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.
Unchained Melody
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely rivers cry
Wait for me
Wait for me
I'll be coming home
Wait for me
Oh my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Elvis Presley's rendition of "Unchained Melody" is a powerful love song that speaks to the depth of longing that lingers during moments of separation. In the chorus, Elvis asks his lover whether they are still together, expressing an intense need for their love to reach him wherever he is. The melody itself echoes these themes of longing, creating an impression of yearning stretching across great distances.
The verses also strengthen this sense of distance and isolation. They describe the loneliness that sets in when one is separated from a loved one, with "time goes by so slowly" serving as a reminder of the endless hours spent waiting for a reunion. As the song proceeds, the lyrics shift from simply expressing the desolation of separation to actively reaching out for comfort, with Elvis urging his love to "speed your love to me."
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love, my darling
Expressing affection and fondness towards the significant other
I've hungered for your touch
Longing to feel the warmth and intimacy of the loved one's embrace
A long lonely time
The feeling of isolation and emptiness caused by the absence of the loved one for an extended period
And time goes by so slowly
The feeling of time moving at a snail's pace in the absence of the loved one
And time can do so much
The realization that time can either heal wounds or widen the gap between lovers
Are you still mine
The feeling of insecurity and doubt about the status of the relationship
I need your love
The admission of being incomplete and yearning for emotional fulfillment that only the loved one can provide
I need your love
Reiteration of the importance of the loved one's affection to the artist's well-being
God speed your love to me
An earnest plea to the higher power for the swift arrival and return of the loved one
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
Illustration of the metaphorical journey of the artist's emotions towards the vast and infinite expanse of the unknown future
To the open arms of the sea
The personification of the sea as a welcoming and accepting entity that symbolizes the uncertainty and unpredictability of the future
Lonely rivers cry
Imagery of the artist's emotional state reflecting the sorrow and pain caused by the separation from the loved one
Wait for me
The plea to the loved one to hold on and wait for the singer's return and reunion
Wait for me
Reiteration of the previous line's message to emphasize the importance of the waiting period
I'll be coming home
The promise of the singer's imminent arrival to the place where he and the loved one belong
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, UNCHAINED MELODY PUB LLC
Written by: Alex North, Hyman Zaret
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bigmanbob_04
The one thing he was so scared of, being forgotten and 45 years after he left, there won’t be anyone better
@tinawatson1690
I was thinking the same thing. I'm 63, so I grew up listening to Elvis and I have always said he is truly unforgettable.
@spidashaw700
Michael Jackson was after him
@judithmorrison8984
Amen!
@camerondavies877
A 22 year old here! Enjoying his music just a few years too late! But im enjoying it just as much as the lucky ones before me
@flameable9338
I agree. And more importantly: everybody knows.
@michaelfernando3868
Can you make a grown man cry just by listening to Elvis Presley’s unchained melody ? Yes it made 5 grown men cry .
@rickl7393
My mom passed away yesterday in the early morning as the sun began to rise. She fought hard and suffered through so much pain to give her husband of 60 years, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren extra time with her. When the time came to let go we played this song. The song was her favorite. She used to play it with her sister who had passed away many years ago. As the song played I felt peace settle across the room. All four of her children and Dad were there. As the song concluded, the very last note, Mom left us. I cannot think of a more pure soul than my mother. Good to everyone and brought happiness everywhere. I know you are in a better place, but I am so devasted. Mom, I Love you and miss you so very much.
@antzevitz403
God bless you and your family.
@TheKindomofSparta
May she rest in peace my brother