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 popularโand 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.
The Bullfighter Was A Lady
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
King of the bullfighter ringer
He'd wipe up the floor with each brave matador
And have matador stew for his dinner
He heard the crowd shouting "Olรฉ"
But he met his master that day
And it was true love at first sight
Her red cape was waving but Pedro was shaking (or shaving?)
He wanted to date her that night
Olรฉ
Pedro the bull he was smitten
First time the love bug had bitten
He once was a mad bull, a wild and a bad bull
But now he was mild as a kitten
The people were starting to hiss
But Pedro just wanted to kiss
The bullfighter was a lady
And Pedro he liked what he saw
He floated on air with a rose in his hair
As he waltzed with that sweet matador
His fate was a bad one, his tale is a sad one
It's hanging right over her door
Olรฉ!
The Bullfighter Was A Lady by Elvis Presley is an interesting song with a romantic twist to a story that would typically about a bull, a killer, and a brave bullfighter. The lyrics begin by describing Pedro, the bull, who was known to kill each bullfighter who stepped into the ring with him. However, on this particular day, he met his match in a female bullfighter. Pedro was enchanted by her red waving cape, and it was love at first sight. The bull who was once wild and bad is now smitten, and he becomes as mild as a kitten. However, the poem turns tragic as Pedro's fate is sealed as a bounty, hanging over the door of his love.
The lyrics to The Bullfighter Was A Lady explores themes of gender roles, romance, and unexpected love. The song challenges the traditional gender roles where men are supposed to be brave, and women are believed to be weak. The lyrics show the bullfighter as a lady, who not only challenges Pedro but also captivates his heart. The song also explores the power of love as seen in Pedro's character. Once wild and bad, he becomes smitten, and love transforms him into a mild and gentle being. Lastly, the lyrics are ironic as they seem like a love story, but the ending tells the tragic tale of Pedro's fate, cementing the irony that such a deadly creature as Pedro can end up being felled by love.
Line by Line Meaning
Pedro the bull was a killer
Pedro, the bull, was known to be very dangerous and had killed many bullfighters in the bullfighting arena
King of the bullfighter ringer
Pedro was the most feared bull in the bullfighting ring and was known to be unbeatable
He'd wipe up the floor with each brave matador
Pedro was so strong and powerful that he would always defeat any brave bullfighter who dared to face him in the arena
And have matador stew for his dinner
Pedro was so fierce that he would kill any bullfighter who faced him and eat them
He heard the crowd shouting "Olรฉ"
Pedro, the bull, could hear the crowd cheering for the bullfighters, shouting "Olรฉ", as they faced him in the arena
But he met his master that day
Pedro, the bull, met his match that day in the arena
The bullfighter was a lady
The bullfighter who faced Pedro in the arena that day was a woman
And it was true love at first sight
Pedro was immediately smitten with the female bullfighter as soon as he saw her in the arena
Her red cape was waving but Pedro was shaking (or shaving?)
The female bullfighter was waving her red cape to get Pedro to charge at her, but Pedro was nervous and trembling because he was in love with her
He wanted to date her that night
Pedro was so enamored with the female bullfighter that he wanted to take her out on a date later that night
Olรฉ
This is an exclamation typically used by the crowd during a bullfight, expressing their excitement and admiration for the bullfighter's moves and the bull's response
Pedro the bull he was smitten
Pedro, the bull, had fallen in love with the female bullfighter and was no longer his wild and dangerous self
First time the love bug had bitten
This was the first time Pedro had ever fallen in love
He once was a mad bull, a wild and a bad bull
Pedro used to be a wild and dangerous bull in the arena, but he had changed because of his love for the female bullfighter
But now he was mild as a kitten
Pedro was now very gentle and calm, like a small, harmless kitten
The people were starting to hiss
The crowd was no longer cheering for Pedro, but instead they were starting to boo and hiss because he was no longer fighting like he used to
But Pedro just wanted to kiss
Pedro didn't care about fighting anymore, all he wanted to do was kiss the female bullfighter
The bullfighter was a lady
Once again, the lyrics reiterate that the bullfighter who faced Pedro in the arena was a woman
And Pedro he liked what he saw
Pedro was still attracted to the female bullfighter and liked everything about her
He floated on air with a rose in his hair
Pedro was so happy and in love that he felt like he was floating in the air and even wore a rose in his hair to impress the female bullfighter
As he waltzed with that sweet matador
Pedro took the female bullfighter's hand and waltzed with her around the arena, showing his love for her
His fate was a bad one, his tale is a sad one
Unfortunately, Pedro's love for the female bullfighter was his downfall, and he ultimately met a tragic end in the arena
It's hanging right over her door
The female bullfighter hung Pedro's head over her door as a trophy, a reminder of their brief encounter in the arena
Olรฉ!
This is again an exclamation typically used by the crowd during a bullfight, expressing their excitement and admiration for the bullfighter's moves and the bull's response
Lyrics ยฉ IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: BENNETT TEPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
n00se
Pedro the bull was a killer
King of the bullfighter ringer
He'd wipe up the floor with each brave matador
And have matador stew for his dinner
He heard the crowd shouting โOleโ
But he met his master that day
The bullfighter was a lady
And it was true love at first sight
Her red cape was waving but Pedro was shaking
He wanted to date her that night
Ole!
Pedro the bull he was smitten
First time the love bug had bitten
He once was a mad bull, a wild and a bad bull
But now he was mild as a kitten
The people were starting to hiss
But Pedro just wanted to kiss
The bullfighter was a lady
And Pedro he liked what he saw
He floated on air with a rose in his hair
As he waltzed with that sweet matador
His fate was a bad one, his tale is a sad one
It's hanging right over her door
Ole!
Patricia Slocum
I love the way he twirls that cape. How sweet. Pink and lime- really? ๐ His singing was fantastic as always.
The Media
Pink and lime are the colors used by actual bullfighters in the ring
Deb H.
I LOVE THIS! It's like Michael Jackson Thriller and all the videos of folks dancing with dancers, but ELVIS did it first, and did it good, and I LOVE IT, AND I LOVE THIS MAN!!
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I love the way he dance
M email
Thank you for putting the full song...it's beautiful ๐
ginny white
LOVE this band and that trumpet
Mary Abdi
What a handsome matador!!
John Doyle
Elvis rocksโบ
World Power Design
Always The King Just Only One Ever!!!
ginny white
nope the only King is Jesus Elvis would agree