About The Song
Let’s set the dial back to 1961, a time when bobby socks were high, petticoats swirled, and the King, Elvis Presley, held the throne of rock ‘n’ roll. But beneath the polished pompadour and electrifying performances, a different Elvis was stirring. A restless soul yearning to break free from the velvet confines of stardom, to trade the glitz of Las Vegas for the raw, untamed spirit of the open road. And that yearning found its voice in the song, “Wild in the Country.”
This isn’t your typical Elvis ballad. Gone are the saccharine sweet melodies and the lovestruck crooning. Instead, we hear a growl, a yearning, a rebellious cry that echoes the frustrations of a young man yearning for freedom and authenticity. The lyrics, penned by the prolific Hugo Peretti, paint a vivid picture of Glenn Tyler, the protagonist of the film of the same name, a brooding young man wrongly branded a troublemaker.
“I’m just a wild boy, a restless soul,” Elvis sings, his voice husky with a hint of vulnerability. We hear the frustration simmering beneath the surface, the clash between societal expectations and the untamed spirit within. The song isn’t just about Glenn, though. It’s a universal anthem for anyone who’s ever felt trapped, misunderstood, yearning to break free from the confines of their own cages.
The music itself is a perfect reflection of this inner turmoil. The opening guitar riff is a raw, insistent cry, setting the stage for the driving rhythm section and Elvis’s impassioned vocals. The gospel-tinged chorus explodes with a raw energy, fueled by the backing vocals that echo like a field holler in the night. It’s a sound that’s far removed from the sanitized pop of the era, a sound that speaks to the primal, unbridled emotions that lie beneath the surface of society’s veneer.
“Wild in the Country” isn’t just a song; it’s a snapshot of a moment in time. It captures the restless spirit of a generation, the burgeoning rebellion against conformity, and the yearning for a simpler, more authentic life. It’s a testament to Elvis’s own evolution, his willingness to shed the skin of teen idol and explore the darker, more complex corners of his soul.
Video
Lyrics
“Wild In The Country”
A tree grows tall as the sky
The wind blows wild in the country
And part of the wild, wild country, am I
Wild, wild, like the deer and the dove
Wild and free is this land that I loveA dream grows wild in the country
A love grows tall as the sky
A heart beats wild in the country
And here with a dream in my heart
Part of the wild, wild country, am I