"Elvis Presley And America" video

 

(Black flash)
Black flash over my own love
Tell me of my eyes
Black flash come though my own life
Telling these things
And I believe them
And I believe in you

White flash sees the sky
And it turns its side from you
She won't turn my back
And I know you turn so blue
And you know
And your sky is feeling blue
And your heart
So cold when I'm with you
And you feel
Like no one told you to
And your time is your side
And your time with me
Ah, don't talk to me
Ah, don't talk to me
Don't talk to me

You know
Like no one told you how
But you know
Though the king that howls has howled
But you feel like sentimental
But you don't care
If I just share it in your heart
(heart...)

Hopelessly
So hopelessly
I'm breaking through for you and me
And you don't
Though no one told you to
And you found out
Where you were going, where to
You're through with me
But I know that you will be back
For more

You know
And though no one told you so
And you know, blue sky
Like a harder shade of blue
And you walk
When you want
To let go
Me, I'm the outside, tell me fade away
Drop me down but don't break me
In your sleep

In your sleep, inside
It's in your heart and mine
Whole sea is dark
It's in your heart and mine

Sweetly, those will come
Loving is on your side walking through
So let me in your heart
Your beat is like something...

They...
Run...
See say you're sad and reach by
So say you're sad above beside
Oh stay you're sad over midnight
So stay sad above we said

You know I don't
No one told you how
(and you don't)
(and you wipe sweat off your white brow)
And you care
And no one told you tried
And your heart
Is left out from the side

And the rain beats down
And the shame goes down
And this rain keeps on coming down
And this sky
Tonight...

You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
You're going go join to God
You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
Give away some him no lie
Give away some my de day no

You know
And though no one told you sky
And you feel
Like you pretend you can
You say go, you live
Go live outside of me
Don't you leave
Don't leave out part of me
Then can feel
Like I feel before
Like I hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor

Composed by U2 / Bono


The above video is the first in a Youtube search with keywords "U2 Elvis Presley And America" and it's automatically embedded. We are sorry if this video is not pertinent. If you think that this video violates copyright, please ask Youtube to remove it.

About "Elvis Presley And America"

From the original U2 Album "The Unforgettable Fire" (01 October 1984)

It is little difficult to discern just what Bono is saying -- both thematically and literally -- in the "Elvis" song.

"Well, you've just sussed it out," responds Clayton. "You can't work out what he's saying, right?" Right. "Could anyone work out what Elvis Presley was saying? That is the whole point." Say what?

"Elvis Presley was an inarticulate man, except when he was performing his art and he got behind the microphone and he sang with that voice and moved his body in that way. Then everyone thought, 'Wow, this is a very interesting guy -- we want to interview him.' So you interviewed him, and everyone said, 'Oh, the guy's stupid.' He couldn't communicate in real life except when he was moving and singing, and I think the song says that. Evidently it says that, if everyone's so pissed off at it," Clayton laughs.

(from "U2: Anthems Away" by Chris William and Lori E. Pike, Bay Area Music Magazine, December 12, 1984)

Bono: "It was partly a reaction to the Albert Goldman book which tried to portray him as the archetypal r'n'r idiot, but the way he held the mike, the way he sang into the mike -- this was a genius. But his decline just tore at me and when I picked up the mike, it was a completely off the wall thing and I just began to sing.

"And I think it does evoke that decline, the stupor, the period when -- if you've seen the clips of him -- he forgets his words and fumbles."

At first Bono didn't want to release the track. Normally, because of the way he works, he would have developed and structured the original idea but both Eno and The Edge persuaded him to put it out, as raw as it was. In hindsight Bono agrees that it was the right thing to do, because he believes it allowed people a glimpse of 'the original spark" of a U-2 song.

(from "The Homecoming" by Liam Mackey, Hot Press, June 21, 1985)

 

Back to home page