I wrote this on Forbes.com on May 26th. It seems appropriate to revisit it now. Tom Cruise won’t be able to get any help from former fellow Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley. Read why:
Lisa Marie Presley and her mother, Priscilla, have long been members of Scientology. But recently things have changed. It’s been signalled in the tabloids, but suddenly Lisa Marie has made a declaration at least in song that she’s disillusioned with the notorious sect.
On her new album, “Storm and Grace,” Presley makes several allusions to Scientology that are unmistakable. In the new single, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” she sings:
“You can think that I’m evil and I’m off the rails
You ain’t seen nothing yet
That I’m a bit transgressive and suppressive as well
You ain’t seen nothing yet
Am I a disruption to your corruption
You ain’t seen nothing yet”
She also sings:
“Lay down the truth don’t make a sound
Just a piece of fruit who has hit the ground
I don’t respond, I lost the plot
Unethical, not what I thought”
The song uses language from the Scientology lexicon. A “suppressive” is a Scientology outcast. Then she is more pointed as a “disruption to your corruption.”
There are other references to her dissatisfaction with Scientology throughout the abum produced by T Bone Burnett. In “Storm of Nails” she sings:
“It’s been a long highway
Where do I get off and drive away
I’m looking for a sign that should say
When you’ve had enough, exit this way
If only I were a gopher now
I’d dig a hole and I’d not come out”
There’s another song, too, called “So Long” that alludes to the end of her road with Scientology.
On her website, www.lisamariepresley.com, the daughter of legendary rock pioneer Elvis Presley has also wiped out almost all reference to Scientology. Where she once promoted the group’s causes, she’s now down to just one. Otherwise, her emphasis is on her own foundation and one named for her father. They are each dedicated to people and causes in Memphis.Presley said in interviews with Billboard, USA Today and “Access Hollywood” recenntly that she’d cleaned house and gotten rid of a lot of people whom she’d trusted. It does seem like it’s all associated with Scientology. If the group has lost Lisa Marie, then it’s a blow. She was one of their chief celebrities to whom they pointed, and from whom they were guaranteed some sizable coin.
Here’s the video for “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” in which the singer puts a lot of objects in a trunk then throws the objects in a lake before rowing away. There’s a teddy bear–does that represent her mother, who’s still with the group? There’s also a trumpet and a wooden doll of a man. And don’t miss the rattlesnake–that’s some imagery.
I’ve met LMP about a half dozen times over the years. She always seemed like a straight shooter, not mysterious at all, and quite straightforward. It also seemed like the one thing that separated her from the music career that eluded her so long was her connection to Scientology. Now, that may be over.
