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.
Sugar moon
Bobby Helms Lyrics
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I'll be walkin' with sugar neath that old sugar moon
All the lovin' I missed I'll be gettin' it soon
I'll be gettin' it from my sugar neath that old sugar moon
I can see us right now get the calendar down
Draw a circle around the day I'm all her around
When it's sugarcane time and around about June
Weddin' bells will be chimin' neath that old sugar moon
I can see her right now get the calendar down
Draw a circle around the day I'm all her around
When it's sugarcane time and around about June
Weddin' bells will be chimin' neath that old sugar moon
The lyrics of "Sugar Moon" by Bobby Helms evoke the joy and excitement of a lover who anticipates a sweet reunion with his beloved in the midst of sugarcane season. As he looks forward to June, he is filled with hope that he will finally receive the affection he has been longing for. He mentions that he has missed out on love in the past, but now he feels optimistic that he will find it with his "sugar" under the light of the "sugar moon."
The singer reminisces about a time when he and his love marked their calendar to be together. This memory of planning their time together makes him yearn for her even more. He anticipates the thrill of hearing wedding bells chime as he walks with his sugar beneath the old sugar moon during sugarcane season.
The lyrics are romantic and idealistic, conveying a sense of optimism that something good is on the horizon. The image of the "sugar moon" is especially potent, as it suggests that there is a celestial force drawing the lovers together.
Line by Line Meaning
When it's sugarcane time and around about June
In the month of June when the sugarcane is ripe
I'll be walkin' with sugar neath that old sugar moon
I'll be strolling with my love under the full moon, surrounded by sugarcane fields
All the lovin' I missed I'll be gettin' it soon
I'll soon make up for all the missed love with my significant other
I'll be gettin' it from my sugar neath that old sugar moon
I'll receive all the love and affection from my beloved under the full moon
I can see us right now get the calendar down
I can imagine us marking the important day on our calendar
Draw a circle around the day I'm all her around
We'll mark the day I'm fully committed to her with a circle on the calendar
Weddin' bells will be chimin' neath that old sugar moon
Under the full moon, we'll hear the sound of wedding bells ringing
I can see her right now get the calendar down
I can envision my beloved marking the special day on the calendar
Draw a circle around the day I'm all her around
We'll encircle the day when I'm devoted to her entirely
Contributed by Benjamin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.