Elvis Presley Made Sure Graceland Was Always Stocked With At Least One Case Of This Soda

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Nearly 50 years after his death, Elvis Presley still remains an icon. During the 1950s and 1960s, Presley shook up pop culture and kicked off the tidal wave of youth culture that coincided with the coming of age of many baby boomers. His deep, quavering voice, coiffed black hair, and hips that seemed to move in a swivel made him unforgettable. However, for all of his musical bona fides, there is one aspect of Presley's life that is almost as legendary as his music and film career, and that is his dining habits. Presley had eclectic and often over-the-top food choices, such as his favorite sandwich, which involved a whole loaf of bread and an inordinate amount of peanut butter. Safe to say, he loved food. But he also had quite the penchant for soda, and in particular, Pepsi.

In fact, Presley loved Pepsi so much that he instructed staff at his Tennessee home, Graceland, to keep one case of it stocked at all times so that he might never run out of the fizzy drink. This is according to "The Life and Cuisine of Elvis Presley," a 1993 book written by David Adler. Adler's book also detailed Presley's love for the classic Southern appetizer that is fried pickles. Along with Pepsi, Presley also liked to keep his kitchen stocked with biscuits, peanut butter, banana pudding, and brownies. These choices certainly indicate Presley's penchant for Southern comfort food classics. 

Pepsi's link to Elvis Presley's legacy extends far past his pantry. In fact, in a move that cemented Presley's ties to the soda, Pepsi released limited edition Elvis-themed soda bottles in 1999. These bottles featured an image of the crooner along with the title "Artist of the Century". Beyond branding, pieces of Presley's very own Pepsi paraphernalia have become collectibles for fans. In 2013, a Pepsi cup supposedly used by Presley was sold at an auction for a whopping $600. All of this, of course, is a matter of legacy. But real Elvis fans will know that Pepsi was a vital part of Presley's career in the early years, but not in the way you might expect.

According to songwriter Otis Blackwell, Presley's song "All Shook Up" was inspired by a shaken-up bottle of Pepsi. In a 1979 interview, Blackwell told the origin story of this Elvis tune. According to him, the inspiration for the song came up as a bit of a dare. As Blackwell tells it, the song started when Shalimar Music's Al Stanton came into the studio "with a bottle of Pepsi, shaking it, as they did at the time, and said, 'Otis, I've got an idea. Why don't you write a song called 'All Shook Up?'" (via Elvis Australia). Far from laughing off this suggestion, Blackwell quickly got to work and churned out the now classic song in a matter of two days. Perhaps the tune's fizzy inspiration has something to do with Presley's magnificent, ever-so-danceable version of the song.