Elvis Presley of friends with whom Presley constantly surrounded himself until his death came to be known as the "Memphis Mafia". "Surrounded by the[ir] parasitic presence", as journalist John Harris puts it, "it was no wonder that as he slid into addiction and torpor, no-one raised the alarm: to them, Elvis was the bank, and it had to remain open." Tony Brown, who played piano for Presley regularly in the last two years of Presley's life, observed his rapidly declining health and the urgent need to address it: "But we all knew it was hopeless because Elvis was surrounded by that little
Just Pretend (Elvis Presley song) Just Pretend (Elvis Presley song) "Just Pretend" is a 1970 song by Elvis Presley. It was composed by Guy Fletcher in partnership with his writing partner Doug Flett. Elvis Presley recorded it on June 6, 1970 as part of his July 4–8 studio sessions for RCA at RCA's Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. The song was first released on Presley's album "That's the Way It Is" that appeared on November 11, 1970. Robert Matthew-Walker in his 1995 book "Heartbreak Hotel: The Life and Music of Elvis Presley" calls the song "massive, slow and uninspired": In 2016 the song appeared on