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.
Something Blue
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something new, these tears I cry
Something borrowed were those lips my lips knew
And that's why I'm something blue
Something old, the vows we made
Something new, the price I paid
Something borrowed, love was tried but not true
I guess that I had better smile
Walking behind you down the aisle
I feel I'm walking to my doom
I'm really not the best man in this room
Something old, the dreams we planned
Something new, his wedding band
Something borrowed was the heart I gave you
You returned it torn in two
Something old, the dreams we planned
Something new, his wedding band
Something borrowed was the heart I gave you
You returned it torn in two
And that's why,
And that's why I'm something blue
In Elvis Presley's song Something Blue, the singer reflects on the end of a relationship and his feelings of sorrow and regret. The lyrics are written in a clever play on the traditional wedding rhyme of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," which symbolizes various objects a bride should carry or wear for good luck on her wedding day. In this song, the singer repurposes the phrase, using it to symbolize the different aspects of his failed romance.
He describes the "something old" as the time that has passed since they were together, while the "something new" represents his tears of heartbreak. The "something borrowed" refers to the memory of the kisses he shared with his love, which were not truly his to keep. The chorus repeats the refrain that he is now "something blue," signifying his sadness and the end of his relationship.
The song takes on particular significance as it was released shortly after Elvis's own divorce from his wife. His unique style and emotional delivery help to convey the sense of loss and nostalgia inherent within the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Something old, the time goes by
Reflecting back on the past, time has passed and now it is gone forever.
Something new, these tears I cry
An unfamiliar feeling is brought upon me, causing me to express my emotions in tears.
Something borrowed were those lips my lips knew
The pleasure of kissing the person I loved was only borrowed time.
And that's why I'm something blue
The emotions and fears that have left me feeling sad and alone after the breakup is why I am something blue.
Something old, the vows we made
Our promises we once made to each other are now things of the past.
Something new, the price I paid
The cost of the breakup was new to me and one I never expected to pay.
Something borrowed, love was tried but not true
The love we had was borrowed and it wasn't true, and the pain of the breakup was what was left behind.
Now my life is something blue
My life has been engulfed by feelings of sadness and loneliness, hence the reference to the term 'something blue'.
I guess that I had better smile
Even though my heart is breaking, I will put a smile on my face for the sake of appearances.
Walking behind you down the aisle
As I walk behind you during the wedding ceremony, I feel like I'm watching my dreams disappear.
I feel I'm walking to my doom
I have this overwhelming feeling that something terrible is going to happen.
I'm really not the best man in this room
I know that I am being replaced as the person you love the most and someone else is taking my place.
Lyrics © IYAMUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY , PORT MUSIC INC.
Written by: AL BYRON, PAUL EVANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carsondrew7730
Something old, the time gone buy
Something new, these tears I cry
Something borrowed were those lips my lips knew
And that's why I'm something blue
Something old, the vows we made
Something new, the price I paid
Something borrowed, love was tried but not true
Now my life is something blue
I guess that I had better smile
Walking behind you down the aisle
I feel I'm walking to my doom
I'm really not the best man in this room
Something old, the dreams we planned
Something new, his wedding band
Something borrowed was the heart I gave you
You returned it torn in two
Something old, the dreams we planned
Something new, his wedding band
Something borrowed was the heart I gave you
You returned it torn in two
And that's why,
And that's why I'm something blue
@LightningLassTCB
When Elvis dips in and out of this song with soft riffs, I get crazy goosebumps!!! His voice is like pure velvet. I adore you Elvis and will always protect you.
@susanfuller4092
Regardless of the genre, or if it was a cover version, Elvis sang the song in such a beautiful way he made it his own. Elvis I will never stop missing you.
@user-dc1dw2np1w
One of his greatest pure sad love songs, it should have been more on the radio ...💖💖💖
@llpp1800
Fantastic song, why doesn’t this get played more on the radio. His old rock songs are still great but Elvis did so many beautiful ballads which seem to be forgotten about.
@philippesauvie639
it’s a deliberate attempt to destroy western civilization, its culture and heritage. Just look at a show like American idol that requires you as a musical artist to accept their thumbs up or thumbs down. It requires a collective mindset rather than a unique artist mindset to succeed in their world. just think about how much Truth is being expunged from online.
@davidgibbs7232
I believe the world is made up of 2 kinds of human.Those who love his voice and those who should do.This is pure vocal perfection.
@JimmyBergman7
Jesus is God 🦁 and only way to heaven and escape eternal hellfire. Check my channel to learn more.
@davidgibbs7232
@Jimmy Bergman no thank you
@davidburch9376
Never get tired of hearing his songs and the ballads show that richness in his voice
@garysmith6142
Bliss....