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.
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Elvis Presley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For just one hour, if we could find a way
To get inside each others mind
If you could see you through my eyes
Instead your own ego I believe you'd be
I believe you'd be surprised to see
That you've been blind
Just walk a mile in my shoes
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Then walk a mile in my shoes
Now if we spend the day
Throwing stones at one another
Cause I don't think, 'cause I don't think
Or wear my hair the same way you do
Well, I may be common people
But I'm your brother
And when you strike out
You're trying to hurt me
It's hurting you, lord how mercy
Now there are people on reservations
And out in the ghetto
And brother there, but, for the grace of god
Go you and I,
If I only had wings of a little angel
Don't you know, I'd fly
To the top of a mountain
And then I'd cry, cry, cry
In Elvis Presley's song Walk A Mile In My Shoes, he reflects on the idea of empathy and walking in someone else's shoes to understand their perspective. He starts by saying that if he could be you and you could be him for just an hour, they could find a way to understand each other's thoughts and feelings. He believes that if people could see themselves through his eyes, they would realize how blinded they've been by their ego.
The chorus encourages listeners to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before they criticize or accuse them. Elvis emphasizes that even though people may appear different on the surface, they are all human and connected in some way. He argues that throwing stones at each other only creates more hurt and suffering.
Elvis also calls attention to the inequalities faced by certain groups of people, specifically those on reservations and in the ghetto. He says that it is only by the grace of God that some people are not put in the same position. The song ends on a poignant note, with Elvis expressing his desire to fly to the top of a mountain and cry for the pain and suffering in the world.
In summary, Walk A Mile In My Shoes asks people to practice empathy and try to see the world from each other's perspectives. Elvis emphasizes that despite our differences, we all share a common human experience with its highs and lows.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could be you, if you could be me
If we could swap places and perspectives
For just one hour, if we could find a way
For a brief period of time that is possible
To get inside each others mind
To understand the other's thoughts and experiences
If you could see you through my eyes
What you look like from an external point of view
Instead your own ego I believe you'd be
You wouldn't be so focused on yourself
I believe you'd be surprised to see
It would be a surprise to see the reality
That you've been blind
That you haven't seen the truth yet
Walk a mile in my shoes
Try my life and experiences
Just walk a mile in my shoes
It's not easy to understand someone completely
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Before hurting others or putting them down
Then walk a mile in my shoes
Then you'll have a better understanding of the situation
Now if we spend the day
If we use our time to fight and quarrel
Throwing stones at one another
Attacking and insulting each other
Cause I don't think, 'cause I don't think
Because we have different opinions
Or wear my hair the same way you do
We don't fit into the same mold
Well, I may be common people
I may not be that special
But I'm your brother
But we share the same humanity
And when you strike out
When you attack me
You're trying to hurt me
You're not only hurting me, but yourself too
It's hurting you, lord how mercy
It's damaging to yourself, how unfortunate
Now there are people on reservations
There are marginalized communities in society
And out in the ghetto
There are those living in poverty
And brother there, but, for the grace of god
It could happen to anyone, without warning
Go you and I,
It could happen to any of us
If I only had wings of a little angel
If only we can fly away from our problems
Don't you know, I'd fly
I definitely would
To the top of a mountain
Escape from the problems and pain of the world
And then I'd cry, cry, cry
But the pain and suffering is stark and apparent
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOE SOUTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John O Sullivan
No one on this planet is entitled to judge this man..he was one incredible human
Arielle
AMEN AMEN AMEN
With the KING Jesus
king with the KING !
Rhonda Everett
TRUE DAT!
DK RT
You just judged him as an incredible human.
Your statement is self defeating
Or you think you are the exception to your own rule.
John O Sullivan
@DK RT you seem lost in the concept of a person having an opinion different to your own
Camilla Fredriksson
Amen and God Bless 🙏❤
daniel harper
This video just shows how outstanding Elvis Presley was as a entertainer he brought so much energy on stage and that's why 40 years after his death he's still the best to do it
Lisa Parsons
Yes Elvis Presley a awesome singer,alot of great songs,I remember him in 1971, when I was 5😁
Martina Carrillo
And he had the biggest heart
Joseph Blair
elvis was on a journey he grew up listening to gospel he preached it thru his songs that's why people loved him he was genuine soul