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.

When the Saints Go Marching in
Elvis Presley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)

O when the Saints go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
O Lord, I want to be in that number

When the Saints go marching in

And when the sun begins to shine
And when the sun begins to shine
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

O when the trumpet sounds the call
O when the trumpet sounds the call
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed

When the revelation comes
When the revelation comes
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry

O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elvis Presley's "When the Saints Go Marching In" explore themes of redemption, salvation, and the desire to be reunited with loved ones in a new and better world. The song begins by acknowledging the footsteps of those who've gone before us and the hope for a reunion on a new sunlit shore. This idea of being with loved ones again is repeated throughout the song, with the desire to be part of the number of saints marching in.

The song acknowledges that this world can be full of trouble, but looks forward to a morning when a new world is revealed. This is a reference to the biblical Book of Revelation, which predicts a new world where the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished. The song continues with references to other positive changes, such as when the rich go out to work, the air is pure and clean, and leaders learn to cry. These verses suggest a longing for societal and environmental changes that would benefit all people.

In summary, "When the Saints Go Marching In" is a song that expresses a desire for salvation and reunion with loved ones in a new, better world. It also touches on hopes for positive societal changes that would benefit everyone.

Line by Line Meaning

We are traveling in the footsteps
We are following in the path of those who have gone before us

Of those who've gone before
Those who came before us left a path for us to follow

But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
When we come together, we will be reunited

On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)
This new world will bring light to us and a new future

O when the Saints go marching in
When people of good nature come together

When the Saints go marching in
People of good nature coming together is a cause for celebration