Born in Bloomington, Indiana into a musical family, he began performing as a duo with his brother before going on to a successful solo career in country music. In 1956, Helms made his way to Nashville, Tennessee where he signed a recording contract with Decca Records. The following year would be filled with astonishing successes. Helms' first single in 1957 titled "Fraulein" went to No. 1 on the country music charts and made it into the Top 40 on the pop music charts. Later that same year he released "My Special Angel" that also went to No. 1 on the country charts and entered the Top 10 on Billboard magazines pop music charts, peaking at No. 7.
Released just a few days before Christmas of 1957, his song "Jingle Bell Rock" was a big hit but uniquely, it re-emerged four out of the next five years and sold so well that it repeated each time as a top hit and became a Christmas classic still played to this day.
Bobby Helms continued touring and recording for the next three decades. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Helms spent most of his later years living just outside of Martinsville, Indiana, until the time of his death from emphysema and asthma in 1997.
My Greatest Weakness
Bobby Helms Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's more for sure but somehow you're my greatest weakness yet
You're my greatest weakness I love you so much
And I rise to paradise anytime we touch
You do something to me you and all your charms
Can resist a little kiss when you're in my arms
You're my greatest weakness say you want me to
Don't know how I lived till now without loving you
I just go to pieces everytime you speak
Love me long and love me strong don't care if I'm weak
You're my weakness my greatest weakness...
Greatest weakness yet greatest weakness yet greatest weakness yet
The song "My Greatest Weakness" by Bobby Helms portrays the overwhelming feeling of love and vulnerability that one can experience when in love. The lyrics suggest that despite having other weaknesses, the person being addressed in the song remains the greatest weakness of the singer.
The lyrics also express the physical and emotional effects that being in love can have on an individual. The line "And I rise to paradise anytime we touch" emphasizes the joy and happiness that comes from being physically close to their loved one. The singer also describes the transformative power that love has on them through the line "You do something to me you and all your charms."
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of weakness in relation to love. The repeated line "You're my weakness my greatest weakness" emphasizes the idea that love can make one feel vulnerable and powerless in the face of their emotions. However, rather than being presented as a negative trait, the song suggests that love and weakness can be a point of strength and growth in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
You're my weakness my greatest weakness
You have the ability to weaken me more than anything else in this world.
There's more for sure but somehow you're my greatest weakness yet
Although there may be other things that weaken me, you are currently the one that affects me the most.
You're my greatest weakness I love you so much
My love for you is what makes you my greatest weakness.
And I rise to paradise anytime we touch
Whenever we touch, I feel a sense of euphoria and happiness that takes me to another world.
You do something to me you and all your charms
Your charms have an inexplicable effect on me and make me feel a certain way.
Can resist a little kiss when you're in my arms
Even though I know I shouldn't, I can't resist kissing you when you're so close to me.
You're my greatest weakness say you want me to
If you express your desire for me, it will weaken me even more because of how much I love you.
Don't know how I lived till now without loving you
I can't fathom how I was able to live my life before loving you, because now you have become everything to me.
I just go to pieces everytime you speak
Your words have the power to completely devastate me emotionally, to the point where I feel like I am falling apart.
Love me long and love me strong don't care if I'm weak
As long as you continue to love me deeply and fully, I don't mind being weak for you.
Greatest weakness yet greatest weakness yet greatest weakness yet
Reiterating that you are my greatest weakness and that this fact remains true despite anything else that might weaken me.
Contributed by Andrew N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.