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.

Only the Strong Survive
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember my first love affair (I remember)
Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong (I remember)
My mama had some great advice (I remember)
So I thought I'd put it into words of this song (I remember)
I can still hear her sayin' it (I remember)

Boy, oh, I see you're sittin' out there all alone (boy, oh)
Cryin' your eyes out 'cause the woman that you love has gone

Oh, there's gonna be, there's gonna be
A whole lot of trouble in your life (whole lotta trouble)
Oh, so listen to me, get up off your knees
'Cause only the strong survive
That's what she said, only the strong survive
Only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Don't go all around with your head hung down
Well, I wouldn't let that little girl
No, I wouldn't let her know that she made me feel like a clown
There's a whole lotta girls (whole lotta girls)
Lookin' for a good man like you
Oh, but you'll never meet 'em if you give up now
And say your life is through
And she said, only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand

(Boy)
(Boy)
(Oh,boy)
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Well, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Only the strong survive
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Well, you've got to be a man (yeah), you've got to take a stand (yeah)
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive

Overall Meaning

In Elvis Presley's song "Only The Strong Survive," the lyrics tell the story of a person going through heartbreak and getting advice from their mother. The lyrics describe the situation of crying over a lost love and feeling like life is over. However, the person's mother tells them to be strong and to not give up, stating that only the strong survive. The lyrics encourage the person to hold their head up high, be strong, and take a stand.

The song's message of perseverance through hard times speaks to many people, and it has remained a popular song in pop culture. The song's lyrics support the idea that life is not always easy, but one can overcome difficult times and be successful. They stress that one should not give up, and instead, have the strength to continue on and take control of their life.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember my first love affair
I vividly recall my first experience with love

Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong
Unfortunately, the relationship did not work out

My mama had some great advice
My mother shared some valuable words of wisdom with me

So I thought I'd put it into words of this song
I decided to write a song incorporating her advice

I can still hear her sayin' it
I can still hear my mother's voice echoing in my head

Boy, oh, I see you're sittin' out there all alone
I notice that you're sitting there by yourself

Cryin' your eyes out 'cause the woman that you love has gone
You're crying because the woman you love has left you

Oh, there's gonna be, there's gonna be
There will be, without a doubt,

A whole lot of trouble in your life
You're going to experience a lot of difficulties

Oh, so listen to me, get up off your knees
Take my advice and stop feeling sorry for yourself

'Cause only the strong survive
You need to be strong to overcome these challenges

That's what she said, only the strong survive
My mother told me that only those who are strong can endure

Oh, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
You need to be resilient and persevere through tough times

Don't go all around with your head hung down
Don't be defeated and walk around with your head down

Well, I wouldn't let that little girl
I wouldn't allow that woman

No, I wouldn't let her know that she made me feel like a clown
I wouldn't let her know that she made me feel foolish or humiliated

There's a whole lotta girls (whole lotta girls)
There are many women

Lookin' for a good man like you
Seeking a decent man like yourself

Oh, but you'll never meet 'em if you give up now
You won't encounter these women if you quit now

And say your life is through
And declare that your life is over

And she said, only the strong survive, only the strong survive
My mother emphasized that only those who are strong can endure

Oh, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
You need to be courageous and stand up for yourself

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Once again, she stressed that only the resilient can persevere

Well, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Strength and perseverance are key to overcoming challenges

Only the strong survive
Endurance and toughness are necessary to thrive

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Once again, the message is that only the resilient can succeed

Well, you've got to be a man (yeah), you've got to take a stand (yeah)
You need to be brave and assertive

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
The song underscores the importance of strength, resilience, and perseverance in overcoming challenges

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
The song's refrain reiterates the need to be tough and stand up to adversity

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY LEE BUTLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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