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.

That's What You Get for Lovin' Me
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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That's what you get for loving me
That's what you get for loving me
Everything we had is gone, you can see
That's what you get for loving me

Now don't you shed a tear for me
I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I've had a hundred just like you

But don't be blue I'll have a thousand before I'm through

That's what you get for loving me
That's what you get for loving me
Everything we had is gone, you can see
That's what you get for loving me

Now there you go, you're cryin' again
You should have known how things would end
But then some day when your poor heart is on the mend
I just might pass this way again

That's what you get for loving me
That's what you get for loving me
Everything we had is gone, you can see
That's what you get for loving me

That's what you get for loving me
That's what you get for loving me

Everything we had is gone, you can see
That's what you get for loving me

Overall Meaning

Elvis Presley's "That's What You Get For Lovin' Me" is a ballad that tells the story of a man who has been loved by a woman but has not reciprocated the love. He sings about how the woman should not have trusted him and not shed a tear for him. The lyrics warn that he has had many women like her and will have more after her. The chorus of the song acts as a refrain that repeats three times throughout the track, emphasizing that everything they had is gone because of her love for him.

The song opens with the man reminding the woman that she should have known what she was getting into. He admits that he is not the person she thought he was and that he has had many other women like her. He does not feel remorse for what he has done; rather, he boasts about how he will have many more women in the future. The man wants the woman to know that she is not the first one who has fallen for him, and she won't be the last.

In the second verse, the man acknowledges that the woman is crying and warns her about how things would end. Although he hurt her, he tells her that he might come her way again someday when her poor heart is mended. This verse shows the unwillingness of the man to accept his responsibility for his behavior and the potential danger for future women who come in contact with him.

Line by Line Meaning

That's what you get for loving me
You were warned that this would happen, but you chose to love me anyway, and now you're facing the consequences.

That's what you get for loving me
I'm reminding you that the reason we're in this situation is because of your love for me.

Everything we had is gone, you can see
Our relationship is over, and it's clear that your love for me wasn't enough to save it.

Now don't you shed a tear for me
Don't feel sorry for me because I'm not the person you thought I was.

I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I'm not capable of being the kind of partner you wanted and hoped for.

I've had a hundred just like you
You're not the first person to love me this deeply and be hurt by me, and you won't be the last.

But don't be blue I'll have a thousand before I'm through
I'll keep repeating this pattern because I don't plan on changing anytime soon.

Now there you go, you're cryin' again
You're upset because you're facing the reality of our relationship ending, but it's not unexpected.

You should have known how things would end
I'm not the kind of person who can commit to a long-lasting relationship, so you should have been prepared for this.

But then some day when your poor heart is on the mend
When you've had time to heal from this heartbreak, you might be open to seeing me again.

I just might pass this way again
I'm not willing to commit to anything right now, but I might be willing to see you again in the future.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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