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.
Moody Blue
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bettin' on the number
That changes every time
Well, you think you're gonna win
Think she's givin' in
A stranger's all you find
Yeah, it's hard to figure out
What she's all about
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.
Well, when Monday comes she's Tuesday,
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday,
Into another day again
Her personality unwinds
Just like a ball of twine
On a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal,
She's not the person that
I though I knew
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.
The lyrics of Elvis Presley's song "Moody Blue" vividly capture the confusion of a man who is trying to understand a woman's complex personality. The song's narrator is struggling with the unpredictability of his romantic interest, who seems to change her mind and personality as quickly as the days of the week. He compares her to a ball of twine that unravels endlessly, revealing different aspects of her personality with each turn. He admits that he finds it challenging to figure her out but acknowledges that her complexity is part of her allure.
The song's lyrics explore the complexity of human emotions and the fleeting nature of human connections. In the singer's attempt to understand his lover, the song captures the universal feeling of trying to decipher someone's character and intentions. The repeated refrain, "Moody blue, tell me am I getting through," highlights the singer's desperation to connect with his lover.
The song highlights Elvis Presley's soulful vocals, which lend weight and emotion to the lyrics. The arrangements blend blues and country rock, creating a distinctive sound that adds to the melancholic mood of the song. The hypnotic repetition of the lyrics reinforces the song's themes of constant change and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's hard to be a gambler
Taking risks and trusting intuition is difficult
Bettin' on the number
Putting trust in one thing or person
That changes every time
Which is always unpredictable
Well, you think you're gonna win
Believing that your bet will pay off
Think she's givin' in
Assuming that someone will give in or give up
A stranger's all you find
Discovering that you don't know someone as well as you thought
Yeah, it's hard to figure out
Difficult to understand or comprehend
What she's all about
Understanding her motives and personality
That she's a woman through and through
Completely embracing her identity as a woman
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,
She is complex and difficult to understand, and this confuses and frustrates me
Oh, Moody blue
Referencing the woman's unpredictable nature
Tell me am I gettin' through
Asking if there is any way to understand her
I keep hangin' on
Continuing to try to understand her despite the challenges
Try to learn the song
Attempting to understand her behavior and actions
But I never do
Ultimately failing to understand her fully
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
Asking for clarity regarding her identity and personality
You're like the night and day
Her personality and behavior are constantly shifting
And it's hard to say
It's difficult to pinpoint exactly who she is or what she wants
Which one is you.
There is no clear way to understand or categorize her personality
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Simi Mathwani
[Verse 1]
Well, it's hard to be a gambler
Betting' on the number
That changes every time
Well, you think you're gonna win
Think she's givin' in
A stranger's all you find
Yeah, it's hard to figure out
What she's all about
That she's a woman through and through
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue
[Chorus]
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hanging' on
Try to learn your song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me who I'm talking' to
You're like night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you
[Verse 2]
Well, when Monday comes she's Tuesday
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday
Into another day again
Her personality unwinds
Just like a ball of twine
On a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal
She's not the person that
I thought I knew
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue
[Chorus]
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hanging' on
Try to learn your song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me who I'm talking' to
You're like night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you
Nicholas
Well, it's hard to be a gambler
Bettin' on the number
That changes ev'ry time
Well, you think you're gonna win
Think she's givin' in
A stranger's all you find
Yeah, it's hard to figure out
What she's all about
That she's a woman through and through
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.
Well, when Monday comes she's Tuesday,
When Tuesday comes she's Wednesday,
Into another day again
Her personality unwinds
Just like a ball of twine
On a spool that never ends
Just when I think I know her well
Her emotions reveal,
She's not the person that
I though I knew
She's a complicated lady, so color my baby moody blue,
Oh, Moody blue
Tell me am I gettin' through
I keep hangin' on
Try to learn the song
But I never do
Oh, Moody blue,
Tell me who I'm talkin' to
You're like the night and day
And it's hard to say
Which one is you.
Jo20 Meee
The voice that can make you smile when your sad and make you cry when your at your happiest. Such an amazing gift and truly one of a kind! I absolutely love Elvis. Dad and I used to listen to his music when I was little and now dads not with me the songs bring happiness and comfort ❤
ToyotaGuy1971
@jo20meee88 Didnt hurt being backed by other brilliant musicians, either. The orchastration on this track is gorgeous!
Nemia Provido
what a voice and a song ypu can flow at the beat of a song gorgeous elvis your so dearly missed by millions of ur fans avid fan from the phils
Kendall
Something about this song... it makes me melt. I always go back to listen to it because it can always make me smile, no matter what
Margit Malkki
Good
David Orr
❤ full volume all the time . There will only ever be one . ❤
EconomicApple
is that a jojo referencee
jimi hendrix
I always go back to the 70's listening to this.....
Olga Rokycky
So close to his passing and he still sounded amazing!!!!!! We fans miss him with our whole hearts ❤️ ❤and being
Dawniel
It's very hard to listen to Elvis without tearing up or just plain crying & feeling such a loss in this ever changing world. The good days, the good times, but never again.... Even the appreciation of people has changed.... Hard to imagine a life without Elvis Presley being a household name...