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.

Playing for Keeps
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm playin' for keeps
This time it's real
And I want you to know
Exactly how I feel
I'm playin' for keeps
For sure this time
And I won't be happy
Until I know you're mine

There have been others
That could love me true
But no one else can thrill me like you do
I'm playin' for keeps
Oh love me too
Oh, don't make me sorry
That I fell in love with you
There have been others
That could love me true
But no one else can thrill me like you do
I'm playin' for keeps
Oh love me too

Oh, don't make me sorry
That I fell in love with you (fell in love with you)

Overall Meaning

In the song "Playing for Keeps" by Elvis Presley, the singer expresses his commitment to his love interest. He declares that he is playing for keeps this time and that his feelings are genuine. He wants his love interest to know exactly how he feels and he won't be satisfied until he knows that she is his. The singer acknowledges that there have been others who could love him truly, but no one has ever thrilled him like his current love interest does. He asks her to reciprocate his feelings and not to make him sorry that he fell in love with her.

The lyrics of the song express the eagerness of the singer to make a lasting commitment. He wants his love interest to know that he is serious about his feelings this time and that he won't be playing games. He realizes that there have been others who have loved him truly, but he has never been as exhilarated as he is with his current love interest. The singer hopes that his love interest will share the same feelings and not hurt him.

Overall, "Playing for Keeps" is a love song that speaks to the vulnerability and commitment that come with loving someone. The singer's sincerity shines through, and his plea to be loved in return is both heartfelt and genuine.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm playin' for keeps
I'm serious about pursuing a lasting relationship.

This time it's real
I've been sincere before, but this time I mean it more.

And I want you to know
I need to express how strongly I feel about us.

Exactly how I feel
Without a doubt, you need to understand the depth of my emotions.

For sure this time
I'm not playing around or taking any chances - this is definite!

And I won't be happy
My ultimate happiness depends on making you mine.

Until I know you're mine
I can't rest assured until I have your heart exclusively.

There have been others
I've had other people interested in me.

That could love me true
Some of them were genuine in their affections.

But no one else can thrill me like you do
But nobody has excited me or had such electrifying chemistry as we do.

Oh love me too
I'm hoping that you reciprocate and feel the same way.