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.
Softly and Tenderly
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling for you and for me
Patient and loving he's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
Why should we linger when Jesus is pleading
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we wait, then, and heed not His mercies
Mercies for you and for me?
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
O for the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
The song "Softly and Tenderly" by Elvis Presley, is a gospel song that talks about Jesus Christ calling upon people to come back and seek salvation. It starts with the opening line, "Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me," which sets the tone for the message that Christ is waiting patiently for sinners to come back and seek redemption for their wrongdoings. The lyrics emphasize the loving and merciful nature of Jesus who forgives all sins, no matter how big or small.
The second verse questions why one should wait and not seek the mercies of Jesus when he is pleading for sinners to come back. The lyrics then go on to talk about the wonderful love and promised pardon that Jesus has for all those who seek forgiveness. The song ends with the same refrain of "Come home, come home, Ye who are weary come home, Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, 'O sinner, come home!'"
The song itself has a very calming and soothing tune which amplifies the message of love and redemption. The lyrics deliver a powerful message of the infinite love and mercy of Jesus Christ. The song has resonated with people of all faiths for generations and has been sung in churches and gospel meetings across the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
With a gentle and kind voice, Jesus is reaching out to us
Calling for you and for me
Inviting all of us, regardless of who we are and what we have done
Patient and loving he's waiting and watching
Being patient and caring, he is eagerly waiting and looking out for us
Watching for you and for me
Keeping a watchful eye out for all of us, never giving up hope
Come home, come home
Inviting us to return to God
Ye who are weary come home
Calling out to those who are tired and worn out, offering them rest and comfort
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
With a sincere and heartfelt compassion, Jesus is inviting us to be with him
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
Extending mercy to all sinners, inviting them to be forgiven
Why should we linger when Jesus is pleading
Questioning why we would delay, when Jesus is asking us to return to him
Pleading for you and for me?
Making a sincere appeal to each of us, showing us how much he cares
Why should we wait, then, and heed not His mercies
Wondering why we would ignore his grace and goodness
Mercies for you and for me?
Emphasizing that we are all in need of mercy and forgiveness
O for the wonderful love He has promised
Expressing admiration and awe for the amazing love that Jesus offers
Promised for you and for me
Reinforcing the fact that his love is available for all of us
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Acknowledging that we have all made mistakes, but highlighting Jesus' willingness to forgive us
Pardon for you and for me
Offering forgiveness to us all, showing us how much he truly loves us
Come home, come home
Repeating the invitation to all who are tired and burdened
Ye who are weary come home
Showing us that no matter how tired we may feel, there is always a home with God waiting for us
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling
Closing with the reminder that Jesus is extending a genuine and compassionate invitation to all
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
Encouraging us to turn away from our sins and seek redemption in God
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Will L. Thompson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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