The first week of November 2023 is an incredible time for classic rock fans. November 2 saw the release of The Beatles’ “Now and Then” while November 4 will see the premiere of Priscilla, a new film about Elvis Presley’s relationship with his wife. This raises an interesting question: When was the last time fans were treated to a new Beatles single and a new Elvis movie in the same month?
Elvis Presley made a movie with a ‘Batman’ actor
Elvis knew how to make movies — and make ’em fast. 1968 saw the release of three new Elvis movies: the Western Stay Away, Joe, the Nancy Sinatra co-starring vehicle Speedway, and Live a Little, Love a Little, the movie that gave us “A Little Less Conversation.”
According to Graceland.com, Stay Away, Joe came out on March 8, 1968. The movie is most notable for featuring Burgess Meredith. Meredith was most known for playing the trainer Mickey in the Rocky movies and The Penguin in the 1960s Batman television show. Stay Away, Joe is forgotten today, possibly for its racist portrayal of Native Americans.
The Beatles released a new song a few days later
According to the 1997 book Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now, The Beatles released “Lady Madonna” on March 15, 1968, just days after Stay Away, Joe hit theaters. It must have been a great time for fans of the two rock titans!
“Lady Madonna” also featured a B-side from George Harrison called “The Inner Light.” The latter tune features spiritual lyrics and Indian classical instrumentation. It heralded what was to come from George.
Elvis Presley covered The Beatles ‘Lady Madonna’ but he didn’t inspire it
In Paul McCartney: May Years from Now, Paul discussed the origin of “Lady Madonna.” “‘Lady Madonna’ was me sitting down at the piano trying to write a bluesy boogie-woogie thing,” he said. “I got my left hand doing an arpeggio thing with the chord, an ascending boogie-woogie left hand, then a descending right hand. I always liked that, the juxtaposition of a line going down meeting a line going up. That was basically what it was.”
“Lady Madonna” wasn’t inspired by Elvis, but by one of his contemporaries. “It reminded me of Fats Domino for some reason, so I started singing a Fats Domino impression. It took my voice to a very odd place. [Producer] Richard Perry got Fats to do it. I probably told Richard Perry that it was based on Fats.”
Paul noticed an anomaly in the lyrics of “Lady Madonna.” “Recently [1994], I was writing the words out to learn it for an American TV show and I realized I missed out Saturday; I did every other day of the week, but I missed out Saturday,” he said. “So I figured it must have been a real night out.” Fascinatingly, Elvis himself covered “Lady Madonna,” showing that the tune gelled well with his early rock ‘n’ roll style.
Decades after “Lady Madonna” and Stay Away, Joe came out within days of each other, fans finally get to feel like they’re coming full circle.
