Lisa Marie Presley's memoir reveals she wrote poem in Elvis Presley's name hoping 'daddy doesn’t die'

Elvis Presley died in 1977 when Lisa Marie Presley was just nine years old
PUBLISHED SEP 27, 2024
Lisa Marie Presley was worried about her father Elvis Presley's health (Getty Images)
Lisa Marie Presley was worried about her father Elvis Presley's health (Getty Images)

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock icon Elvis Presley, had shared her deep fears about losing her father from a young age.

Elvis Presley died in 1977 when Lisa Marie was just nine years old. In her upcoming posthumous memoir 'From Here to the Great Unknown', Lisa Marie opened up on the anxieties she felt about her father's health, reflecting on their unique bond.

Lisa Marie Presley recalls her fears about Elvis Presley’s health

The memoir, which will be released on October 8, was completed by Lisa Marie’s daughter Riley Keough, using tapes her mother had left behind after her death in 2023.

"I was always worried about my dad dying," Lisa Marie said in the memoir. She described witnessing unsettling moments during her father's struggle with drug use.

 Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley died in 1977 when Lisa Marie was just nine years old (Getty Images)

"Sometimes I’d see him and he was out of it. Sometimes I would find him passed out. I wrote a poem with the line, 'I hope my daddy doesn’t die,'" she recalls in the excerpts shared by People.

Lisa Marie Presley shares her experience of watching Elvis Presley perform

Lisa Marie Presley also fondly recalled attending her father’s performances as a child, describing it as one of her most cherished memories.

"Going to his shows was my favorite thing in the world," she said, adding "I was so proud of him. He would take me by the hand and bring me out onstage."

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 27: Actress Riley Keough attends the
The memoir, which will be released on October 8, was completed by Lisa Marie Presley's daughter Riley Keough (Getty Images)

After being escorted to her seat, she would watch him perform with her grandfather, Vernon Presley, nearby.

"The electricity of those shows. There’s nothing I’ve felt that’s been even close to that feeling, ever," Lisa Marie described.

She remembered having favorite songs she would ask him to sing. "I had certain songs that I liked — 'Hurt,' and 'How Great Thou Art.' I would ask him to sing those songs for me, and he would always say yes," she wrote in the memoir.

Riley Keough reflects on Elvis and Lisa Marie Presley's bond

Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, also shared her reflections on her mother and grandfather's relationship.

"My father was always my mom’s greatest protector and best friend," she told the publication.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 10: Lisa Marie Presley with Icelandic Glacial at the 80th Annual
Riley Keough says Elvis Persely was  always my mother's greatest protector and best friend (Getty Images)

She described their bond as “incredibly unique,” noting how grateful she was to witness their "unconditional love they had for one another."

Lisa Marie Presley died at the age of 54 in 2023 after suffering a cardiac arrest. Her death was later attributed to complications from a bowel obstruction surgery.

Keough recently told People that Lisa Marie died of a "broken heart" due to constant pain after son Benjamin's death. 

Elvis Presley was pronounced dead at hospital on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42 after he was found unresponsive at his Graceland property on the floor of the master suite bathroom.

Elvis Presley strolls the grounds of his Graceland estate in circa 1957 (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Elvis Presley was pronounced dead at hospital on August 16, 1977 (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Initially, his death was attributed to "cardiac arrhythmia" a heart issue, but a later toxicology report also revealed high levels of various drugs in his system like opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol and codeine as well as Quaaludes. 

MORE STORIES

The post Khloe Kardashian liked featured Charlie Kirk speaking with a fan at an event about his devout Christian faith
Sep 13, 2025
Whitney Cummings sparked widespread outrage after posting a controversial tweet about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Sep 13, 2025
Prince Harry was spotted entering King Charles’s London residence, months after saying his father had ignored his calls
Sep 11, 2025
Rosie O'Donnell said Ellen DeGeneres’ friendship denial hurt so much she printed T-shirts for her staff reading, 'I don’t know Rosie, we’re not friends'
Sep 10, 2025
A post alleged that Karoline Leavitt called Patti LaBelle 'just a singer,' leading LaBelle to deliver a seven-word response that froze the studio
Sep 10, 2025
Jennifer Lopez feels free channeling emotions into music, but Ben Affleck is embarrassed and sees it as crossing a line, according to the source
Sep 9, 2025
Howard Stern added that he missed last week’s show due to illness, not contract talks, and addressed rumors of being fired from his own show
Sep 9, 2025
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement in August 2025 triggered a wave of pregnancy chatter after an ultrasound photo went viral
Sep 9, 2025
Ed Sheeran, 34, revealed that he was leaving Suffolk with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters, Lyra and Jupiter
Sep 9, 2025
From Ice Spice’s chaotic corset to Paris Hilton’s flame dress, see the celebs who landed on the worst-dressed list at the 2025 VMAs
Sep 8, 2025