25 Rare Facts About Elvis Presley You Probably Didn't Know

Hands up if you're an Elvis super fan? We've searched high and low for 25 of our favourite little known facts about Elvis Presley, the King of Memphis; how many can you tick off? After reading this list, we think it's time for A Little Less Conversation, a little more karaoke, please. 

So here's a list of our Elvis songs and a free trial to our Online Karaoke service. Better get those Blue Suede Shoes ready, these songs will get your hips swivelling and lips curling. 

1. Elvis and David Bowie shared the same birthday (January 8th!)

2. Elvis recorded over 600 songs but didn't actually write a single one of them!

3. There's a total of 15 Elvis songs with the word 'blue' in the title. Can you name them all?

4. The song “Crazy Little Thing called Love” was written by Freddie Mercury as a tribute to Elvis and was completed in 10 minutes.

5. When he was 12 years old, a local radio station offered Elvis to sing live on the show but he turned it down due to shyness. Thankfully, he got over his nerves later in life!

6. Before Elvis was famous, he auditioned for a part in a gospel quartet band called The Songfellows in 1954 but was rejected! They must have regretted that decision terribly.

7. Ever wondered where the gyrating hips move came from? In 1956, TV host Milton Berle reportedly advised Elvis against performing live with his guitar. This prompted the singer to do a hip thrust on screen instead which lead to his nickname "Elvis the Pelvis". 

8. Elvis has only ever played 5 concerts abroad; it was during a 3-day tour in Canada in 1957.

9. Johnny Cash and Elvis were great friends and often impersonated each other.

10. Though Elvis is commonly associated with Memphis, he was actually born in Tupelo in Mississippi.

11. Ever the perfectionist, it took 31 attempts to record Hound Dog.

12. Elvis' 1960 single, "It's Now or Never" inspired Barry White to start his music career. Barry was serving time in prison at the time for stealing tyres but vowed to follow his musical calling once he heard the song.

13. If you ever wondered what banter with Elvis was like, there's an album showing you just that. He recorded an album titled "Having Fun with Elvis on Stage" in 1974 of him talking in between songs.

14. The song "Heartbreak Hotel" was inspired by an article in a newspaper about a local suicide.

15. Elvis sleepwalked a lot when he was a child.

16. He's distantly related to former US Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter.

17. Talk about playing it safe! Elvis wore a cross, the Star of David and a Hebrew Chai symbol around his neck at all times so he wouldn't "miss out on heaven due to a technicality".

18. Elvis once sang in his school's talent show and came 5th. He was also given a grade C in his 8th grade music class. So, never give up on your dreams!

19. Elvis received a guitar for his 11th birthday rather than the bike he had been hoping for. 

20. Some people consider Elvis' debut single, "That's All Right (Mama)" as the world's first ever rock 'n' roll record.

21. Elvis has only ever endorsed one brand in his career: Texas based doughnut brand, Southern Maid Doughnuts. 

22. His favourite sandwich of all time was a combination of peanut butter, banana, honey and bacon.

23. Elvis met his ex-wife Priscilla during his time in the army in 1959, when she was just 14. They married 8 years later. 

24. Hii-ya! Elvis also had a black belt in karate. Talk about a fun fact about Elvis!

25. Elvis' infamous black hair is actually dyed, his natural hair colour was blonde. 

Ready for an Elvis Trivia and Karaoke Night?

Now you know all of our favourite Elvis Presley facts, you’re ready to win a friendly game of trivia, or break away from the crowd at the next pub quiz. As long as the night includes a little bit of karaoke, we’re all for it! So we hope you’ve enjoyed these fun and interesting facts about Elvis Presley, and that The King keeps on making you groove.