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.
Blowin' in the Wind
Elvis Presley Lyrics
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Before you call him a man?
Yes and how many seas must a white dove sail,
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes and how many times must cannonballs fly,
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
How many times must a man look up,
Before he can see the sky?
How many ears must one man have,
Before he can hear people cry?
How many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist,
Before it's washed to the seas (sea)
How many years can some people exist,
Before they're allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head,
Pretend that he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
The lyrics of Elvis Presley's song Blowin' in the Wind is a reflection on the societal issues prevalent in society during the 1960s. The questions posed in the song are rhetorical ones, meant to draw attention to the ongoing issues such as racial discrimination, war, and inequality. The first stanza talks about the significance of manhood and poses the question of how many roads a man must walk down before he is labeled as such. The stanza also talks about a white dove sailing across the seas and how many seas it must travel before it "sleeps in the sand." The lyrics here may be a metaphor for peace and how elusive it seems to be.
In the second stanza, the song shifts its focus to how many times a man needs to look up before he sees the sky and how many ears he must have before he hears people's cries. To Elvis, this seems to be a call to action, as he questions how many deaths are required for people to realize that too many lives have been lost to war. The final stanza focuses on how long mountains can withstand the forces of nature and how long it takes for people to receive their freedom. The song ends with the idea that the answer to all these questions is “blowing in the wind,” implying that the answers are not easy but rather elusive and not easily detected.
Line by Line Meaning
How many roads must a man walk down,
How far must a man traverse on different paths of life to prove himself as a matured human?
Before you call him a man?
What's the limit to measure manhood in terms of experiences, achievements, and failures?
Yes and how many seas must a white dove sail,
How many destinations and adventures a peaceful and innocent dove must explore before resting?
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Before she dies peacefully and becomes a part of nature?
Yes and how many times must cannonballs fly,
How many wars and battles humanity must witness before they realize that violence can't solve any problem?
Before they're forever banned?
Before nations unite to stop weapons of mass destruction and ensure world peace?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The solution to these complex issues is elusive and unpredictable. It's beyond human comprehension and only nature can guide us.
How many times must a man look up,
How long must one strive and seek knowledge and wisdom to comprehend the beauty and complexity of the universe?
Before he can see the sky?
Before he understands the vastness and splendor of nature and feels insignificant?
How many ears must one man have,
How many senses must one possess to empathize with people's pain and suffering?
Before he can hear people cry?
Before he can understand the emotions and feelings of others and be compassionate?
How many deaths will it take till he knows
How many innocent lives need to be lost before humanity realizes the futility of violence and war?
That too many people have died?
That no ideology or cause is worth the sacrifice of innocent lives?
How many years can a mountain exist,
For how long can the symbol of firmness, stability, and resilience can withstand the impact of weather and erosion?
Before it's washed to the seas (sea)
Before the mountain transforms into sand and blends with the ocean?
How many years can some people exist,
For how long can some people tolerate oppression, inequality, and injustice?
Before they're allowed to be free?
Before they claim their rights to live freely, pursue happiness, and achieve their potential?
How many times can a man turn his head,
How often can a person look away and ignore the issues that require attention and action?
Pretend that he just doesn't see?
Deny the reality and pretend that everything is okay and doesn't require intervention?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
Elvis Presley suggests that the ultimate solution to these problems is transient and relies on the fickle and unpredictable nature of time, chance, and fate.
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
The solution is surrounding us, but we need to seek it with an open, receptive, and humble approach towards life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, AUDIAM, INC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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