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 Impossible Dream
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear the unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To write the unwritable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Whithout question or pause
To be willing to march into hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world would be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
"The Impossible Dream" is a powerful masterpiece that is featured in the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha. Elvis Presley's bombastic interpretation of the song is an epitome of grit and determination that inspires listeners to dare to dream and achieve the impossible. In essence, the song is about the human desire to reach an unattainable goal, to overcome obstacles and to achieve something great beyond our limits. The lyrics "To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe, to bear the unbearable sorrow, to run where the brave dare not go" speaks of the unfathomable courage a person can possess when they set their mind to achieve something that others see as impossible.
The lyrics of "The Impossible Dream" also explore the concept of self-improvement. To "write the unwritable wrong, to be better far than you are, to try when your arms are too weary, to reach the unreachable star" portrays people seeking to better themselves in every way possible. The quest is the reason for living, and the journey is as fulfilling as the destination itself. The lyrics also suggest that the pursuit of happiness may not be a comfortable journey but one that requires significant personal sacrifice. To "be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause" is to accept that the way ahead may be fraught with danger but is worth the risk.
Line by Line Meaning
To dream the impossible dream
To have the ambition to achieve something that others might consider impossible
To fight the unbeatable foe
To face challenges that are tough to conquer
To bear the unbearable sorrow
To endure severe pain or loss and be resilient
To run where the brave dare not go
To take risks where others are afraid to venture
To write the unwritable wrong
To make things right even though it seems impossible
To be better far than you are
To aim to be the best version of oneself
To try when your arms are too weary
To persist even when one feels fatigued or disheartened
The reach the unreachable star
To pursue the ultimate goal which may seem beyond reach
This is my quest, to follow that star
This is my lifetime mission to strive for the ultimate goal
No matter how hopeless,
Despite the odds being against me,
No matter how far
Despite how hard it may seem to achieve,
To fight for the right
To stand up for what is just and fair
Whithout question or pause
Without hesitation, doubt or delay
To be willing to march into hell
To take on challenges, even at the cost of personal sacrifice and pain
For a heavenly cause
In pursuit of a noble and righteous purpose
And I know if I'll only be true
If I remain sincere and committed to my quest,
To this glorious quest
To this noble pursuit
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
I will find inner peace and contentment
When I'm laid to my rest
When my soul departs this world
And the world would be better for this
And the world would have been a better place due to my efforts
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Even though others may have ridiculed or underestimated me,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
I will remain steadfast and determined to the end
To reach the unreachable star
To achieve the ultimate goal that may seem impossible to others
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joe Darion, Mitchell Leigh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vanillac7383
NO SINGER WILL EVER TOP
ELVIS PRESLEY HE IS THE
VERY BEST .
Edited : IF THIS would of been
Able to post this back when he
Passed Aug . 16 , 1977
It would have a million if not
A billion hit's /or thumbs up
So to speak atleast that is my
Personal belief .
@jojodomingo1
Elvis is the impossible dream that became a reality... Legend
@clairestoker8410
Itโs 2024 still listening to the most beautiful voice of the greatest of all timesโฆElvis๐
@rebeccarobbins6558
Its such a heartfelt response. He said in a interview that he loved the Lord and believed in him!!!! A wonderful human being!!!!๐
@vickieviresrichie7622
๐โค๏ธโ๐ฅโ๏ธ๐น๐ฟ๐๐ฟ๐โจ
@catzzzvd2635
๐ฅโ๏ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช๐ปWORDS HERE SAY IT ALL โค๐ฅโ๏ธ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐๐
@shirleysanchez1892
โค ๐ถ "Beautiful ๐ Absolutely Beautiful ; Feelings. Beloved Elvis Presley ๐ an Extraordinary Voice ๐ถ and Persona like No Other's.. Magnificence ๐ ln Abundance. Thanks for Sharing ๐ and Enjoy A Delightful Evening..". ๐ถ โค
@iamnotmyown6329
Elvis was once asked by a female reporter how he feeled being the king, he replied "Im not the king darling, Christ is the king, im only an entertainer"!
@preciousbell4573
What a wonderful answer. Praise God Almighty. We are but little flowers, here today gone tomorrow.
@nakedvader
Very classy answer!
@patszer8314
I like that. Thanks for posting!