According to Billboard magazine, he had 38 American Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.
Vee was born in Fargo, North Dakota, to Sydney Ronald Velline and Saima Cecilia Tapanila. His first single, "Suzie Baby," was written by Vee with a nod to Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue" and recorded for the Minneapolis-based Soma Records in 1959; it drew enough attention and chart action to be purchased by Liberty Records, who signed him later that year. His followup single, a cover of Adam Faith's UK number-one "What Do You Want?", charted in the lower reaches of the Billboard pop chart in early 1960. His fourth release, a revival of the Clovers' doo-wop ballad "Devil or Angel", brought him into the big time with U.S. buyers. His next single, "Rubber Ball", made him an international star.
Vee's 1961 summer release "Take Good Care of My Baby" went to number one on the Billboard U.S. listings and number three in the UK Singles Chart. Known primarily as a performer of Brill Building pop material, he went on to record a string of international hits in the 1960s, including "Devil or Angel" (U.S. number six), "Rubber Ball" (1961, U.S. number six, Australia number one), "More Than I Can Say" (1961, U.K. number four), "Run to Him" (1961, U.S. number two), "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" (1963, U.S. number three), and "Come Back When You Grow Up" (U.S. number three). When Vee recorded "Come Back When You Grow Up" in 1967, he was joined by a band called the Strangers. He also recorded, in 1961, a version of the song "Lollipop", originally by Ronald & Ruby, which also became a success.
Vee was also a pioneer in the music video genre, appearing in several musical films, as well as in the Scopitone series of early film-and-music jukebox recordings.
He received the North Dakota Roughrider Award in 1999.
He is mentioned in the film No Direction Home regarding his brief musical association with Bob Dylan and Dylan's suggestion that he was "Bobby Vee" after Vee's regional hit.
The Very Best of Bobby Vee, released by EMI/UK on May 12, 2008, charted in the UK top five. On January 17, 2011, EMI/UK released Rarities, a double-CD package with 61 tracks, many of which were previously unreleased. Others included were alternate takes and first-time stereo releases as well as tracks from the album Bobby Vee Live on Tour minus the "canned" audience.
On March 28, 2011, he became the 235th inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 2014 he was inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame.
Vee's career began amid tragedy. On February 3, 1959, "The Day the Music Died", three of the four headline acts in the lineup of the traveling Winter Dance Party—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper—were killed, along with the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson, in the crash of a V-tailed 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza airplane (Dion, the second headliner, opted not to travel on the plane). It crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, en route to the next show on the tour itinerary in Moorhead, Minnesota. Velline, then aged 15, and a hastily assembled band of Fargo schoolboys calling themselves the Shadows volunteered for and were given the unenviable job of filling in for Holly and his band at the Moorhead engagement. Their performance there was a success, setting in motion a chain of events that led to Vee's career as a popular singer.
In 1963, Vee released a tribute album on Liberty Records called I Remember Buddy Holly. In the liner notes, Vee recalled Holly's influence on him and the events surrounding Holly's death:
Like so many other people, I became a Buddy Holly fan the very first time I heard him sing. I've been a fan ever since and I guess I always will be. I remember a few years ago when Buddy was scheduled to appear at a dance in my home town of Fargo, North Dakota. It was going to be a big event for the whole town, but even more so for me. I was anxiously looking forward to seeing Buddy in action.
The day he was to arrive disaster struck, taking Buddy's life, along with the lives of two other fine singers, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The shocking news spread through Fargo very quickly. The local radio station broadcast a plea for local talent to entertain at the scheduled dance. About a week before this, I had just organized a vocal and instrumental group of five guys. Our style was modelled after Buddy's approach and we had been rehearsing with Buddy's hits in mind. When we heard the radio plea for talent, we went in and volunteered. We hadn't even named the group up to that time, so we gave ourselves a name on the spot, calling ourselves The Shadows. We appeared at the dance and were grateful to be enthusiastically accepted. Soon afterwards, I made my first record. It was called "Suzie Baby" and I was pretty lucky with it; it was a fair-sized hit.
For some time now, I have wanted to make an album in tribute to Buddy, but I wasn't sure it was the proper thing to do. However, during the past year, I have received many requests to do such an album. These requests came not only from my fans and from DJs, but also from Buddy's loyal following---still a large group of devoted fans. It.... gave me the confidence to do the album. From "Suzie Baby" to this present album, I have made many records, but I have never forgotten Buddy Holly and his influence on my singing style and my career.
