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 That I Am
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All that I am or ever hope to be
Lies in your hands
You are my destiny
When you are in my arms, I rule the world
And when we're far apart, how cruel the world

All that I want is to be near to you
To spend my life making it clear to you

You are my heart, my soul, my dream come true
All that I am, I am because of you

All that I want is to be near to you
To spend my life making it clear to you
You are my heart, my soul, my dream come true
All that I am, I am because of you

Because of you
Because of you

Overall Meaning

The song, All That I Am by Elvis Presley is a romantic ballad, dedicated to a lover who is everything for the singer. The lyrics suggest that the singer's entire existence is dependent on the lover's presence and influence in their life. The opening line "All that I am or ever hope to be, lies in your hands" establishes the idea of the singer being completely devoted to the lover. The line suggests that the lover has complete control over the singer's life, and they are willing to hand over everything to the lover. The next line, "You are my destiny," further emphasizes the importance of the lover in the singer's life.

The verse that follows highlights the power dynamics between the singer and the lover. The line "When you are in my arms, I rule the world" suggests that the singer gains a sense of power and control when the lover is with them. It also indicates that the lover has a significant impact on the singer's emotional state. The line "And when we're far apart, how cruel the world" suggests that the singer feels lost and helpless without the lover, and the world seems harsh and unyielding.

The chorus of the song repeats the same lines, emphasizing the importance of the lover in the singer's life. The lines "All that I want is to be near to you, to spend my life making it clear to you" suggest that the singer's only desire is to be with the lover and make sure they understand how much they mean to them. The line "You are my heart, my soul, my dream come true" suggests that the lover is everything to the singer, and they cannot imagine living without them. The final line "All that I am, I am because of you" reinforces the idea that the singer's identity and existence are tied to the lover.

Line by Line Meaning

All that I am or ever hope to be Lies in your hands
My entire existence and future aspirations are subject to your control and influence

You are my destiny
You are the predetermined fate of my life

When you are in my arms, I rule the world And when we're far apart, how cruel the world
Your presence gives me a sense of power and invincibility, while your absence makes the world seem harsh and unforgiving

All that I want is to be near to you To spend my life making it clear to you You are my heart, my soul, my dream come true All that I am, I am because of you
My sole desire is to be close to you and make it known that you are the center of my being, my greatest love, and the reason for my existence

Because of you Because of you
Everything that I am, everything that I do, and everything I hope to be is due to your influence and presence in my life

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: ROY C. BENNETT, SID TEPPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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