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.
Daddy Please don
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With thunder crashing in my head
My pillow still wet
From last night's tears
And as I think of giving up
A voice inside my coffee cup
Kept crying out
Ringing in my ears
Don't cry, daddy
Daddy, please don't cry
Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy
And together we'll find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy, ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please, don't cry
Why are children always first
To feel the pain and the hurt the worst?
It's true but somehow
It just don't seem right
'Cause every time I cry, I know
It hurts my little children, so I wonder
Will it be the same tonight?
Don't cry, daddy
Daddy, please don't cry
Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy
And together we'll find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy, ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please, don't cry
Oh, daddy, please don't cry
Elvis Presley's song "Don't Cry Daddy" is a heart-wrenching plea from a child to a father who has lost his wife. The song begins with the child waking up to the sound of thunder and crying for his father, who is still grieving his wife's death. The child tries to comfort his dad, assuring him that he and his little brother are still there for him and that they will find a new mother together. He reminds his father of the happy times they shared together as a family and asks him to laugh again and carry them on his back like he used to. The child ends his plea with a desperate plea for his father not to cry.
The lyrics of the song are a powerful example of how children can be affected by the pain and grief of their parents. The child in the song is mature beyond his years, trying to offer comfort to his grieving father while dealing with his own pain and fear. The song also highlights the resilience of children, who can still find hope and joy even in the midst of terrible loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I stumbled from my bed
I woke up feeling disoriented and unsteady
With thunder crashing in my head
I had a headache or was experiencing emotional turmoil
My pillow still wet
I cried myself to sleep the night before
From last night's tears
My tears were still fresh on the pillow
And as I think of giving up
I'm considering giving up on life or a specific situation
A voice inside my coffee cup
A small part of me that encourages me to keep going
Kept crying out
I kept hearing the voice of encouragement
Ringing in my ears
The voice of encouragement was persistent and hard to ignore
Why are children always first
Children are typically the most vulnerable in difficult situations
To feel the pain and the hurt the worst?
Children are the most affected by emotional pain and struggle
It's true but somehow
Although it's a sad reality, it's still true that children suffer the most
It just don't seem right
It feels unfair or unjust
'Cause every time I cry, I know
Whenever I'm feeling upset or sad
It hurts my little children, so I wonder
I worry about how my emotional state affects my children
Will it be the same tonight?
I'm concerned that my emotional state may negatively affect my children again
Daddy, please don't cry
A plea from the children to their father to not be sad
Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy
The children remind their father that they're still there for him
And together we'll find a brand new mommy
The children promise to help their father move on and find someone new to love
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
The children long for their father to experience joy and happiness again
Daddy, ride us on your back again
The children want to enjoy simple pleasures with their father again
Oh, daddy, please, don't cry
The children continue to plead with their father to not be sad
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Mac Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeris4555
My daughter passed away 3 months ago from breast cancer. I watched as her little boy saw his daddy break down in tears. This song will always make me cry.
@cathypetroski9858
I'm so sorry for your loss. I have a daughter also who had 2 open heart surgeries when she was 1 year old. I can't imagine the hurt of losing a child. It breaks my heart to hear this. May God comfort you and keep you in his loving care. I will keep you in my prayers 🙏 🙏
@robinlamb3610
I’m so sorry for your loss
@joemuir2575
😢😢😢😢
@midget_princess2200
I hope you are all healing she I'd forever with you all ❤
@dennisdemark8151
🙏🏼🌸🕊️🌸🙏🏼
@xgd-wr9wm
16 years old and I absolutely love Elvis. I just can’t seem to get over how amazing he is. I really wish I could’ve been alive when he was.
@gavrelton6211
Great taste 👌 xx
@harleypiper
I'm very fortunate to have a singing voice like elvis. I remember when he passed away. I was 16. I still sing when asked to at family picnics and even my mother in laws funeral.
@Guts240
No, you were meant to keep his memory alive today, Sir. Keep up the good work and spread it around.