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.

Go East – Young Man
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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I'm gonna go where the desert sun is
Go where I know the fun is
Go where the harem girls dance
Go where there's love and romance

Out on the burning sands, in some caravan
I'll find adventure, while I can
To say the least, go on, go east young man

Go east young man, go east young man
You'll feel like a sheik, so rich and grand
With dancing girls at your command
Go eat and drink and feast, go east young man

I'm gonna go where the night's enchanted
Go where those dreams are granted
When paradise starts calling, into some tent I'm crawling

I hear those desert drums, and when nighttime comes
Then I'll make love the way I planned
To say the least, go on, go east young man

Go east young man, go east young man
You'll feel like a sheik, so rich and grand
With dancing girls at your command
Go eat and drink and feast, go east young man

Go eat and drink and feast, go east young man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Go East-Young Man" by Elvis Presley speak to a sense of adventure and a desire to seek out new experiences. The song describes the singer's longing to go to a place where the desert sun shines, where there is fun, love, and romance. The idea of going east, specifically to the Middle East, is evoked through the mention of harem girls dancing and the reference to a sheik.

The lyrics paint a picture of a dreamlike, enchanted night where the singer imagines finding paradise. The mention of a tent alludes to the idea of immersing oneself in the exotic and mysterious atmosphere of the Middle East. The desert drums mentioned in the song evoke the idea of a vibrant and passionate ambiance, creating a backdrop for the singer's plans of making love.

Go East – Young ManElvis Presley Lyrics

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Go East – Young Man
Elvis Presley Lyrics