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.

All I Needed Was The Rain
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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Hello misfortune, how's my old friend "Mr. Misery"?
I've been away so long I bet you think you saw the last of me
Got no bed, to rest my head
No doors or walls or window pane
Now all I needed was the rain
Rain, rain, rain, rain

Met a little honey at the "Buzzin' Bumble Bee Cafe"

Yes I did
One drink and all my money and that honey bee had flown away
I'm 'bout as low, as I can go
I don't really mean to complain
Now all I needed was the rain
Rain, rain, rain, rain

All I needed was this rain
All I needed was the rain, um, um

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elvis Presley's song, All I Needed Was The Rain, speak to the singer's state of misfortune and despair. The opening line, "Hello misfortune, how's my old friend 'Mr. Misery'?" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer then goes on to describe his current situation, feeling lost and alone without a place to rest his head. He then recounts a brief encounter with a woman at a cafe, which ultimately ends in him being taken advantage of and left with nothing. Despite all of this, however, the singer seems to believe that all he needed to lift him out of his current state was the rain.

The idea of rain here is used as a metaphor to represent a sense of cleansing and renewal. It is as if the singer believes that the rain can somehow wash away all of the negative feelings and experiences he has been going through. It is interesting to note that the singer finds himself in a state of powerlessness and vulnerability. He is at the mercy of the world around him, and the only thing he can hope for is something as uncontrollable as a rainstorm to provide him with some sort of relief.

Overall, the lyrics of All I Needed Was The Rain capture a moment of intense despair and resignation. The singer is stuck in a rut and cannot seem to find a way out of it. The song's central metaphor of rain provides an interesting lens through which to understand the singer's situation, as well as a poetic way of expressing the hope that he may be able to find some kind of renewal in his life.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello misfortune, how's my old friend "Mr. Misery"?
Greetings to my long-time companion, Misfortune, also known as Mr. Misery.

I've been away so long I bet you think you saw the last of me
It has been a while since we last met, Misfortune. You probably thought that I avoided you forever.

Got no bed, to rest my head
I have nowhere to sleep and rest my head.

No doors or walls or window pane
I am in a situation with no shelter, as there are neither doors nor walls nor even a window.

Now all I needed was the rain
All I require at this moment is rain, as it is my only hope for relief.

Met a little honey at the "Buzzin' Bumble Bee Cafe"
I had the pleasure of encountering a charming person while at the Buzzin' Bumble Bee Cafe.

Yes I did
I certainly did meet this person.

One drink and all my money and that honey bee had flown away
After one drink and spending all my money, that delightful person disappeared quickly.

I'm 'bout as low, as I can go
I am now at my lowest point, with nothing else to lose.

I don't really mean to complain
I do not intend to sound like I am whining or complaining.

Now all I needed was the rain
Rain is what I require to make things better, even though it might seem like a small thing.

All I needed was this rain
All I required was this downpour of rain to bring relief and hope to my situation.

All I needed was the rain, um, um
The simple addition of rain is all I need right now to improve my situation, as it would provide me with shelter and nourishment.

Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: BENJAMIN WEISMAN, SID WAYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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