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.
Lady Madonna
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet
Saturday morning arrives without a suitcase
Sunday morning creep in like a nun
Friday's child forget to tie his suitcase
See how they run
Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Wonder if you're having fun making ends meet
The lyrics of "Lady Madonna" by Elvis Presley describe the struggles of a hardworking mother, who is trying to make ends meet while keeping her children safe and happy. Despite the difficulties, she is resilient and keeps moving forward. The song paints a realistic picture of the daily struggles faced by many parents, especially those who are single or have low income. The first two lines are especially poignant, as they depict the children gathered around their mother, who is the center of their world.
The next few lines of the song suggest the passage of time, with the arrival of weekdays and weekends, and the forgetfulness of children. The line "See how they run" could be interpreted in different ways, perhaps referring to the chaos of everyday life, or the children playing and running around. The final verse repeats the chorus, emphasizing the role of the mother as the anchor of the family, who despite the challenges, is capable of finding joy in life.
Line by Line Meaning
See how they run
Observing the chaos and frenzy of everyday life.
Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Depicting a mother figure surrounded by her children.
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet
Expressing surprise of how the mother figure is capable of supporting her family financially.
Saturday morning arrives without a suitcase
Highlighting the frantic pace of life in which one hardly has time to pack or prepare for the weekend.
Sunday morning creep in like a nun
A reference to the quiet, pensive nature of a Sunday morning.
Friday's child forget to tie his suitcase
Emphasizing the disorganized nature of children who tend to be forgetful and irresponsible.
See how they run
Reiterating the observation of frenzied activity that characterizes everyday life.
Lady Madonna, children at your feet
Further emphasizing the central theme of a strong, nurturing motherly figure in the midst of chaos.
Wonder if you're having fun making ends meet
Expressing sympathy towards the challenging task of managing a household and providing for one's family, and acknowledging that it can be a tiresome, overwhelming experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Dobson
I don't know why he didn't do complete version , this sounds great
tres copas
Ese toque de harmónica genial
Alli Kuikamoinen
It's a very very very big pity that Elvis did not doing this song real master version? This sounds really good.. Imagine this song for his Elvis Country album? Wow! Hey Jude was another Beatles song what was had deserved real desent master version? And Something-song should be done in studio version absolutely..
THE KOPY KATZ Rockabilly / Rock n Roll Band 🎵 🎶
A fun jam. Love it.
Anthony Kiola
It would have been great if Elvis did an album of just Beatles songs.
Angie Lynch
Nice!😎
Liv Marlin
I'm Felton Jarvis' great granddaughter, thanks for making the complete version available!
J Evans
If I’m not mistaken this starts slightly earlier than the edit on the 70s box set
Scouser on the Wirral
Elvis Presley doin Paul McCartney doing Elvis Presley
Studz Ramrod
Wow