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.
Anyway You Want Me
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or weak as a willow tree
Any way you want me
Well, that's how I will be
I'll be a tame as a baby
Or wild as the raging sea
Any way you want me
In your hands my heart is clay
To take and hold as you may
I'm what you make me, you've only to take me
And in your arms I will stay-ay-ay
I'll be a fool or a wise man
My darling, you hold the key
Yes, any way you want me
That's how I will be
I will be
The lyrics of Elvis Presley's song "Anyway You Want Me" present a picture of complete submission and devotion to the object of the singer's affection. Throughout the song, Elvis expresses a willingness to be shaped and molded into whatever form his lover desires. Whether she wants him to be strong like a mountain or weak like a willow tree, tame as a baby or wild as the raging sea, a foolish man or a wise one, he will comply without hesitation. He entrusts his heart to his lover's hands, acknowledging her power over him and his willingness to stay in her embrace. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Any way you want me, that's how I will be," emphasizes this surrender and underscores the depth of the singer's love.
The lyrics of "Anyway You Want Me" are indicative of the larger cultural context of the time in which Elvis was popular. In the 1950s, traditional gender roles were still very much in place, and women were expected to be submissive to men. Elvis's lyrics flip this dynamic, with the man willingly submitting to the woman's desires. This subversive attitude was part of what made Elvis so appealing to young people at the time, who were seeking new ways to express themselves and challenge the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be a strong as a mountain
I will be firm and unyielding like a mountain.
Or weak as a willow tree
I will be flexible and adaptable like a willow tree that sways in the wind.
Any way you want me
I am willing to change and adjust to your desires and needs.
Well, that's how I will be
I will be whatever you need me to be, without hesitation or reservation.
I'll be a tame as a baby
I will be docile and submissive, like a newborn child who is entirely dependent on its caretaker.
Or wild as the raging sea
I will be passionate and unpredictable, like the churning waves of a stormy sea.
In your hands my heart is clay
My emotions and feelings are pliable and moldable, subject to your control and manipulation.
To take and hold as you may
You have the power to take possession of my heart and keep it as you wish.
I'm what you make me, you've only to take me
You have complete control over who I am and what I become, simply by accepting me as I am.
And in your arms I will stay-ay-ay
I will remain close to you and never stray, finding comfort in the safety and security of your embrace.
I'll be a fool or a wise man
I am willing to act foolishly or with great wisdom, based on your direction and guidance.
My darling, you hold the key
You possess the power and control that determines everything about me and my behavior.
Yes, any way you want me
I am fully and completely at your mercy, willing to do and be whatever you ask of me.
That's how I will be
I will remain true to this promise and live my life according to your desires and wishes.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AARON SCHROEDER, CLIFF OWENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@janna7207
I was 15 years old and in a very sad life when I first heard Elvis-He became a close friend through his music my entire life--I am 78 years today and still miss him. My favorite songs are his gospel music. I will think of him on the very day I die.
@Sivlelvis
Are you still with us my dear? I wanted to ask you a question about being alive when Elvis first came on the scene?
@lachinagarcia3206
This is beautiful, thanks for sharing and I have yet to get into his gospel music, so thank you for that too. God bless you ❤
@thetruthwillsetyoufree9209
Gabor Maté brought me here.
What a sad song disguised as a love song. Elvis sings it perfectly.
@maluribeiro68
Me too! :) Self-hate song ...
@robertkristiansen3085
Me to
@klattalexis
Me too!
@doktormcnasty
Correct!
@evieblessed
Same x
@SuperMailman30
No one will ever be able to top this guy! The BEST ever!! There is a reason he is called "The King Of Rock-N-Roll".