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.

Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

You can knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
And do anything that you want to do

But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Oh let's go cats!

You can burn my house, steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Do anything that you want to do
But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Rock!

Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes yeah!
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby

Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes

Overall Meaning

The song Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley is a classic rock and roll song that tells a story about a man's love for his prized possession which are his blue suede shoes. The lyrics start with the famous line "Well it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go" which sets the tone for the song. It means that the performer is ready to put on a good show and gives the audience a countdown to get ready for the performance.

The rest of the song is a warning to anyone who may try to mess with the singer's blue suede shoes. The singer lists out all the things that people can do to him like slander, burn his house down or steal his car, but the person should not lay a finger on his blue suede shoes. It's clear that the blue suede shoes symbolize something important to the singer and they showcase his style and unique identity. The song ends with the repetition of "Blue, blue, blue suede shoes" and a call to rock that shows the singer's passion for his shoes and music.

Blue Suede ShoesElvis Presley Lyrics

Vickie Yoakum-Biggs

on Can't Help Falling in Love

ÅmïNøũ Lãmãrtĩnãã

on Jailhouse Rock

Anusit Moonsup

on Jailhouse Rock

Anusit Moonsup

on A Little Less Conversation

Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis Presley Lyrics