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 Gotta Know
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feelin' mighty weak
A tossin' and a turnin'
Well, I had ain't no sleep
Oh baby, what road's our love taking
To romance or heartbreaking?
Won't you say which way you're gonna go?
Nine and nine make fourteen
Four and four make nine
The clock is strikin' thirteen
I think I lost my mind
You know it's gettin' aggravatin'
How long can I keep waitin'?
Tell me if you love me, yes or no?
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Oh, how much I need you
Have pity on this heart of mine
Well, if you need and want me too
I'll be your one and only till the end of time
Saw the fortune teller
Had my fortune read
She sent me to the doctor
Who sent me straight to bed
He said I'm lonesome and I'm lovesick
I've got my mind on lipstick
Will you kiss away my cares and woe?
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Oh, how much I need you
Have pity on this heart of mine
Well, if you need and want me too
I'll be your one and only till the end of time
Saw the fortune teller
Had my fortune read
She sent me to the doctor
Who sent me straight to bed
He said I'm lonesome and I'm lovesick
I've got my mind on lipstick
Will you kiss away my cares and woe?
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
In Elvis Presley's song "I Gotta Know," the singer is plagued by uncertainty and worry over the state of his relationship with his lover. He wakes up in the morning feeling weak and restless, unable to get any sleep. He begs his lover to tell him which direction their relationship is heading, whether it will lead to romance or heartbreak. He repeats the phrase "I gotta know" throughout the song, emphasizing his need for clarity.
The singer uses a series of strange and nonsensical phrases to describe his confusion and anxiety. He says that "nine and nine make fourteen" and "four and four make nine," indicating that he has lost his sense of logic and reason. The clock is striking thirteen, a reference to George Orwell's novel "1984," which explores themes of government surveillance and the manipulation of truth.
The singer visits a fortune teller and a doctor, desperate for answers and relief from his lovesickness. He believes he is "lonesome and lovesick," with his mind on "lipstick," implying that his obsession with his lover is causing him to lose his focus and sanity.
Overall, the song portrays the singer's desperate plea for his lover to provide him with some kind of reassurance and direction for their relationship. The repetition of the phrase "I gotta know" emphasizes his anxiety and distress.
Line by Line Meaning
Get up in the mornin'
Starting off the day
Feelin' mighty weak
Not feeling well rested
A tossin' and a turnin'
Couldn't sleep well
Well, I had ain't no sleep
Didn't get any sleep
Oh baby, what road's our love taking
Wondering about the future of their relationship
To romance or heartbreaking?
Wondering if their relationship will be successful or fail
Won't you say which way you're gonna go?
Asking for clarity and direction in the relationship
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Stressing the importance of getting an answer
Nine and nine make fourteen
Mixing up numbers due to worry and stress
Four and four make nine
Further expressing confusion and distress
The clock is strikin' thirteen
Symbolizing a break from reality and sanity
I think I lost my mind
Realizing the extent of their confusion and frustration
You know it's gettin' aggravatin'
Expressing frustration and impatience
How long can I keep waitin'?
Questioning how much longer they can deal with the uncertainty
Tell me if you love me, yes or no?
Directly asking for a clear answer about their feelings
Oh, how much I need you
Expressing the depth of their feelings for the other person
Have pity on this heart of mine
Asking for empathy and understanding
Well, if you need and want me too
Offering themselves up to the other person
I'll be your one and only till the end of time
Promising unwavering commitment
Saw the fortune teller
Seeking guidance and clarity
Had my fortune read
Looking for insight about their future
She sent me to the doctor
Taking steps to address their mental and emotional state
Who sent me straight to bed
Prescribing rest as a means of healing
He said I'm lonesome and I'm lovesick
Reinforcing the depth of their emotions and distress
I've got my mind on lipstick
Distracted and preoccupied with trivialities
Will you kiss away my cares and woe?
Asking for comfort from the other person
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Reiterating the importance of getting an answer
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
Stressing the urgency of the situation
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
Continuing to emphasize their need for clarity
(I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know)
Repeating the refrain one last time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Matt Williams, Paul Evans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danichace
Get up in the mornin' feelin' mighty weak
A tossin' and a turnin' well, I had ain't no sleep
Oh baby, what road's our love taking?
To romance or heartbreaking'
Won't you say which way you're gonna go
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Nine and nine make fourteen, four and four make nine
The clock is strikin' thirteen I think I lost my mind
You know it's gettin' aggravatin'
How long can I keep waitin'
Tell me if you love me yes or no,
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
Oh, how much I need you
Have pity on this heart of mine
Well, if you need and want me too,
I'll be your one and only till the end of time
Saw the fortune teller, had my fortune read
She sent me to the doctor, who sent me straight to bed
He said I'm lonesome and I'm lovesick
I've got my mind on lipstick
Will you kiss away my cares and woe?
I gotta know, gotta know, gotta know
@GeorgeVreelandHill
There will never be another Elvis Presley. There is Elvis, and there will always be everyone else and who cares in what order. No one will ever be close to "The King."
@bonkers1987
Most underrated Elvis song 🎵
@susanfuller4092
It's Elvis, of course it's brilliant.
@dwayne1438
fr
@jenniferdirscherl5527
I am hearing this song with my grandma, today, on the 1. year aniversary of the death of my grandfather. He asked her 56 years ago to dance with him to this song. We miss him so much 💔
@marilynpresley2am
One of my favorites! (though I say that about every Elvis song). Elvis is the greatest!!
@lechat8533
@Presley 2am
Yes, well said. I love so many of his songs (and this is definitely one of them) that It`s impossible for me to pick one favorite.
@Randy2638
No one can imitate his voice , but they try. Elvis voice is one of a kind😀
@Vonavi
Abel can , you got to listen to him
@nitasheehan2704
Elvis is definitely one of a kind, and oh! What a kind! kind.