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.

If You Talk in Your Sleep
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know you're a lonely woman and I love you
But someone else is waiting and he owns you
If he should ever wake up, make sure that your story is straight love
If you talk in your sleep don't mention my name
And if you walk in your sleep forget where you came

Walking every night here in the shadows
So afraid that sometime he may follow

There's always the chance he'll find us
I don't need to remind you

If you talk in your sleep don't mention my name
If you walk in your sleep forget where you came
Love is so much sweeter when it's borrowed
I'll feel a little easier tomorrow

Don't give our secret away, be careful what you say
If you talk in your sleep don't mention my name
If you walk in your sleep forget where you came
Forget where you came, now

Forget where you came
Don't mention my name

Don't mention my name
Forget where you came

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elvis Presley's song If You Talk in Your Sleep tell the story of a love affair that is being kept secret. The singer, who is in love with a woman who is with someone else, reminds her to keep their secret safe. He tells her that if she talks in her sleep, she should not mention his name, and if she walks in her sleep, she should forget where she came from. The couple is constantly on edge, afraid that the woman's boyfriend will find out about their affair. The singer believes that love is sweeter when it is borrowed, and that he will feel a little easier tomorrow.

The song is a prime example of the honesty and emotional depth that Elvis Presley was known for. He often sang about complicated relationships and unrequited love, and this song is no exception. The lyrics are melancholic and full of longing, and it is clear that the singer is deeply in love with the woman in question.

Line by Line Meaning

I know you're a lonely woman and I love you But someone else is waiting and he owns you
I understand that you're a lonely person and I have feelings for you. However, you are in a committed relationship with someone else.

If he should ever wake up, make sure that your story is straight love
If your partner ever becomes suspicious, make sure to have a believable story to explain your behaviors.

If you talk in your sleep don't mention my name And if you walk in your sleep forget where you came
If you reveal our affair during your sleep, don't include my name. And, if you sleepwalk, don't remember coming to my place.

Walking every night here in the shadows So afraid that sometime he may follow There's always the chance he'll find us I don't need to remind you
We have to meet secretly every night in the shadows because we're scared your partner is following us. It's important to stay vigilant, so I don't have to remind you to be careful.

Love is so much sweeter when it's borrowed I'll feel a little easier tomorrow
Our love is more exciting because we have to keep it a secret. I'll feel better when this is all over and we can be together openly.

Don't give our secret away, be careful what you say If you talk in your sleep don't mention my name If you walk in your sleep forget where you came
It's important to keep our affair private, so be mindful of what you reveal. If you say anything during your sleep or sleepwalk, don't mention me or where you've been.

Forget where you came Don't mention my name
Forget the details of our meetings and don't use my name if confronted about them.

Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: BOBBY RED WEST, JOHNNY CHRISTOPHER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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