The timeless ballad “My Boy” appears on Elvis Presley’s twentieth studio album “Good Times”. The song was produced by Felton Jarvis and released as a single in 1975. But what’s the story and meaning behind the song?
Cover and Translation
Did you know “My Boy” is both a cover and a translation? The song, titled “Parce que je t’aime mon enfant”, is originally by Claude Francois. “Parce que je t’aime mon enfant” is French for “Because I love you my child”. Claude Francois is also known for writing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”.
“Parce que je t’aime mon enfant” was translated to “My Boy” by Phil Coulter and Bill Martin. The song was first released by Richard Harris and later covered by Elvis Presley. It makes Presley’s version a cover of a translated cover.
The Meaning of The Song
“My Boy” tells the story of a father who opens up about his troubled relationship with his wife to his sleeping son. He tells his son the love between them disappeared, and now they’re both just acting out their part.
Despite the troubled relationship, the father promises his son that he’ll stay with him. The father is willing to stay in a loveless marriage for the sake of being around his boy.
The Father knows life isn’t a fairy tale, and his son will soon know too. But as of now the son is just a child, so he continues to act out his part.
Elvis Presley’s personal life in relation to My Boy
The song doesn’t resemble Presley’s personal life. Elvis Presley married Priscilla Presley (née Wagner, Beaulieu) in 1967. The marriage lasted 6 years, after they divorced in 1973. Besides that, Elvis never had a son, but a daughter named Lisa Marie.
Despite not having a personal relation to “My Boy”, it definitely didn’t hinder The King from conveying its message.
The Song’s Legacy
Claude Francois knew very little success with “Parce que je t’aime mon enfant”, the original version of “My Boy”.
Richard Harris had more success with his version of “My Boy”. Harris released the song as a single and “My Boy” reached #41 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Elvis had the most success with “My Boy”. The song reached #20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was a top-10 hit in several European countries.
