Steamroller Blues
Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I'm a steamroller, baby
I'm bound to roll all over you
Yes, I'm a steamroller now, baby
I'm bound to roll all over you
I'm gonna inject your soul with some sweet rock 'n roll
And shoot you full of rhythm and blues

Well, I'm a cement mixer
A churning urn of burning funk
Yes, I'm a cement mixer for you, baby
A churning urn of burning funk
Well, I'm a demolition derby (yeah)
A hefty hunk of steaming junk, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Now, I'm a napalm bomb, baby
Just guaranteed to blow your mind
Yeah, I'm a napalm bomb for you, baby
Oh, guaranteed, just oh guaranteed to blow your mind, yeah
And if I can't have your love for my own now
Sweet child, won't be nothing left behind




It seems how lately, baby
Got a bad case steamroller blues

Overall Meaning

The song "Steamroller Blues" by Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a blues-rock song that expresses the singer's confidence in the power of his music. The lyrics portray the singer as a steamroller who is bound to roll all over the listener, inject their soul with rock 'n roll, rhythm and blues, and blow their mind with a napalm bomb. The singer's self-confidence is conveyed with his ability to dominate the listener's emotions through his music. The chorus, "It seems how lately, baby, got a bad case steamroller blues," intensifies the mood of the song and implies that the singer's music is an inevitable force that will consume the listener entirely.


The metaphorical references of steamroller, cement mixer, and demolition derby are all used to describe the singer's strength and power in his music. The steamroller is a symbol of massiveness and force, while the cement mixer represents the music's intensity and the demolition derby describes the singer as powerful, hefty and full of energy. The use of the napalm bomb as a symbol of the music's strength is particularly effective, providing a mental image of the explosive impact of the lyrics.


Overall, "Steamroller Blues" is a song about the strength and power of music. It portrays a singer who is confident in the inevitability of his music's emotional influence on the listener, and the metaphorical references of the song help to drive that message home.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, I'm a steamroller, baby
I am a powerful force that will flatten anything in my path


I'm bound to roll all over you
I will dominate and conquer you


Yes, I'm a steamroller now, baby
I have transformed into an unstoppable force


I'm gonna inject your soul with some sweet rock 'n roll
I will infuse your being with the power of rock and roll music


And shoot you full of rhythm and blues
I will fill you with the soulful energy of rhythm and blues music


Well, I'm a cement mixer
I am a machine that blends together different elements


A churning urn of burning funk
I create a mixture of hot, passionate funk music


Yes, I'm a cement mixer for you, baby
I am here to create a powerful fusion of music just for you


Well, I'm a demolition derby (yeah)
I am a chaotic and destructive force


A hefty hunk of steaming junk, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I am a massive and powerful presence, overwhelming and unstoppable


Now, I'm a napalm bomb, baby
I am a weapon of explosive power


Just guaranteed to blow your mind
I will leave a lasting impact on your psyche


Yeah, I'm a napalm bomb for you, baby
I am here to rock your world and change your life


Oh, guaranteed, just oh guaranteed to blow your mind, yeah
I am certain that my power will have a profound effect on you


And if I can't have your love for my own now
If I cannot win your affection and devotion


Sweet child, won't be nothing left behind
There will be nothing left in the wake of my power and influence


It seems how lately, baby
Lately it feels as though


Got a bad case steamroller blues
I am overwhelmed by my own power and influence, feeling trapped and weighed down




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY RANKIN, PETER AGNEW, DAN MCCAFFERTY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@frankfurfaro3891

he really was the king of singers

@john111257

Awesome as it was, Awesome as it is with RPO

@junebug7363

Amazing

@fishingforfun3317

I love this orchestration🎻🎸

@sefkicken6591

This is incredible, absolutely great! Very powerful! Elvis proves his genuine feeling for the blues, just like in "Reconsider Baby" recorded in 1960. Adding the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra makes it even more interesting!

@nancywomac3287

Lord have mercy...mmm

@vincentwilliams8685

Just watch how he powers through 1:45 onwards! He could have knocked a wall down; nearly blew me off my feet, that guy was unstoppable man!! The King.

@nancywomac3287

Well said

@deboisblanc

Take that James Taylor!!

@AMNON1956

THE KING THE KING THE KING THE KING THE KING THE KING

More Comments

More Versions