’ love interest. In the same interview, she described an occasion when she heard onlookers at a Beverly Hills boutique gossiping as she tried on clothes. “I heard the girl saying, ‘You know who that is? That’s the girl Elvis is dating, and they’re getting married. She’s pregnant,’” recalled Priscilla, who wasn’t actually pregnant. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s what’s being said?’” urn:lcp:elvismepres00pres:epub:44e75d8c-9183-41d9-a315-185ce295915b Extramarc Duke University Libraries Foldoutcount 0 Identifier elvismepres00pres Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t81k0363j Isbn 0399129847Overall a heartbreaking messed up story that shouldn't be ignored even though the music is fantastic and timeless. Rather than being the single event that the family anticipated, Elvis made their visits regular ones; when her parents balked, Elvis spoke to them personally, turning all of his charismatic charm on them, and telling them everything they wanted to hear. Most of it was untrue, of course, but the one thing he adhered to was not having sexual intercourse. During this time period, the Madonna-Whore dichotomy was alive and well, and any girl or woman known to have sex outside of marriage was likely to be ostracized by former friends and in some cases, family. It’s hard to imagine now, but at that time, no birth control pill had been invented, and a pregnancy outside of marriage was likely to ruin a young woman’s entire life.

Mills, Nancy (February 7, 1988). "Priscilla's perspective on life with the King". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. p.4J.The gossip was the hardest part. “That’s when I started not reading papers any more or [magazines] in the grocery stores,” she says. He wanted the audience to get a sight and go home with something to talk about. It wasn’t about Liberace. That didn’t impress Elvis at all. In the end, the Beaulieus agreed to send their daughter to Memphis, and Priscilla enrolled at Immaculate Conception High School. Although she stayed with Vernon and Dee at first, she was soon living at Graceland. Before graduating in May 1963, she took pills that Elvis provided so she could go to classes during the day while being available for him at other times.