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.

Give Me The Right
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Give me the right
To hold you tonight
The tears that I've cried over you
Give me the right

You can't say no
When I need you so
I want you back in my arms

Give me the right

If you looked deep in your heart
Like I looked into mine
You'll find that nothing has changed
Our love was there all the time

Why make me plead
For something you need
I want to bring back the thrill

Give me the right
Give me the right

Overall Meaning

Elvis Presley's song Give Me the Right is a heartfelt plea to be allowed to love and hold the woman he cares for. The lyrics make the message clear - that the singer has been hurt and severely impacted by their separation, crying many tears because of it. However, they also demonstrate the persistence of his love and desire to be reunited with her. There is a sense of irrevocable connection between the singer and the woman he loves, as he pleads with her to allow him to hold her once again. In the third verse, the singer tells the woman to look deep into her heart, to recognize that their love has not changed and has been there all along. He begs her not to make him plead for something she needs just as much as he does, and brings up memories of their past thrill as a couple, trying to convince her to give him another chance.

Through the melancholy and hopeful tone of the lyrics, Elvis conveys the message of a love that is strong, persistent, and genuine. It is a song of deep emotions, revealing the pain of separation that never really goes away. It is about the yearning not just for physical closeness, but a love that is both loyal and true.

Line by Line Meaning

Give me the right
I am asking for the opportunity or permission to do something.

To hold you tonight
I want to hold you in my arms tonight.

The tears that I've cried over you
I have shed tears because of you.

Give me the right
I am asking for the opportunity or permission to do something.

You can't say no
You cannot refuse or deny me.

When I need you so
I have a strong desire or longing for you.

I want you back in my arms
I want you to be in my arms again.

Give me the right
I am asking for the opportunity or permission to do something.

If you looked deep in your heart
If you introspected deeply and honestly.

Like I looked into mine
The way I introspected into my heart.

You'll find that nothing has changed
You will realize that nothing has altered or shifted.

Our love was there all the time
Our love existed constantly and persistently.

Why make me plead
Why do you make me beg or implore?

For something you need
For something that you want or require.

I want to bring back the thrill
I desire to revive the excitement or joy.

Give me the right
I am asking for the opportunity or permission to do something.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DINA CARROLL, NIGEL LOWIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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