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 Several
decades ago, two raw talents picked up their guitars
and altered the planet we in habit forever.Both have since attained international deity. John Lennon's deity had
been given it proper place in musical and cultural history. However,
Elvis Presley's impact seems to have been lost amidst his legend ness.
Several
decades ago, two raw talents picked up their guitars
and altered the planet we in habit forever.
Both have since attained international deity. John Lennon's deity had
been given it proper place in musical and cultural history. However,
Elvis Presley's impact seems to have been lost amidst his legend ness.
The distinct contrast between the legacies of these consummate
entertainers can be attributed (over and beyond the myths) to their
widows, Yoko Ono Lennon and Priscilla Beaulieu Presley.
Two
distinctly different women who married two legendary entertainers two
years apart (Elvis and Priscilla in 1967 in Las
Vegas Wedding Photos John and Yoko in 1969 in Gibraltar)
and have since become two most famous widows in the world today.
Over the past 20 or in Ms Presley's case 23 years these two widows have
unwillingly been keepers of the flame.Both have had to face the
challenge of surviving beyond the myth, the mania and the madness, while
the juggling millions of dollars and motherhood, and hoeing their
marketing skills, but that's where the duality beings and ends.
In America, when Elvis exploded on the scene in the 50's parents hated
him because he was the embodiment of sex and the corrupter of youth.
Yet, Elvis meekly attributed it to, "I came at a time, in the music
business, when there was no trend..."
In England, the youthful, John Lennon who saw Elvis as his hero, became
obsessed by this image and lusted after that power. "I wanted to be
this tough James Dean, but Elvis was bigger than religion in my
life," Lennon said.
Years later admitted his distaste at how Elvis' estate handled the
King's memory. "His legend is being overindulged. Anything and
everything is being done to keep the King tied to the throne and the
bucks rolling in."
In death John's legacy seems to have retained what was stripped away
from Elvis.
Today we accept Lennon for what he was, have forgiven him for his public
acts of vulgarity, his plight to be taken seriously, and still love him.
Unlike Lennon, the public has never forgiven Elvis for what they think
they know about his private life.
The pasteurization of Elvis Presley began in 1960 after his army stint
and when Hollywood cast him in 29 asinine beach-boy movies for the next
decade. The day Elvis died (August 16, 1977) John Lennon quipped
"Elvis died in the army..."
In 1963, when the Beatles burst on to the scene, playing their gig in
suits and ties parents saw beyond the neat image and hated them for
being the treat the Elvis ceased to be.But the clean-cut image soon gave way to rebellion, challenging
authority, drinking, drugging, and debauchery in a bid to search for
their souls. In the process they changed the world and helped put an end
to the Vietnam War.
The public will never know what Elvis was doing behind closed doors, no
one will, because he never told his side of the story.... Since his
death we have had only hearsay accounts telling us what Elvis (inside
Graceland) was doing privately what all his critics were doing publicly.
In 1967, when Priscilla Beaulieu changed her name to Presley and the 33
years since she has been publicly portrayed as the soft-spoken,
China-doll who did her best under an untenable situation.
Even her autobiography, ELVIS AND ME could not account for Elvis'
prowess, or why he couldn't balance his bank book or what caused his
drug crazy decline. Oh, we know she took karate lessons, rode horses,
and endured his countless infidelities. However, when Elvis finally
accepted the responsibility for his waning career, she walked.
By not naming Cilla in his last will and testament we know Elvis never
intended his ex-wife take charge of his estate. Only three years after
Elvis' death Priscilla employed a team of business marketing
consultants and turned Graceland from a lemon into lemonade. Today,
the Graceland
mansion, her family home, is the most successful real estate
marketing product since the Eiffel tower was built.
He left that to his father, Vernon to be past on to his daughter, Lisa
Marie at age 25.
Suddenly even Elvis' last wish was amended by Priscilla hand in 1990
when she coaxed her daughter to postponed her inheritance till she turns
30 in 1998.
PRISCILLA
PRESLEY & YOKO ONO - LEGENDARY WIDOWS
Today with
million Elvis and John Lennon fans now online (over 60% on broadband)
searching to buy products and collectables and 6 million searches are done
per day on Google
Australia
alone EPE Inc executives were quick to realise online
marketing as a vital source and its business opportunities. Armed with
latest online marketing tools understanding what fans want gave these two
legendary widows the edge in Internet Marketing and added millions of
dollars to their coffers.
Both
Priscilla Presley & Yoko Ono became the most famous single mothers of all time.
