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.
I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't seem to get her off my mind
I thought I'd never miss her
But I found out somehow
I think about her almost all the time
The day she went away
I made myself a promise
That I'd soon forget we ever met
'Cause I'm so blue and lonely
I forgot to remember to forget
The day she went away
I made myself a promise
That I'd soon forget we ever met
Well, but something sure is wrong
'Cause I'm so blue and lonely
I forgot to remember to forget
Elvis Presley's "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" is a song that depicts a heartbroken man who can't seem to let go of the woman he loved. The chorus, which is repeated throughout the song, is about the man's inability to forget her, and how he thinks of her all the time. The song is full of emotion and a deep sense of regret, which makes it relatable to anyone who has experienced a similar situation.
The verse talks about how the man promised himself that he would forget about the woman after she left him but realized that he couldn't. The lyrics suggest that he was trying to move on but couldn't shake off the memories of their time together, the love they shared, and the emptiness he feels without her. It is a song that perfectly captures the essence of love, loss, and heartbreak.
The song was released in August 1955 on the Sun Label, and it helped launch Elvis Presley's career even further. The song was a massive hit, reaching number one on the Country and Western charts and staying there for five weeks. It was his second number one hit after "That's All Right," which was released earlier that year. Elvis continued to perform the song for years, and it remained a fan favorite.
Line by Line Meaning
I forgot to remember to forget her
Despite my best efforts, I can't push her out of my thoughts
I can't seem to get her off my mind
She continues to occupy my thoughts and feelings
I thought I'd never miss her
I thought I could move on easily without her presence in my life
But I found out somehow
To my surprise, I feel a strong longing for her
I think about her almost all the time
My mind is constantly consumed with thoughts of her
The day she went away
The moment when she left my life
I made myself a promise
I tried to make a commitment to myself
That I'd soon forget we ever met
I hoped to erase all memories of our time together
But something sure is wrong
Despite my initial plan, I am still struggling with moving on
'Cause I'm so blue and lonely
I am feeling sad and isolated without her in my life
I forgot to remember to forget
I failed to follow through on my promise to forget her, and continue to think of her constantly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charlie Feathers, Stanley A Kesler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ron Grover
Elvis & Scotty, irreplaceable sound! Music that will live forever! The best that ever was or will be! 🎶🎶
ladybird
Elvis' voice here makes me all choked up. Such an amazing voice! I still love you Elvis!
Nilani Siriwardena
I FEEL THE SAME. OH HOW WE LOVE HIM. IT MAKES ME WANNA CRY JUST LISTENING TO HIM SINGING THIS SONG. OUR LOVE FOR YOU WILL NEVER DIE ELVIS.
CooManTunes
The greatest trio in the history of music.
Raymond Fowler
This is fantastic...didnt know there was a live version of this..oh man its like being there...so clear..
John
I first heard his voice in 1955 as a 14 year old in the UK.I had a little transistor that would pick up radio Luxembourg late at night In England and often heard hits from the States on it .I think it was real early ,like 3 am when Heartbreak hotel came over the radio.Well even today at 80 years old I remember the effect he had on me ,when all us teens in 55 were used to were , Pat Boone ,Winifred Atwell. David Whitfield etc.l can play all his early stuff on guitar, and scotty was king to me.
Bubba Long
Interesting. I'm 79 in the US and I first heard him too back then on an AM/shortwave radio from either WLAC or WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia late at night at my home in Richmond, Virginia. Good to hear from you, stay well!
cliff mcfadden
Heartbreak Hotel was January 1956, great memories though. I wish i had heard Elvis 1st time around it must have wow what's this fantastic new sound, thank you for sharing your story, and memories stay well.
Любовь Борисова
Чистый ангельский голос Элвиса и его неповторимая харизма очаровывала и продолжает очаровывать нас. Его песни это какое-то волшебство! Эл мы тебя очень любим;
Jerel Fritts
That was the first Elvis song I ever heard and that song brings back memories for me. I first heard it when I was four years old, some forty-five years ago. My brother had the Complete Sun Sessions 8-track tape and I remember hearing it.