Tom Petty Said Elvis’ ‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame’ Started as a ‘Mess’

Elvis Presley‘s “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” is one of his best hits that’s sadly neglected by oldies stations today. Tom Petty heard demos of “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” — and he felt the song was originally a mess. However, Petty had a different attitude toward the finished track. Regardless, he still criticized the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer.

Tom Petty said Elvis Presley’s ‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame’ is ‘beautiful’

During a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone, Petty named “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” as one of the songs by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll that inspired him. He explained why the tune meant so much to him. “An acoustic guitar and a snare drum played with brushes carry the rhythm, but when the six-string bass comes in and the piano goes up to the high register, the whole thing jumps out of the speaker,” he said. 

Petty has a little more insight into “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” than most of us. “I used to have a tape of alternate takes,” he added. “It was kind of a mess when they started, and it turned into this beautiful arrangement.”

Tom Petty revealed why he stopped enjoying Elvis Presley music in 1964

In the 2012 book Conversations With Tom Petty, the “Free Fallin'” singer was asked if he was an Elvis fan. “I was until ’64, and then Elvis was getting so s***** by then,” he recalled. “It had never been the music of my generation. I was an odd kid for even being interested in Elvis. 

“So when The Beatles came, I lost interest in Elvis, because [The Beatles] were the music of my generation, and I was a huge record buff,” Petty continued. “So I lost interest in Elvis, though I kind of felt an allegiance to him. I still went and saw those s***** movies for a while. But I knew the difference by then. It didn’t have the vitality that these new records did.”

‘(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame’ was released alongside another hit song

“(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” was a hit, albeit not a juggernaut. The tune reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 11 weeks. “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” was released as a single alongside “Little Sister.” The latter tune performed a little better than the former, as it climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lasted on the chart for 13 weeks.

“(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” appeared on the compilation album Elvis: 30 #1 Hits, which topped the Billboard 200 for three of its 177 weeks on the chart. “Little Sister” was included on Elvis: 2nd to None, the official sequel to Elvis: 30 #1 Hits. Elvis: 2nd to None peaked at No. 3, spending a total of 16 weeks on the Billboard 200. The Elvis estate should have put both songs on the same album, considering they were initially released together.

Petty didn’t love all of Elvis’ music but he saw the beauty of “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”