Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’: What Priscilla Presley Thought of Junkie XL’s Hit Remix
Elvis Presley‘s “A Little Less Conversation” was a minor hit. Subsequently, Junkie XL’s remix of “A Little Less Conversation” became far more popular. During an interview, Junkie XL revealed what Priscilla Presley thought of his version of the song. Notably, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s personal life meant Junkie XL had to shorten his name when he released the song.
Junkie XL had 5 hours to remix Elvis Presley’s ‘A Little Less Conversation’
During an interview with Screen Rant, Junkie XL said his EDM take on “A Little Less Conversation” originated from a conversation with a member of an advertising agency. Someone from the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy told Junkie XL the company wanted to use Elvis’ song in one of their commercials. There was one issue: the music was too short.
Junkie XL had five hours to create an extended version of the song. He finished it on time. The member of the advertising company predicted the new “A Little Less Conversation” would be a No. 1 hit.
Why the lawyer of Elvis Presley’s estate was upset by Junkie XL’s name
Junkie XL revealed Priscilla loved his remix. The lawyer for the Elvis estate wanted to know who produced the track. “And then the guy on the Nike side says, “His name is Junkie XL,'” Junkie XL recalled. “And it goes quiet. After half a minute, he says, ‘You have to be f****** kidding me, right?'”
Junkie XL explained why his name was a problem. “Because, as we know, the last few years of Elvis were primarily overshadowed by his drug use, and not so much his singing performances,” he said. “So we shortened it to JXL, and it went into the commercial, which ran worldwide and did really well, and then the track started living its own life, and then eventually, we decided to release it as a single. So I spent a little bit more time on it to produce it as a proper single, and that’s the track most people know today. It became a No. 1 hit in many countries.”
The way the world reacted to ‘A Little Less Conversation’
The Official Charts Company reports the original version of “A Little Less Conversation” did not chart in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, Junkie XL’s “A Little Less Conversation” became a massive hit there. The remix lasted 20 weeks on the chart, spending four of those weeks at the top of the chart.
Notably, the original version of “A Little Less Conversation” was a minor hit in the United States. The track reached No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for four weeks. Meanwhile, Junkie XL’s remix reached No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lasted on the chart for nine weeks. The remix didn’t take long to produce, but it became a massive hit.