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 Special Angels
Bobby Helms Lyrics
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(Angel, angel, whoa-oh-oh-oh, whoa)
You are my special angel
Sent from up above
The Lord smiled down on me
And sent an angel to love (to love)
Right from paradise
I know you're an angel
Heaven is in your eyes
The smile from your lips brings the summer sunshine
Tears from your eyes bring the rain
I feel your touch, your warm embrace
And I'm in heaven again
You are my special angel
Through eternity
I'll have my special angel
Here to watch over me
(A smile from your lips brings the summer sunshine)
(The tears from your eyes bring the rain)
I feel your touch, your warm embrace
And I'm in heaven again
You are my special angel
Through eternity
I'll have my special angel
Here to watch over me (watch over me)
Here to watch over me
(Angel, angel, whoa-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh oh, oh)
Bobby Helms's My Special Angel is about the love of the singer's life who is his guardian angel. The song describes this angel as someone sent "from up above", and "right from Paradise". It is clear that the singer attributes their love to a divine source. He talks about her impact on his life, saying that her smile brings sunshine, and her tears bring rain. He longs for her touch and warm embrace, which make him feel like he's in heaven again. The singer also acknowledges that his angel will be with him for eternity, watching over him.
The lyrics are filled with religious and romantic undertones. The romantic aspect is reflected in the way the singer speaks about his love's impact on his life. It's quite clear that she is the source of his happiness, and he cherishes her more than anything else in the world. The religious undertones are present in his acknowledgment that God sent him an angel to love, and that this love is eternal.
Line by Line Meaning
(Angel, angel, whoa-oh-oh-oh, whoa)
The singer is calling out to his special angel with an exclamation.
You are my special angel
The singer is addressing his angel as someone that is someone special to him.
Sent from up above
The singer is suggesting that his angel was sent from heaven.
The Lord smiled down on me
The singer believes that God has shown him kindness by sending him his special angel.
And sent an angel to love (to love)
The singer believes that his angel was sent to love and care for him.
Right from paradise
The singer is suggesting that his angel is from heaven, a paradise where angels come from.
Heaven is in your eyes
The singer is suggesting that when he looks at his angel's eyes it brings him peace and a sense of heaven.
The smile from your lips brings the summer sunshine
The singer is saying that when his angel smiles, it brings warmth into his life as if it was summer.
Tears from your eyes bring the rain
The singer is suggesting that when his angel cries it brings a sense of sadness and rain in his life.
Through eternity
The singer believes that he will always have his angel with him.
Here to watch over me
The singer believes that his angel is always there to care and protect him.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jimmy Duncan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind