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.
Rubberneckin'
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If your rubberneckin' baby well that's all right with me
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
It's called rubberneckin' baby but that's all right with me
Some people say I'm wasting time yeah, but they don't really know
I like what I see I see what I like yeah, it gives me such a glow
First thing in the morning, last thing at night
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
If your rubberneckin' baby well that's all right with me
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
It's called rubberneckin' baby but that's all right with me
Some people say I'm wasting time yeah, but they don't really know
I like what I see I see what I like yeah, it gives me such a glow
Sittin' on the back porch all by myself
Along came Mary Jane with somebody else
Well, stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
It's called rubberneckin' baby but that's all right with me
Some people say I'm wasting time yeh, but I don't really care
I like what I see, I see what I like yeh, it gives me such a glow
Sittin' on the back porch all by myself
Along came Mary Jane with somebody else
Well, stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
It's called rubberneckin' baby but that's all right with me
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
Stop
"Rubberneckin'" by Elvis Presley is a song that expresses the star's fascination with looking at everything and anything around him. The lyrics suggest that Elvis has a habit of staring, gazing, and observing anything that piques his interest, and he enjoys it. He encourages his listeners to do the same, telling them that his philosophy is to stop what they're doing, look around, and listen to all the sounds of the world, believing that it's the best way to find happiness.
The song's refrain repeats, "Stop, look, and listen, baby, that's my philosophy. If you're rubberneckin', baby, well, that's alright with me." The term "rubberneckin'" is a common slang term that describes the action of drivers who slow down to look at something or someone, especially an accident or unusual circumstance on the roadside. In this context, Elvis is not referring to literal rubbernecking but rather to the habit of looking around and seeing the world's beauty.
In the second verse, Elvis recounts sitting on his porch when "Mary Jane" arrives with somebody else, but he continues to stick to his philosophy of observing and enjoying the world, indicating that his philosophy of rubbernecking isn't limiting or possessive. It's more of a consciousness of the world around him, and it's Elvis's way of embracing life.
Line by Line Meaning
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
I believe in taking the time to observe and appreciate the world around me.
If your rubberneckin' baby well that's all right with me
If you're curious and want to take a closer look at something, I'm okay with that.
Some people say I'm wasting time yeah, but they don't really know
Others may not understand my fascination with observing my surroundings, but they don't understand the joy it brings me.
I like what I see I see what I like yeah, it gives me such a glow
Observing and appreciating the world around me brings me joy and makes me feel alive.
First thing in the morning, last thing at night
I'm always observant, no matter the time of day or night.
I look, stare everywhere and see everything inside
I explore my surroundings and take in every detail, both on the surface and beyond.
Sittin' on the back porch all by myself, Along came Mary Jane with somebody else
Even when I'm alone and observing the world around me, other people can come and go and catch my attention.
Some people say I'm wasting time yeh, but I don't really care
Although others may not understand my fascination, I don't let their opinions affect my enjoyment of the moment.
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
I hold true to my belief in taking the time to observe and appreciate the world around me.
It's called rubberneckin' baby but that's all right with me
Some may call my fascination with observing my surroundings 'rubbernecking', but I'm okay with that label.
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
I once again reinforce my belief in taking the time to observe and appreciate the world around me.
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
I repeat my mantra of taking the time to observe and appreciate the world around me.
Stop, look and listen baby that's my philosophy
I reinforce my belief in taking the time to observe and appreciate the world around me for a third time.
Stop
I implore the listener to take a moment to pause and observe their surroundings.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: DORY JONES, BUNNY WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Feeling-ie6cu
I think Elvis is at a level that no one can reach. 1 out of every 3 records sold in the U.S. in 1977 was an Elvis record. If soundscan had been around, Elvis would have had no less than 40 albums on the hot 100 at the same time. The Beatles haven’t even come close to that.
At no other time in music history in western culture did the sale of guitars ever explode or increase as they did when Elvis burst onto the scene.
On Elvis’ records was where his guitarist, Scotty Moore, invented rock and roll guitar. Anyone who can read sheet music knows that Moore initiated the technique known as “power chording”. It’s an alternate chord figure that goes with everything. It’s mostly used by heavy metal and Punk Rock guitar.
When Elvis released his first album 85 percent of record players sold were only capable of playing 45’s or Eps. By his fourth album, this almost completely flipped to where they were now selling more players that could play albums too.
Elvis was the number one artist on the charts in 50’s, no.2 in the 60’s, no 9 in the 70’s
He didn’t write a song but his sheer raw performing talent, his phrasing of a song and ability to make a song absolutely his were all so extraordinary that someone like Chuck Berry - who was a legend and who wrote all of his own songs - still said that Elvis was ‘the best and the best there ever will be
He became one of the most significant pop culture icons of the 20th century before passing away at the young age of 42.
To this day, he remains the best-selling solo artist of all time, racking up an estimated 600 million to one billion in album sales.
The influence of Elvis Presley on his fellow singers and musicians is incalculable, and many of them have gone on the record to say so.
