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.

Hearts of Stone
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hearts made of stone will never brake
'Cause your love is never there, they just don't care
You can ask and plea, please, please, please work
And all your love is there to stay
These hearts of stone will cause you pain
Although you love there has stopped just the same
You can ask and plea, please, please, please work
And all your love is there to stay

But they'll say no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
You daddy know, I thought I knew hearts made of stone
Hearts made of stone will never brake
'Cause your love is never there, they just don't care
You can ask and plea, please, please, please work
And all your love is there to stay

Cause they'll say no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
You daddy know, I thought I knew hearts made of stone

Overall Meaning

"Hearts of Stone" by Elvis Presley is a song that speaks to the pain of unrequited love. The opening lyrics suggest that hearts made of stone are incapable of breaking because they do not possess the capacity for love. However, the singer of the song continues to plead for the love of the stone-hearted individual, despite the fact that their love has stopped. While the singer begs for their love to work, the stone-hearted individual continuously denies them, saying "no" over and over again.

The repetition of "no" in the song emphasizes the rejection and pain that comes with unrequited love. The song implies that attempting to make someone love you who is incapable of it will only cause more heartache in the end. The line "you daddy know" may suggest that the singer has sought the advice of a wise and experienced individual, perhaps a father figure, who knew beforehand that the pursuit of someone with a heart of stone was futile.

Overall, "Hearts of Stone" showcases Elvis Presley's ability to capture the emotional turmoil that comes with heartbreak and unrequited love through his powerful voice and insightful lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Hearts made of stone will never break
People with cold and unfeeling hearts, who don't care about anyone else or show love, will never be moved by emotional appeals, and their indifference will never be broken.

'Cause your love is never there, they just don't care
These people don't love or show affection, and they don't care about the pain or sadness of others. Their hearts are devoid of any warmth, and this is why they can't be moved by love.

You can ask and plea, please, please, please work
Even if you beg or plead with them, it won't change their heart or behavior. No matter how hard you try, they're unmoved by love and affection.

And all your love is there to stay
Despite the indifference of these unloving people, your loving feelings and affection remain. You can't change their hearts, but your own capacity for love remains unchanged.

These hearts of stone will cause you pain
When you interact with people who have no capacity for love or affection, it will cause you pain and heartache. Their inability to show emotion or caring can be emotionally devastating for those who love them.

Although your love has stopped just the same
Even if your own capacity for love begins to wane, and you feel unable to love or care anymore, their hearts of stone remain unaffected. Their lack of love is not contingent on your own capacity for love, but rather their own emotional deficiencies.

But they'll say no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Even if you ask or beg for love, these unfeeling people will remain unmoved. Their emotional limitations will not change just because someone asks or pleads with them to love or care for others.

You daddy know, I thought I knew hearts made of stone
Even when you think you know someone, their capacity for love and affection can still surprise you. You might think someone has a heart of stone, but later realize that they were simply guarded or closed off emotionally.

Lyrics © REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Edward Ray, Rudolph Jackson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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