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.

You Don't Know Me
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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You give your hand to me and then you say hello
And I can hardly speak, my heart is beating so
And anyone could tell, you think you know me well
But you don't know me

No you don't know the one who dreams of you at night
And longs to kiss your lips and longs to hold you tight
To you I'm just a friend, and that's all I've ever been

No, you don't know me

For I never knew the art of making love
Though my heart aches with love for you
Afraid and shy I let my chance go by
The chance that you might love me too

You give your hand to me and then you say good-bye
I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy

To never, never know the one who loves you so
No, you don't know me

Overall Meaning

Elvis Presley’s song You Don’t Know Me explores the bittersweet and unrequited love of the singer, who longs for a romantic relationship with the person addressed in the song. As the song opens, the singer describes how the other person greets him (“you give your hand to me and then you say hello”) and how he is overwhelmed by their presence (“I can hardly speak, my heart is beating so”). Although the other person seems to think they “know” the singer, the lyrics imply that they don’t understand the depth of his feelings (“but you don’t know me”).

The second verse deepens the sense of longing and unrequited love as the singer dreams of being physically close to the other person (“longs to kiss your lips and longs to hold you tight”). However, the other person only sees him as a friend, and the singer regrets missing his chance to confess his feelings (“afraid and shy I let my chance go by / the chance that you might love me too”).

The final verse is particularly poignant as the singer watches the other person leave with someone else (“you give your hand to me and then you say goodbye / I watch you walk away beside the lucky guy”). The singer’s final statement, “to never, never know the one who loves you so,” underscores the sense of missed opportunity and unfulfilled desire that pervades the entire song.

You Don't Know MeElvis Presley Lyrics

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You Don't Know Me
Elvis Presley Lyrics