When Yoko Ono married John Lennon, she was blamed for the break up of the Beatles. Nothing about the way she looked or sounded was acceptable to anyone but John
She walked by his side everyday, understood and encouraged his artistic growth. And when John self-destructed under the pressure of his career, Yoko played the devils advocate. She weaned him off drugs, guided him towards a healthy diet and became his partner in inner peace. An astute businesswoman, she can be credited for investing John's income and turning it into a fortune. All this without the need to be called Yoko Lennon.
When Elvis was alive, he and Cilla kept the details of their marriage to themselves. Only after his death we got to hear her side of 'their' story.
Whereas, John and Yoko lived out every marital blow via the media with no sin left unturned. Yoko has never written a book, never once complained about the hardships of being wed to a famous entertainer.
Clearly, Priscilla Presley will always be termed the rock n roll widow, exploiting Elvis' (after death) image to the tune of the cash register's motto: never give away anything you can sell. Whereas, rock n roll survivor seems better suited to Yoko Ono whose business
marketing acumen (during Lennon's lifetime) had her investing in real estate and farming reaping a 16 million-dollar profit in 2 years.Priscilla is often credited for Elvis' estate today being worth 100 million dollars.
Little known fact is that Jack Soden approached Cilla with an offer to good
to refuse. Today Soden CEO of EPE Inc is laughing all the way to the bank.
Without the financial perks of a John Lennon ashtray, aftershave or toothpaste, John's estate is currently estimated to be worth one billion, but you don't hear Yoko boasting. When Priscilla saw fit to expose the grim details of what it was like to be wed, live and then divorced the King, she elected herself the producer (with no experience) for the
tele-movie based on her autobiography. With her producer's learners permit, her perception gave us a Elvis persona so shallow, so debauched and so blown away on drugs, no friend, fan or foe could
recognize.
However, when Yoko decided to reveal John's personal life, she gave professional producer, David Wolper 240 hours of personal film archives which he in turned into a haunting in-depth representation as to why John's persona reached deep into our souls with the documentary aptly titled, IMAGINE. But the ultimate legacy of either star is how their offspring have been taught to handle the weight of being born famous.
Both
Priscilla Presley & Yoko Ono raised their children as single parents. Priscilla has extruded that sympathetic aspect for all it worth, with the enduring claim that she's the mother of Elvis Presley's only child.
 Yoko did it without complaint. The result! Sean Lennon was sent to school in Europe to mature into a normal healthy teenager. Today his public appearance to accept awards on behalf of his father show he has control of his birthright situation. He gladly mingles with his father's fans. Treats the media and curiosity seekers with the wit of both his parents - despite the fact he was only 5 years old when his father died.
On the other hand, Lisa Marie Presley never mixes with Elvis fans. Her interviews are rare. Her public appearances are manipulated to promote her mother's career.
If Lisa has any memory of the man who handed her the world on a silver platter she has done nothing to stop the critics or discredit any of the bizarre media claims.
The most evident contrast between both heirs apparent, Sean and Lisa came to light in June 1989 and again in 1992. When Lisa sold photos of Elvis Presley's first grandchild, Danielle and grandson, Benjamin to the highest bidder while claiming they were a private family. And whenever the paparazzi catch her outside the strict environment of her mother's control Lisa Marie frowns in disgust or flags her middle finger and curses the world.
 My, my, my how things have changed for daddy's little girl.
After
Lisa Marie divorce from Michael Jackson her image is being groomed to boost the flame. During Elvis Week, August, 1999 in the name of marketing the keeper of the flame has staged an appearance where she performed a duet (a la Natalie Cole) with daddy, singing Don't Cry Daddy... With that poignant song title I rest my case...
At the age of 33 with three marriages behind her, Lisa Marie Presley
embarked on a singing career with the CD poignantly called "TO
WHOM IT MY CONCERN" followed by her latest endeavor "NOW
WHAT"
(Shame
that poor Lisa inherited her father's looks but her mother's voice... If
only it were the other way around - Lisa could have craved her name into
the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame like her dad)
However, while, the glitzy marketing of Elvis Presley's memory
by EPE Inc and the recent sale of Graceland rests uneasy with fans, John Lennon's admirers must be wailing in disbelief at Yoko's latest promotional tactic. In her zeal to sustain the Lennon legacy, Yoko recently offered the bullet-ridden, blood soaked shirt John Lennon was wearing when he was shot down on Fifth Avenue, for public auction (at a reserve price of $50,000) claiming 'it' as historical artwork.
Her misconceived idea of 'art appreciation' can
rekindle the rumor that Yoko caused the Beatles split
that
which changed the course of music
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