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.
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear Christmas bells
The gentle snow keeps falling down on people
Who are homeward bound
That's the it's always been
The circle never really ends
Christmas seems to come and go
Holly leaves and Christmas trees
It's that time of year
Lights aglow and mistletoe
Don't mean a thing when you're not here
As I walk, walk this lonely street
The sound of snow beneath my feet
I'll think of how, of how it used to be
Holly leaves and Christmas trees
Use to mean, so much to me
The lyrics of Elvis Presley's Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees paint a picture of a snowy Christmas night, and the feelings that come with it. The song opens with the singer hearing distant Christmas bells ringing, setting the mood for the season. The gentle snow that keeps falling down on people who are homeward bound further emphasizes the warmth and comfort of the holiday. However, the lyrics take a bittersweet turn as the singer realizes that Christmas seems to come and go, but home is now a place that they don't know.
The chorus of the song speaks to the disconnect that the singer feels from the festivities around them. Holly leaves, Christmas trees, lights, and mistletoe may be all around, but they don't mean a thing when the person you love isn't there to share it with. As the singer walks the lonely streets, the snow crunching beneath their feet, they think of how things used to be. Holly leaves and Christmas trees used to mean so much to them, but without the person they love, the holiday loses its meaning.
Overall, Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees speaks to the melancholy that can come with the holiday season. The nostalgia for Christmases past mixed with the longing for someone who isn't there can make the holiday feel hollow. Elvis Presley's emotive vocals and the simple yet evocative lyrics capture this feeling perfectly.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere in, in the distant night
In the quiet of the night, at an unreachable place,
I hear Christmas bells
I listen to the sound of bells ringing in the night.
The gentle snow keeps falling down on people
The snow falls softly on the people, covering them in white.
Who are homeward bound
Who are on their way home, seeking peace and warmth.
That's the way it's always been
Things have never changed, and things will continue to stay the same.
The circle never really ends
It is a never-ending cycle of events, repeating itself year after year.
Christmas seems to come and go
The season of Christmas comes and passes by every year.
Home's a place that I don't know
Although I am surrounded by people, I still feel alone and lost.
Holly leaves and Christmas trees
Symbols of Christmas that represent the season of joy and love.
It's that time of year
The period of the year when Christmas is celebrated and the spirit of giving is at its peak.
Lights aglow and mistletoe
The shining lights and the hanging mistletoe decorations create an atmosphere of warmth and love.
Don't mean a thing when you're not here
The decorations and festivities of Christmas do not make a difference when the person I long for is absent.
As I walk, walk this lonely street
Walking alone in the streets intensifies my sense of loneliness.
The sound of snow beneath my feet
The quiet sound of snow crunching beneath my feet is the only sound I hear.
I'll think of how, of how it used to be
I reminisce about the way things were in the past.
Holly leaves and Christmas trees
The symbols of Christmas that once brought me happiness and joy.
Used to mean, so much to me
In the past, these symbols held great significance to me, but now they are just empty decorations.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GLEN SPREEN WEST, RED WEST BOBBY GENE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brandonayong5823
This one is actually very underrated
@ruzham
My favourite❤
@user-ku1vd7jz4b
I agree! Wished this would have been sung on The Graceland Christmas special.
@PrecursorDan91
Can't believe I'm still discovering Elvis songs after 31 years of listening to him.
@banksy7719
The king, the legend, the heartbreak of not being able to see him because I was born to late. 80’s child and he is one of my top 3 favourites 😢 long love the king
@barbaraleach1588
I hear you I was just 9 when he died.. I love him so much ❤
@cynthiawillingham3873
I was very lucky I got to meet the man in the 60's I was 5 or 6 yrs old
@yasminmont.6067
Same here.
Who are your other two favourites?
@barbaraleach1588
@@cynthiawillingham3873 that’s awesome
@Tim-57
You were not born too late, you are helping to keep him alive.
It is awesome how he is in your top 3.
I was 11yrs old when he passed...
my Mom could not believe how upset it made me, It was due to her how much I cared about him and still do.