Elvis Presley shot to fame in the 1950s and became one of America’s first rock stars. Some said his family was poor white trash, but that didn’t change the fact he became a first-name-only music star. Whatever led to his success, Elvis prayed for protection with a six-word ritual he performed every night alongside his inner circle in his Graceland bedroom.
Elvis Presley came from humble beginnings before he rocketed to fame
Elvis’ biography is practically ingrained knowledge for music fans at this point, even if they don’t care for his music. He grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, in the 1930s before his music career took off with four No. 1 singles — “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Hound Dog” — in 1956.
The King churned hit singles into the mid-1960s (except for one song whose cover version went to No. 1 in the U.S. instead of the original). Elvis’ success meant he could do rock-star-like things, such as buy Cadillacs and plunk down $102,000 for Graceland in 1957, equivalent of more than $1 million in 2022.
Graceland was the setting for a nightly six-word ritual that involved Elvis’ inner circle joining him on his bed.
Elvis performed a nightly six-word ritual in his Graceland bedroom along with his inner circle
After Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced in 1973, he moved on with Linda Thompson. (He actually started seeing her before he and Priscilla finalized their divorce). She moved into Graceland and eventually joined his nightly six-word ritual.
According to Elvis’ cousin, Billy Smith, and his wife, Jo Smith (via Express), they and Thompson spent a lot of time hanging out in his bedroom. Sometimes that meant talking about science or aliens. Other times, the gatherings took a more mystic road (such as everyone closing their eyes and describing what they saw). No matter what the hangouts included, they ended with Thompson and the Smiths joining Elvis on his bed for a six-word ritual before he went to sleep:
Additionally, Elvis asked the Smiths and Linda to visualize a white aura around each person and a dome over the four of them, saying that it was supposed to protect you, your family, or whoever you were thinking about, as Express reports.
Thompson and Elvis remained together until 1976, so it seems likely she joined the King’s nightly ritual for several years. There’s a chance the routine could have been different if he was playing a show or not sleeping at home. But if he was at Graceland, the bedroom was Elvis’ sanctuary and the site of his nightly ritual.
The King’s relationship with Linda Thompson didn’t make it into the biopic movie
Thompson and Elvis maintained a relationship for four years, and he welcomed her into his nightly ritual. Yet her part of the King’s story didn’t make the cut in the 2022 biopic movie Elvis.
The film focused on two of Elvis’ relationships — Priscilla and manager Colonel Tom Parker. The movie still clocked in at nearly 2 hours, 40 minutes, even without an intense focus on his 1970s period.
Still, Thompson reminded fans that not being included in a movie couldn’t erase her from Elvis’ history. That includes being part of his six-word bedroom ritual every night.
