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.
Down By The Riverside / When The Saints Go Marchin' In
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's give 'em what the song demands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
We'll hear them playing keep that beat
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's get together what a treat
Strike up the band, start the parade
Don't let that grand old rhythm fade
Just play that drum, play that number
When the saints come marchin' in
Shake tambourines, play that cornet
That Trumpet horn you won't forget
Your heart will hum to that number
When the saints come marchin' in
The cymbals clang, just pound that beat
Sounds like a hundred marching feet
It's fun to join in that number
When the saints come marchin' in
See banners wave, oh hear that ring
We all feel prouder than a king
'Cause everyone, everyone loves that number
When the saints come marchin' in
The lyrics of Elvis Presley's song "Down by the Riverside" and "When the Saints Go Marching In" invokes a feeling of unity, celebration, and honor. The song calls for people to come together and clap their hands, jump, and dance while listening to the music near the river. The lyrics emphasize the importance of music and how it can unite people from all backgrounds. The repetitive line "down by the riverside" signifies the coming together of people to enjoy the moment and the music. The second part of the song, "When the Saints Go Marching In," talks about starting a parade and not letting the grand old rhythm fade away. The song calls for people to play various musical instruments like the cornet, trumpet, and tambourine while singing "When the Saints Come Marching In." The lyrics underline the importance of music in creating a sense of community, joy, and celebration.
The lyrics have a religious reference to the hymn "When the Saints Go Marching In," which was popular in churches in the 1800s. The original hymn was about Christians' hope that they would go to heaven when they died, and they would meet other believers who had also died. Over time, the hymn became more secular and is now seen as a song about triumph and joy. The song has become an anthem of celebration in New Orleans, where it's played at almost every occasion - Mardi Gras, when sports teams win, funerals, and other celebrations.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's snap our fingers clap our hands
Let's make a musical rhythm by clicking our fingers and clapping our hands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's gather by the riverside to make music and enjoy ourselves at this wonderful location
Let's give 'em what the song demands
Let's play the music that is appropriate and required for the occasion
We'll hear them playing keep that beat
We will hear the other musicians playing to keep a steady beat for us to follow
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
We are still gathered by the riverside and continuing to make music and enjoy ourselves
Let's get together what a treat
It's a wonderful thing for us to all come together and make music in this joyous atmosphere
Strike up the band, start the parade
Let's make a grand entrance by starting the band and putting on a performance for everyone to see and enjoy
Don't let that grand old rhythm fade
We need to keep the rhythm going strong and not let it fizzle out or fade away
Just play that drum, play that number
Let's focus on playing the drums and that specific song or tune that everyone loves
When the saints come marchin' in
The song we are playing is 'When the Saints Go Marching In'
Shake tambourines, play that cornet
Let's incorporate the tambourines and cornet into the music and make it even more lively
That Trumpet horn you won't forget
The trumpet is a particularly memorable element of this song and is a significant part of its sound
Your heart will hum to that number
The song is so enjoyable and rhythmic that it will make your heart sing along and feel alive
When the saints come marchin' in
We are still playing 'When the Saints Go Marching In' and enjoying it immensely
The cymbals clang, just pound that beat
Let's keep the beat going strong with the clanging cymbals and pounding drums
Sounds like a hundred marching feet
The music is so powerful and rhythmic that it sounds like a hundred people marching together
It's fun to join in that number
It's a very enjoyable experience to join in and play along with this song
When the saints come marchin' in
We are still playing 'When the Saints Go Marching In' and having a great time
See banners wave, oh hear that ring
We can see the banners waving and hear the music ringing beautifully through the air
We all feel prouder than a king
We feel an immense sense of pride and joy from making this music together
'Cause everyone, everyone loves that number
This song is universally loved and enjoyed by everyone who hears it
When the saints come marchin' in
We end the song as we began it, with a reminder that we are playing 'When the Saints Go Marching In'
Lyrics © RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: BAUM, GIANT, KAYE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nahuel Vallejo
Let's snap our fingers clap our hands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's give 'em what the song demands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
We'll hear them playing keep that beat
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's get together what a treat
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Strike up the band, start the parade
Don't let that grand old rhythm fade
Just play that drum, play that number
When the saints come marchin' in
Shake tambourines, play that cornet
Crank up that horn you won't forget
Your heart will hum to that number
When the saints come marchin' in
The cymbals clang, just pound that beat
Sounds like a hundred marching feet
It's fun to join in that number
When the saints come marchin' in
See banners wave, oh hear that ring
We all feel prouder than a king
'Cause everyone, everyone loves that number
Abraham Benabou
Alors, parce que Broadway il va dire :
Tout ressemble à la musique que c’est comme Let it be des Beatles !
Et la panthère noire en peluche du soldat rose
Et la chanson de l’extraterrestre de Émilie jolie
Et kirikou
Et la feuille blanche de diam’s
Et la chanson joyeuse de la cucaracha!
Et bateau sur l’eau
Et hava nagila !
Et mon beau sapin
Et mon imagier de l’alphabet
Et alouette gentille alouette
Et les comédiens de monsieur Charles Aznavour
Et la chanson des petits pois et carottes de Matan Ariel!
Et uzi hitman
Et Beethoven !
Et Rossini!
Et la chanson de l’autruche de Émilie jolie qui va être à Broadway !
Et les aristochats
no288
Everytime I listen to Elvis I begin to smile....'cus he makes you feel good, and thats what he loved to do, to sing and entertain for people ;) Merry x-mas, to all the Elvis fans outthere....
Kathy Harze
Not one of his best but he still manages to draw you in with that smile n lovely voice go Elvis 😚
66kevsmith
my fav elvis song of all time
Mete Buyuran
@66kevsmith Really? :D
Pamela Tipson
It's nice to see Elvis enjoy what he singing 😌 great
James Rasco
Elvis is the best person to come out of Mississippi
Ray Adkins
Awesome, Long Live The King......AlwaysElvis
Nahuel Vallejo
Let's snap our fingers clap our hands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's give 'em what the song demands
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
We'll hear them playing keep that beat
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Let's get together what a treat
Down by the riverside, down by the riverside
Strike up the band, start the parade
Don't let that grand old rhythm fade
Just play that drum, play that number
When the saints come marchin' in
Shake tambourines, play that cornet
Crank up that horn you won't forget
Your heart will hum to that number
When the saints come marchin' in
The cymbals clang, just pound that beat
Sounds like a hundred marching feet
It's fun to join in that number
When the saints come marchin' in
See banners wave, oh hear that ring
We all feel prouder than a king
'Cause everyone, everyone loves that number
Yolanda Neuhaus
Elvis el Rey !!
John Smith
love this