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.

For Ol' Times Sake
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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Before you go walk out on me
Take a look around tell me what you see
Here I stand like an open book
Is there something here you might have overlooked
'Cause it would be a shame if you should leave
And find that freedom ain't what you thought it would be

The years we had were not all bad

In fact I know the good outweighed the bad
Now you say that you've grown tired
You want to be by yourself a while
It would be a shame if you should go
And find that freedom was a long time ago

I know that you can't stand the chains that bind you
They just keep on drivin' us apart
You could go where I could never find you
But could you go far enough to get away from your heart

So one more time, for ol' times sake
Come and lay your head upon my chest
Please don't throw this moment away
We can forget the bad and take the best
If you don't have nothing left to say
Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake

If you don't have nothing left to say
Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake

Overall Meaning

Elvis Presley's song "For Ol' Times Sake" is a plea to his significant other to stay with him, even if it means holding onto the past. The singer admits that their relationship has come to a point where one partner is ready to let go, and the other is not. The singer begs his loved one to look around and take in everything before walking out the door. He knows that there are still things worth holding onto and that it would be a shame to leave before realizing that.

The lyrics convey the sadness and sorrow of someone who wants to make amends and preserve the remnants of what they've lost. The singer reminds his loved one of the good times they've had, and how the bad times won't weigh them down. He knows his partner wants to escape the chains that now bind them, but he begs for one more chance to keep the past alive, even if it's just for a moment.

The song "For Ol' Times Sake" is a testament to the power of love, and a reminder that not all things are easily replaceable. Elvis Presley's soulful voice and vocal inflections add to the melancholy tone of the song, making it a poignant ballad.

Line by Line Meaning

Before you go walk out on me
Before you leave me, take a moment to look around and observe what you may be missing.

Take a look around tell me what you see
Observe your surroundings and identify what you believe is the cause of your decision to leave.

Here I stand like an open book
I am transparent and truthful with you, indicating that there is nothing left unsaid between us.

Is there something here you might have overlooked
Could there be something overlooked that is causing us to drift apart, that we perhaps didn't pay attention to earlier?

'Cause it would be a shame if you should leave
I would regret if you left, but I know that you have your reasons for doing so.

And find that freedom ain't what you thought it would be
I worry because often people seek freedom only to realize that it isn't all it's cracked up to be, leading to feelings of regret.

The years we had were not all bad
We've had our ups and downs, but the majority of the time we shared together was positive.

In fact I know the good outweighed the bad
I'm certain that the positive times we shared together over the years were far more numerous and impactful than the negative ones.

Now you say that you've grown tired
You have expressed that you are feeling drained and worn out from our relationship.

You want to be by yourself a while
You feel that you would benefit from spending some time alone to recharge and refocus your priorities.

It would be a shame if you should go
While I respect your decision, I would still be saddened if you left.

And find that freedom was a long time ago
I fear that you will leave thinking that freedom is what you need, only to realize too late that it was freedom that you already had in abundance whilst we were together.

I know that you can't stand the chains that bind you
You feel restrained and suffocated by the constraints of our relationship, leading you to consider leaving.

They just keep on drivin' us apart
These constraints have taken their toll on us and lead to distances between us.

You could go where I could never find you
You have the option to leave and start again completely fresh in a place where I can't find you, and I acknowledge that possibility.

But could you go far enough to get away from your heart
Even though you may physically leave me, I question whether you can escape from what is in your heart and how you truly feel about us.

So one more time, for ol' times sake
As a final effort to keep our relationship alive, perhaps we could share one more moment together for old times' sake.

Come and lay your head upon my chest
I am inviting you to lie down and rest with me, offering you comfort and affection.

Please don't throw this moment away
I am asking you not to discard this moment of intimacy, but rather to cherish it as a last memory between us.

We can forget the bad and take the best
We can choose to remember the good times of our relationship, and leave behind the negative ones, in order to part without bitterness.

If you don't have nothing left to say
If there is nothing else to say at this point, then let us express our love for each other through one final embrace.

Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake
I want to reminisce with you and hold you one last time before we must part ways.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TONY JOE WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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