Paul McCartney has confessed The Beatles classic album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was heavily influenced by Elvis Presley. The music legend reveals The Beatles wrote the 1967 LP, using the concept of a band, so they would not have to go on tour - an idea they obtained from Presley.
McCartney says, "We had this idea that we'd make a record, and the record itself would go on tour for us.
"That came from a story we'd heard about Elvis' Cadillac going on tour. We though that was an amazing idea: He doesn't go on tour, he just sends his Cadillac out. Fantastic!"
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' Influenced By Elvis
May 17, 2007 | Music Source:GoogleJimmyCool wrote on
May 17, 2007
...I thought it was because of Elvis' music... that's an absurd confession!
srodriguez wrote on
May 17, 2007
Yes. That is what Paul said in the Anthology they put out years ago. The music is totally different from what Elvis did, but the idea that Elvis was not touring but his caddie was, is what Paul stated was the idea to not tour and let their album tour for them
My boy, my boy wrote on
May 18, 2007
I think this statement is rather funny. To see any great artist relating to Elvis in any possible way must be sort of flattering for the King watching it from up above...
JimmyCool wrote on
May 18, 2007
Let's put Travolta, Streisand and McCartney together on a tour to Iraq.
Rob Wanders wrote on
May 18, 2007
what a horrible reaction of you, JimmyCool. You don't seem to be very cool at all. Shame!!!
KC Skory wrote on
May 18, 2007
As a die-hard fan of both Elvis Presley and The Beatles, it truly saddens me to once again to see such a high level of hatred so many Elvis fans have against The Beatles. Truth be told, I've never understood this high school mentality - if you don't care for another artist that's fine...just keep it to yourself. McCartney and his bandmates have never failed to give Elvis Presley credit and concede that as a solo act, Elvis was second to none. I love Elvis and this web site, but I find it incredibly alienating when this BEatles hatred rears its ugly head.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on
May 18, 2007
KC i agree,i am not a beatles fan but i dont hate them,its music,why would i hate them,do i think they get more respect and sometimes credit than elvis well yes,but they have nothing to do with that,that i think is were you get alot of these remarks,and some comments should not be said about anyone as already mentioned!
Joe Carr wrote on
May 18, 2007
I think the underlying reason he said that, was to justify not having the Beatles tour anymore as they had lost their desire to do so by then, or even as early as 1966.
get real wrote on
May 18, 2007
the only thing that Sgt. Pepper's was really influenced or inspired by was The Beach Boys (really Brian Wilson's) Pet Sounds. The Elvis Cadillac story ...... hmmmm.
emjel wrote on
May 18, 2007
I think there's an element in both stories - Pet Sounds and Elvis' cadillac. Interestingly it was the Beatles "Revolver" album that inspired Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds too. However all this crazy mud slinging re The Beatles. At the end of the day whether you liked them or not, The Beatles did what Elvis had done 6 years earlier - took the world by storm.
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on
May 25, 2007
Lennon & McCartney claim they were influenced by Elvis, then why wasn't he featured on the cover, two faced.But I still love Lennon.
Steve V wrote on
May 27, 2007
Deke- I remember reading they wanted to inlcude Elvis on the cover but were not allowed without paying a large sum of money. Typical Parker. Just when Elvis needed a little boost in 1967. They def wanted him on there.