Elvis’ ‘There Goes My Everything’ Isn’t About His Divorce From Priscilla Presley

Classic rock songs can be deceitful above all things. Today, Elvis Presley’s “There Goes My Everything” sounds like it’s about his divorce from Priscilla Presley. Here’s a look at the star who actually inspired the song and what its writer thought about the “All Shook Up” singer covering his tune.

Elvis Presley’s ‘There Goes My Everything’ was about another celebrity’s divorce

“There Goes My Everything” was written by songwriter Dallas Frazier. Frazier is perhaps most known for writing and performing the original version of The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Elvira.” During a 2017 interview with The Tennessean, he discussed the genesis of the former. “It was born out of a divorce, and fortunately not mine, but a good friend of mine, Ferlin Husky,” he said. “It was the first song I wrote when I came to Nashville, Tennessee.” Husky was a country star who had hits in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

The tune was a hit for Jack Greene in 1966 before it was covered by both Elvis and Engelbert Humperdinck. Fraizer discussed different versions of the song. “Yeah, [Greene] captured it,” he said. “I loved it. I truly did, because the greatest thing that can happen to a writer is hear their song the way they were hearing it [in their head]. Of course, it was better than what I had heard, but it was just so good. You know, the Elvis cut, and the Engelbert Humperdinck cut. Engelbert was so good!”

What Dallas Fraizer thought about Elvis Presley covering his tune

Fraizer was asked if the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll covering his song was “special.” “Oh my, my yeah,” he said. “Of course, he was my hero. He was a few years older than me, and he was just coming on strong when I was a sophomore in high school.

“All the kids loved him, you know,” he added. “When he passed on, it was like part of me … not because I knew him — I didn’t really know him — but he was part of my history.” When Elvis died in 1977, there was mass grieving in the United States and across the world because so many people felt connected to the “Can’t Help Falling in Love” singer.

Priscilla Presley revealed what she thought of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll after the divorce

In her memoir 1985 Elvis and Me, Priscilla chronicled her relationship with Elvis from beginning to end — and beyond. She said that, even after divorcing him, he was still a huge part of her life. She depended on him and learned to be more patient with him after their marriage ended. He admitted he made mistakes during their marriage, and he admitted the same.

In fact, Priscilla and Elvis talked about rekindling their relationship. Hearing that Elvis had passed was a huge emotional blow for Priscilla. In retrospect, he looked at him as the major “passion” in her life, saying she nearly considered him God.

If the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll had lived longer, he might have had his “everything” again.