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.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can explain about last night
Though things didn't look just right
Please believe me there was nothing wrong
I thought about you baby all night long
Cross my heart, I hope to die
Well I wouldn't tell you no lie, mmm

Talk about a piece of rotten luck

You do a friend a favor and you wind up stuck
She couldn't hold a candle to you, no siree
Very hard to handle like a Model T
Cross my heart, I hope to die
Well I wouldn't tell you no lie

Please believe me when I say
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
From you 'cause I don't have to look too hard
To see what I've got in my own back yard
So please forgive me and forget
Don't say my alloy's all wet (?)
I miss those kisses from your honeycomb
This humble bumble bee just wants to fly back home
Cross my heart, I hope to die
Well I wouldn't tell you no lie

I wouldn't tell you no lie

No no no no no no
I wouldn't tell you no lie

Overall Meaning

In Elvis Presley's song "Cross My Heart and Hope to Die," he sings about a misunderstanding that occurred the night before with someone he cares about deeply. He explains that even though things didn't look right, he did nothing wrong and thought about this person all night long. Elvis emphasizes that he would never lie to this person by repeatedly crossing his heart and hoping to die. He then goes on to talk about a friend he helped out who couldn't compare to the person he's singing to. Despite the rotten luck he experienced, Elvis reassures his loved one that wild horses couldn't drag him away and he has no reason to look elsewhere for love. He admits his mistake and asks for forgiveness, explaining that he misses the intimacy and love that he shares with his partner.

This song beautifully showcases Elvis's soulful voice and his ability to convey emotion through his music. It speaks to the common human experience of misunderstandings in relationships and the power of forgiveness. The repetition of "cross my heart, I hope to die" emphasizes the sincerity of his words and his intention to be truthful in this relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I can explain about last night
I want to share with you what happened last night.

Though things didn't look just right
Despite appearances, there wasn't anything amiss between us.

Please believe me there was nothing wrong
I want you to trust that everything was fine.

I thought about you baby all night long
I was thinking about you the whole night.

Cross my heart, I hope to die
I promise you the truth with all my heart.

Well I wouldn't tell you no lie, mmm
I'm telling you the truth, no matter what.

Talk about a piece of rotten luck
I had a terrible experience recently.

You do a friend a favor and you wind up stuck
By trying to help a friend, I found myself in a predicament.

She couldn't hold a candle to you, no siree
Another woman is no comparison to you.

Very hard to handle like a Model T
She was difficult to deal with, like an outdated car.

Please believe me when I say
I want you to trust me and what I'm about to say.

Wild horses couldn't drag me away
I won't be taken away from you, no matter what.

From you 'cause I don't have to look too hard
I don't have to search far to realize how lucky I am to have you.

To see what I've got in my own back yard
I don't have to look far to see the great things I have in my life.

So please forgive me and forget
I'm sorry and I hope you can forgive me.

Don't say my alloy's all wet (?
Please don't think that I'm lying or making excuses.

I miss those kisses from your honeycomb
I miss those sweet kisses from you.

This humble bumble bee just wants to fly back home
I just want to come back to you like a humble bumblebee.

I wouldn't tell you no lie
I'm telling you the truth.

No no no no no no
I'm really serious about telling the truth.

I wouldn't tell you no lie
I absolutely won't lie to you.

Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, MEMORY LANE MUSIC GROUP, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BENJAMIN WEISMAN, SID WAYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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