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.
Black Star
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A black star over his shoulder
And when a man sees his black star
He knows his time, his time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Black star
When I ride I feel that black star
That black star over my shoulder
So I ride in front of that black star
Never lookin' around, never lookin' around
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
One fine day I'll see that black star
That black star over my shoulder
And when I see that old black star
I'll know my time, my time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
Elvis Presley's song Black Star is a contemplation on mortality and the inevitability of death. The "black star" is a metaphor for death, which hangs over every man's shoulder and eventually marks the end of his time on earth. The singer is aware of the black star's presence and realizes that he cannot escape it. Instead, he chooses to look forward, to focus on the living rather than the dying. The black star is always behind him, a constant reminder to make the most of his time, to pursue his dreams and to live life to the fullest.
The chorus of the song is a plea to the black star: "Black star don't shine on me, black star / Black star keep behind me, black star." The singer acknowledges that his time will come eventually, but he is not ready for it yet. He begs for more time to make a few dreams come true before the black star claims him. The final verse speaks to the singer's acceptance of death: "One fine day I'll see that black star / That black star over my shoulder / And when I see that old black star / I'll know my time, my time has come." The singer is at peace with the black star's arrival and knows that his time has come.
Overall, Elvis Presley's Black Star is a poignant and reflective song about life, death, and the importance of living in the moment. It implores the listener to make the most of their time while they can, and to never let the black star cast a shadow over their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Every man has a black star
Each person has a fate that they are destined to fulfill
A black star over his shoulder
This fate follows them throughout their life
And when a man sees his black star
When someone realizes their destiny
He knows his time, his time has come
They understand that their life is coming to an end and their fate must be fulfilled
Black star don't shine on me, black star
The artist does not want to be consumed by their fate
Black star keep behind me, black star
They want to keep their fate at bay and not let it control their life
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
The singer still has much to experience in life before they are ready to accept their fate
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
They still have hopes and aspirations they wish to accomplish before their time runs out
When I ride I feel that black star
The artist is constantly aware of their looming fate
That black star over my shoulder
Their destiny is always present but they try to ignore it
So I ride in front of that black star
They try to live their life as normally as possible while also avoiding their fate
Never lookin' around, never lookin' around
The artist does not want to acknowledge the presence of their fate
One fine day I'll see that black star
Eventually, the singer will have to accept their destiny
And when I see that old black star
Once they finally accept their fate
I'll know my time, my time has come
They will understand that their life is coming to an end and they must fulfill their destiny
Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Sherman Edwards, Sid Wayne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
edd ortiz
Every man has a black star
A black star over his shoulder
And when a man sees his black star
He knows his time, his time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
When I ride I feel that black star
That black star over my shoulder
So I ride in front of that black star
Never lookin' around, never lookin' around
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
One fine day I'll see that black star
That black star over my shoulder
And when I see that old black star
I'll know my time, my time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star.
Soren Aleksander
This has GOT to be the inspiration for Bowie"s last album before dying
elucid8
+Soren Aleksander Agreed.
elucid8
+Soren Aleksander "When I see that Blackstar, I'll know my time has come."
Prideful Buffoon In Sweden
What does this mean? What does it have to do with David Bowie?
Death and coming back as another person?
There is some shit here I don´t understand, but it is something going on.
Sally Angelworks
@Prideful Buffoon In Sweden Listen to Bowie's blackstar and you will know.
Prideful Buffoon In Sweden
@Sally Angelworks.. Could you try to tell me what you see, please?
Pineapple zombie
Love this 😀 ❤
Because of this i weep
Happy Birthday to Elvis and Bowie xx
edd ortiz
Every man has a black star
A black star over his shoulder
And when a man sees his black star
He knows his time, his time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
When I ride I feel that black star
That black star over my shoulder
So I ride in front of that black star
Never lookin' around, never lookin' around
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star
One fine day I'll see that black star
That black star over my shoulder
And when I see that old black star
I'll know my time, my time has come
Black star don't shine on me, black star
Black star keep behind me, black star
There's a lot of livin' I gotta do
Give me time to make a few dreams come true
Black star.
Doc Chicken
Thank you!