The following people became musicians because of Elvis…McCartney, Lennon, Ringo, Harrison(was a musician but changed his goal to rock after hearing Elvis), Buddy Holly (was a musician but changed from country to rock after seeing Elvis on the Lousiana hayride in Lubbock) Elton John was classically trained but changed rock) Mick Fleetwood, Jimmy Page, All The Beach Boys, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, Roger Daltry, Robert Plant, Steven Tyler, Klaus Meine(Scorpions lead vocalist)Ronnie Milsap, Bob Dylan, Tom Jones, Hendrix (mom took him to an Elvis concert when he was young that’s when he decided to play music) Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats, Glen Campbell… that’s just to name a few
Elvis has sold more than 1 billion records worldwide as announced by his record company. (Point of contention for Beatles fans) They can not find one official announcement by their record company stating The Beatles have sold 1 billion records and according to McCartney and I quote “If The Beatles have sold a billion records then somebody owes me the other half of my royalties.”
Brian Setzer, “Everything in popular music is a tribute to Elvis”
Carl Perkins, “Everyone has their own ideas about what rock is. But make no mistake, The first time anyone ever did what was called rock-a-billy was when Elvis, Scotty and the boys started recording”
Roy Orbison, “Elvis was the firstest with the mostest”…
Dick Clark, “I know he didn’t write the songs but there isn’t anybody or act in rock and roll history that was more influential than Elvis” ca.1990
“There are some songs only Elvis could sing” Dick Clark, ca. 1987
Lennon, “Before Elvis there was nothing”
Bob Dylan, “I don’t look at myself as a ‘poetic genius’ ‘voice of a generation” or anything like that, I just want to be Elvis”….as told to Ed Bradley of 60 minutes around 1997
Bobby Womack black performer and producer, “Elvis sent a shockwave through the black community like nobody I have ever heard before. Now that’s power”
B.B.King, “Elvis had an influence on all of us. They didn’t make a mistake when they called him the king”
Little Richard, “About every 1000 years God sends the world a messiah, Elvis was ours”
Lenny Kaye (lead guitarist for the Patty Smith Group and a musicologist) “It doesn’t happen very often that you can go to Mount Olympus to see a performance. Elvis functioned as a God”….his review of going to Elvis at Madison Square Gardens concert.
Glen Campbel, “Elvis is the best singer that ever lived”
Writer of Mary in The Morning, “I think Elvis was the best singer ever”
Trisha Yearwood, “You’ve got to be pretty bold to try and take on an Elvis vocal performance”
Comedian Eddie Murphy, “Richard Pryor and Elvis were the biggest influences on me. I just thought they were the coolest people ever”
Tom Jones, “Elvis made a song different simply by the way he sang it”
Dennis Miller, ‘The jury has been out on the who was bigger Elvis or The Beatles a long time ago. You don't see a need for thousands of Beatles impersonators worldwide do you?’
Elvis hit a level in cultural and music history that was so high he simply cannot be assessed in terms of popularity. This isn’t debatable. Elvis was by far more influential than anyone before or after. I put a range of music people as to what they said about Elvis to make the point.
There’s Elvis and then there’s everybody else…..
“Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.”—Al Green
“Elvis is the best ever, the most original.” —Jim Morrison
“Elvis Presley possessed genuine rhythm guitar chops” — Johnny Cash
“Nobody can sing blues better than Elvis”. —Jackie Wilson,
"Nobody can sing the gospel better than Elvis" -Mahalia Jackson
“I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”—B.B. King
“He was a unique artist, an original in an area of imitators.”—Mick Jagger
“He was just amazing and spectacular. He really opened the door to my whole love of music. Because of him, and because of the choice of his material, I found Smiley Lewis [and] all those great singers.”—Robert Plant
“Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.”—Rod Stewart
“You have no idea how great he is, really you don’t. You have no comprehension—it’s absolutely impossible. I can’t tell you why he’s so great, but he is. He’s sensational.”—Phil Spector
“There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.”—Bruce Springsteen
“I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There’ll never be another like that soul brother.”—James Brown
“When I first heard Elvis’ voice, I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss…Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.”—Bob Dylan
@thecaptain7372
The fact the kings music still holds up is a testament to him.
@bwana-ma-coo-bah425
not his music, sorry.
@kittyvanborder
Yes. He have it all. So does the great Chuck Berry❤❤
@justiceforall6412
These remixes are great! They move Elvis into the 21th century.He deserves to be remembered always. A great singer, human being, and a truly original artist.
@zohraelharrak2922
The American native beauty 😍
@huggy-Bear
you mean the 21st century? Elvis was from the 20th century
@justiceforall6412
@huggy Bear You're right. It's a typo
@huggy-Bear
@@justiceforall6412 couldnt agree more with your comment though i remember loving this remix as a kid
@justiceforall6412
@huggy Bear I'll fix the typo. It's a great mix and proves Elvis's greatness and staying power
@robertbowman984
This song was underrated when it first came out. I always liked it. Elvis filled with soul and a half.