John and Elvis Are Dead

"John and Elvis Are Dead"
"John and Elvis Are Dead"
Single by George Michael
from the album Patience
B-side	"Edith & the Kingpin"; "For the Love (Of You)";
Released	30 August 2005
Recorded	2003
Genre	Pop; soul;
Length	4:23
Label	Sony BMG
Songwriter(s)	George Michael; David Austin;
Producer(s)	George Michael
George Michael singles chronology

"John and Elvis Are Dead" is a 2005 song and single released by George Michael from his album Patience. It was co-written by childhood friend David Austin. It was released on 30 August 2005 as a download-only single and was therefore unable to chart in the United Kingdom.^[1] The song marks George Michael's final single from a studio album^[2]

The song was also released on Michael's greatest hits album Twenty Five.

Music video

Directed by Anthea Benton, the music video did not receive heavy airplay, although it remains popular among Michael's fans. It features, among many famous faces both alive and dead at the time of the release of the song, footage of those named in the title: John Lennon and Elvis Presley. In addition to John and Elvis, Marvin Gaye is also mentioned in the chorus of the song. Footage of Freddie Mercury used from Queen's music video "Bohemian Rhapsody" although he is not mentioned. Die Welt noted the religious tones of the song and video.^[3]^[4]^[5]

People shown in the video in order of appareance are:

Aretha Franklin
Stevie Wonder
Buzz Aldrin planting the first American flag on the Moon on July 21, 1969
Phil Daniels and Leslie Ash driving a Lambretta scooter on Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush in West London from the film Quadrophenia, based on the rock opera of the same name by The Who
Elton John as the Pinball Wizard in the 1975 movie Tommy
David Johansen, vocalist of New York Dolls
Paul Weller, lead singer of the British band The Jam
Susan Janet Ballion, known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, singer of the British band Siouxsie and the Banshees
Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie
Vivienne Westwood, British fashion designer
Kathleen Cleaver, activist of the American human rights movement Black Panthers Party
David Bowie performing Ashes to Ashes.
Queen performing Bohemian Rhapsody.
Phan Thi Kim Phuc and other children from the South Vietnamese village of Trang Bang running away from a napalm attack on 8 June 1972
John Lennon
Lady Diana on the day of her marriage with Prince Charles.
Nelson Mandela, elected first black president of South Africa after he had been convicted and jailed from June 12, 1964 to February 11, 1990 for fighting for human rights.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, being interviewed in their New York apartment.
Pope John Paul II
Marvin Gaye
Elvis Presley

Formats and track listings

Digital EP

"John and Elvis Are Dead" – 4:23
"Edith & the Kingpin" (Live at Abbey Road) – 3:46
"Praying for Time" (Live at Abbey Road) – 4:57
"For the Love (Of You)"
"Precious Box" (Shapeshifters Remix)

References

^ Robert Steele Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael 2011 -0857127268 "'John And Elvis Are Dead' is a songwriting collaboration with David Austin, a stoned slouch with electronic choral backing vocals. It's a lyrical anecdote about a friend who awakes from a coma to find that the girls all look the same .."
^ Official Charts[1]
^ Als Büßer verbeugt sich George Michael vor Jesus 24.08.2011 "„Jesus Christ“, bittet George Michael, „save us from ourselves, because John and Elvis are dead.“ Am Ende tritt sein eigenes Ebenbild im Video aus dem Fegefeuer und erhebt erlöst die Hände, während der leibhaftige Star davor sein Haupt senkt wie ein Büßer. Große Oper."
^ Rob Jovanovic, George Michael: The biography Little, Brown Book Group, 3 December 2015
^ Washington Blade 10 hidden gems by George Michael - "John and Elvis Are Dead" (2004) "One of the album’s high points is the emotional ballad “John and Elvis Are Dead,” a moving reflection on the senseless loss of some of the world’s greatest sources of light and talent. With a sweet vocal by Michael and a video that features video clips of Presley, Lennon and others gone too soon, the song’s emotional impact is only heightened by the realization that we can now include Michael himself in the recitation of shining stars so important to so many people that the universe allowed to slip away far too young."

[1] Robert Steele Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael 2011 -0857127268 "'John And Elvis Are Dead' is a songwriting collaboration with David Austin, a stoned slouch with electronic choral backing vocals. It's a lyrical anecdote about a friend who awakes from a coma to find that the girls all look the same .."

[2] Official Charts[1]

[3] Als Büßer verbeugt sich George Michael vor Jesus 24.08.2011 "„Jesus Christ“, bittet George Michael, „save us from ourselves, because John and Elvis are dead.“ Am Ende tritt sein eigenes Ebenbild im Video aus dem Fegefeuer und erhebt erlöst die Hände, während der leibhaftige Star davor sein Haupt senkt wie ein Büßer. Große Oper."

[4] Rob Jovanovic, George Michael: The biography Little, Brown Book Group, 3 December 2015

[5] Washington Blade 10 hidden gems by George Michael - "John and Elvis Are Dead" (2004) "One of the album’s high points is the emotional ballad “John and Elvis Are Dead,” a moving reflection on the senseless loss of some of the world’s greatest sources of light and talent. With a sweet vocal by Michael and a video that features video clips of Presley, Lennon and others gone too soon, the song’s emotional impact is only heightened by the realization that we can now include Michael himself in the recitation of shining stars so important to so many people that the universe allowed to slip away far too young."

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v t e George Michael singles
Discography Awards and nominations
1980s	"Careless Whisper" "A Different Corner" "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" "I Want Your Sex" "Faith" "Hard Day" "Father Figure" "One More Try" "Monkey" "Kissing a Fool"
1990s	"Praying for Time" "Waiting for That Day" ("Mother's Pride") "Freedom! '90" "Heal the Pain" "Cowboys and Angels" "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" "Too Funky" "Killer" / "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "Jesus to a Child" "Fastlove" "Spinning the Wheel" "Older" / "I Can't Make You Love Me" "Star People '97" "Waltz Away Dreaming" "You Have Been Loved" / "The Strangest Thing '97" "Outside" "As"
2000s	"If I Told You That" "Freeek!" "Shoot the Dog" "Amazing" "Flawless (Go to the City)" "Round Here" "John and Elvis Are Dead" "An Easier Affair" "This Is Not Real Love" "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)"
2010s	"True Faith" "White Light" "Let Her Down Easy" "Going to a Town" "Feeling Good" "Fantasy" "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)"
Other	"Turn to Gold" "Nikita" "Wrap Her Up" "Jive Talkin'" "You and I"
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