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.
Tell Me Why
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me why I think of you
Then you sometimes ask me by
You're playing with love
Darling tell me why
You left me all alone
To cry over you
My heart is torn and broken
In my prayers, I'll mention you
When you're gone I feel so blue
Why can't I have all of you
Oh, somebody, please tell me why
The song "Tell Me Why" by Elvis Presley, which was written by Titus Turner and William Johnstone, is a lament over a lost love. The lyrics express the singer's confusion and pain as he struggles to understand why he can't move on from his former lover. He sees reminders of her everywhere he looks, and he can't help but wonder why he still thinks of her even though she's gone. This emotional turmoil is compounded by the fact that the woman in question seems to be toying with his heart, asking him why he still cares for her even as she refuses to be with him.
The emotional depth of the lyrics is mirrored by Presley's powerful vocal performance, which imbues each line with a sense of heartbreak and longing. The song's simple melody and instrumentation serve to emphasize the raw emotion at its core, making it one of Presley's most effective ballads.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I look at someone new
Whenever I set my eyes on someone else
Tell me why I think of you
I can't help but recall you
Then you sometimes ask me by
And occasionally, you inquire
You're playing with love
You're toying with my emotions
Darling tell me why
Please elucidate
You left me all alone
You deserted me
To cry over you
To weep because of you
My heart is torn and broken
My emotions are in shambles
There's nothing left to do
I feel powerless to act
In my prayers, I'll mention you
I'll add you to my supplications
When you're gone I feel so blue
Your absence depresses me
Why can't I have all of you
Why can't I possess the entirety of you
Oh, somebody, please tell me why
I implore someone to explain to me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TITUS TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Scouser on the Wirral
Written by Titus Turner (1933-1984)
Released by Gospel R&B singer Marie Knight on 15 March 1956
The Crew-Cuts released a version on 26 May 1956
Gale Storm also released a version in May 1956
Elvis Presley recorded the song on 12 January 1957 but it wasn’t released as a single until 14 December 1965 where it reached #33 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
Sensei Juan
Elvis could do so much with his voice, his range was incredible. No one else comes even close.
Michael Gregson
He was soooooo good that words fail me . The legend and the fame continue to grow long after the man has gone . RIP Elvis
A.C. Bernardo
You are so right!🎶🎤👍🎸
Sweep Ted
Just perfect 😍
Patrick de Vries
What a voice omg what a voice, did you hear that??? AMAZING AND AWESOME!!!
Keith Adamson
Great song - so brilliantly sung. What genre is it? Blues, soul, country, rock? No just pure Presley.
Paolo T
Elvis is so talented and gifted. He can sing any style of music and makes it his own.
Dn Hy
Elvis is actually dead so you can't actually say he is talented.He was talented.
IcanFartLOUD
That's why a lot of his records were unclassifiable style-wise.
Rosie Bottom
Never heard this before. Love it. Thankyou.