Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American sin… Read Full Bio ↴Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number one hit in the United States. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, he became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, made him enormously popular—and controversial.

In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He held few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate, just 42 years of age.

Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, country, blues, and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. He won three competitive Grammys, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

A Whistling Tune
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Did you ever notice when the sun goes down
Out of nowhere comes a strange and pretty sound
It's a whistling tune for walking in the night
If you listen you can hear it in the breeze
Specially when the breeze is drifting through the trees

It's a whistling tune for walking in the night
And the murmuring waters sing the song

The echoing mountains hum along
The whispering valleys fill the air
With a whistling tune our hearts can share

It's so wonderful to walk beneath the moon

Listening to old mother nature's favorite tune
It's a whistling tune for walking in the night

Overall Meaning

Elvis Presley's A Whistling Tune is a song about the beauty of walking in the night and enjoying the natural world around us. The song begins by acknowledging that when the sun goes down, a different kind of music emerges. The tune is so pretty that it's difficult to resist, and it seems to come from nowhere. The whistling tune is a serenade for night walkers, and if one listens carefully, they can hear it in the breeze. The murmuring waters and the echoing mountains also join in, adding their own melody to the night.

The song continues to highlight the beauty of the natural world at night. The whispering valleys fill the air with the whistling tune that our hearts can share. Walking beneath the moon is a wonderful experience, especially when it's accompanied by nature's favorite tune. The song concludes by reiterating that the whistling tune is perfect for walking at night. Elvis's smooth voice adds to the romantic tone of the song, making it an excellent choice for a night stroll with a loved one.

Line by Line Meaning

Did you ever notice when the sun goes down
Have you ever paid attention when the sun sets

Out of nowhere comes a strange and pretty sound
There is a beautiful and unfamiliar noise that arises suddenly

It's a whistling tune for walking in the night
The sound is a melody designed for walking during the evening

If you listen you can hear it in the breeze
If you are attentive, you can perceive it in the wind

Specially when the breeze is drifting through the trees
The sound is particularly noticeable when the wind blows through the trees

And the murmuring waters sing the song
The sound is joined by the soothing noise of flowing water

The echoing mountains hum along
The sound echoes throughout the distant mountains

The whispering valleys fill the air
The air is filled with the soft sounds from the valleys

With a whistling tune our hearts can share
We can all feel connected through this common melody

It's so wonderful to walk beneath the moon
Walking under the moonlight is such a great experience

Listening to old mother nature's favorite tune
Enjoying the melody that nature enjoys the most