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Elvis Presley Blues Lyrics

I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
And put on the shirt that his mother made
And went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
And he shook it like a Harlem queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen, like you never seen
Never seen

I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
And he took it all out of black and white
Grabbed his wand in the other hand
And he held on tight
And he shook it like a hurricane
He shook it like to make it break
He shook it like a holy roller, baby
With his soul at stake
With his soul at stake
Soul at stake

I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
He was all alone in the long decline
Thinkin' how happy(lucky) John Henry was
That he fell down and died
When he shook it, and it rang like silver
He shook it and it shined like gold
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul
Bless my soul
He shook it and he beat that steam drill, baby
Well bless my soul
What's wrong with me?
I'm itching like a man in a fuzzy tree
In a fuzzy tree
In a fuzzy tree

I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
I was thinking that night about Elvis
The day that he died
The day that he died
Just a country boy that combed his hair
Put on the shirt that his mother made
And he went on the air
And he shook it like a chorus girl
He shook it like a Harlem queen
He shook it like a midnight rambler, baby
Like you never seen, never seen
Like younever seen, never seen
2 Meanings

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Cover art for Elvis Presley Blues lyrics by Gillian Welch

I believe the lyric should be "like you never seen", not "like he never seen". The idea is that the people who watched Elvis on TV in those early days were shocked by his gyrations. They called him "Elvis the pelvis". Elvis might have gotten some of his dance moves from watching black R&B artists perform. Elvis had seen it all. So, it's not "like he never seen". It's "like you never seen".

It's "he was all alone in a long decline", not "he was all alone in a long dead climb". Elvis was fat, isolated and addicted to all kinds of drugs. He was in a long decline.

On the contrary, I think it is "like he'd never seen", as I believe the song is about Welch's admiration for this "country boy", who came out of nowhere and changed the face of music, shaking it (in every sense) like "a chorus girl...like a Harlem queen", even though he had never seen those things.

I think it is celebrating the inspirational nature of Elvis Presley, that somebody so amazing can come out of nowhere, out of nothing, not out of some Fame School X-Factor academy or production line.

This song is incredible,...

Beautiful, but also enjoyed the Irish chuckle: "Makes we wanna cry." :)

Cover art for Elvis Presley Blues lyrics by Gillian Welch

thanks jweyek for that correction on „decline”. Imo that is key to the song. As contrasted to John Henry who died in his finest moment, Elvis had a long and lonely decline to his death. That is sad. and thanks FishesWillLaugh, I agree - Gillian must really admire and understand the phenomenon that Elvis was. I don’t, but hearing the song and reading your explanations I am getting the feel for it.

John Henry was in an actual decline when he died...ie..the entrance to the working face of a mine

 
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