Latest Breaking News Online News Portal
Elvis Presley was an incredible showman, but he also put on a fantastic party. He would frequently hold soirees at his home, Graceland, where he would host some of the world’s biggest and best stars. One evening, he welcomed a massive British rock band into his gates, and things got a little weird.
During the early 1970s Led Zeppelin attended Graceland’s hallowed grounds to hang out and party with Elvis.
Jerry Schilling, a key member of Elvis’ Memphis Mafia, later recalled this incredible get-together in his book “Me and a Guy Named Elvis”.
He remembered the rockers and the King of Rock and Roll getting along famously. They even began to start swapping jewellery, brandishing one another’s accessories and generally joking around.
But eventually, Elvis took it a step further. Jerry wrote: “Before the evening was over, Elvis said he wanted to make another exchange. He was out of watches, but had another bit of fashion in mind.”
The King, who was wearing just pyjama bottoms and a bathrobe, pointed directly at Led Zeppelin’s drummer, John Bonham, and demanded what he wanted next.
“So he stood,” Jerry wrote. “Eyed John, and said: ‘Let’s swap pants!'”
Elvis had planned out his joke perfectly and punctuated his hilarious quip with physical comedy.
Elvis said he wanted to take John Bonham’s pants “while simultaneously, in expert [Monty] Python fashion, letting his pyjama bottoms drop beneath his robe”.
Jerry added: “[Led Zeppelin’s tour manager] Richard [Cole] was shocked into silence, while quiet Sheila and John burst out laughing.”
As the room erupted into laughter, Elvis simply stood there, waiting for a response to his pants-swapping request.
“Nobody accepted Elvis’ offer,” Jerry said. “But it was a great note to end the night on.”
Elvis and Led Zeppelin had a strong relationship throughout the 1970s. Robert Plant later wrote about meeting the King for the first time, revealing that he “sized up” the star.
“He wasn’t quite as tall as me,” he penned. “But he had a singer’s build. He had a good chest – that resonator. And he was driven.”
As they grew closer, Robert confessed something a little embarrassing to Elvis.
Robert told Elvis that he would warm up for his Led Zeppelin gigs by singing the King’s “moodiest” hits.
“Jimmy Page joked with Elvis that we never sound-checked,” Robert said. “But if we did, all I wanted to do was sing Elvis songs. Elvis thought that was funny and asked me: ‘Which songs do you sing?’ I told him I liked the ones with all the moods, like that great country song ‘Love Me’.” (Via Ultimate Guitar)
So when Robert and the rest of his band were leaving their meeting, he turned around and looked at Elvis. Instantly, they both knew what to do.
Robert remembered: “He swung around the door frame, looking quite pleased with himself, and started singing that song: ‘Treat me like a fool…’ I turned around and did Elvis right back at him. We stood there, singing to each other. And of course, we were just crying.”
SOURCE