Vee went on to become a bona fide star and regularly performed at the Winter Dance Party memorial concerts in Clear Lake. His sons are all musicians and have performed with him there.
Early in Vee's career, a musician named Elston Gunnn [sic] briefly toured with the band. "Gunnn", whose birth name was Robert Allen Zimmerman, later went on to fame as Bob Dylan.
Dylan's autobiography, Chronicles, Volume One, mentions Vee and provides complimentary details about their friendship, both professional and personal.
In a concert at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 10, 2013, Dylan said he had been on the stage with many stars, but that none of them were as meaningful as Vee. He said Vee was in the audience and then played Vee's hit "Suzie Baby" with emotion. Dylan said (in an audio recording of the concert),
Thank you everyone, thank you friends. I left here a while back, and since that time, I've played all over the world, with all kinds of people. And everybody from Mick Jagger to Madonna. And everybody in there in between. I've been on the stage with most of those people. But the most meaningful person I've ever been on the stage with, was a man who is here tonight, who used to sing a song called "Suzie Baby". I want to say that Bobby Vee is actually here tonight. Maybe you can show your appreciation with just a round of applause. So, we're gonna try to do this song, like I've done it with him before once or twice.
Vee and Karen Bergen were engaged July 1, 1963, and married December 28, 1963. They had four children: Jeffery Robert Velline (b. Jan 3, 1965), Thomas Paul Velline (b. October 25, 1966), Robert Bryon Velline (b. August 4, 1967), and Jennifer Joanne Velline (b. May 31, 1972). Karen died of kidney failure on August 3, 2015.
On April 29, 2012, Vee announced on his website that a year prior he had been diagnosed with an early stage of Alzheimer's disease and consequently would withdraw from the music business.
On October 24, 2016, Vee died in Rogers, Minnesota, from complications of early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Silver Bells
Bobby Vee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you'll hear
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day
Strings of streetlights, even stoplights
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
Hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all this bustle you'll hear
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day
The lyrics to Bobby Vee's song "Silver Bells" capture the essence of the festive season in the city. The opening lines of the song, "Silver bells, silver bells, it's Christmas time in the city" set the tone for the rest of the song. The sound of silver bells ringing creates a magical atmosphere and heightens the holiday spirit. The lyrics that follow describe city sidewalks filled with shoppers, who are busy purchasing gifts and surrounded by the bright colors and decorations of the holidays. The air around them is filled with excitement, and there is a universal feeling of joy that is evident in the expressions of those passing through the crowds.
The second verse of the song captures the beauty of the city's Christmas lights. The streets are lined with bright lights in shades of red and green, and even the stoplights blink in tune with the season. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the flurry of activity as people rush home, their arms full of gifts, while the snow crunches beneath their feet. Amid all this activity, the children gather like a bunch to create Santa's big scene, adding to the excitement of the festive season.
"Silver Bells" is a nostalgic song that captures the magic of the holiday season in an urban setting. The lyrics and melody work together to transport the listener into the world of the song, evoking a sense of awe and wonder in the face of the celebratory winter landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
Silver bells, silver bells
The song starts with the phrase 'Silver bells, silver bells' that signifies the arrival of Christmas and its customs.
It's Christmas time in the city
The mention of 'city' reflects the city-folk celebrating the holiday season by keeping up with their daily routines in their urban settings.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
The sound of 'ring-a-ling' introduces the cheerful sounds of bells and chimes that ring throughout the city, a customary element of the festivities.
Soon it will be Christmas day
The lyrics convey that with the arrival of 'Christmas day' the holiday celebrations and merriment will reach its zenith.
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
The opening to the next stanza describes the busy sidewalks reflecting the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, especially in the city.
Dressed in holiday style
The sidewalks have a special appearance with decorations, lights, and vibrant colors, which shows the joyful spirit of Christmas.
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
The air is filled with a sense of merriment and cheerfulness that is intrinsic to Christmas and its celebrations.
Children laughing, people passing
As people hurry here and there, children are seen laughing and relishing the season's delights, along with adults enjoying the happy vibe.
Meeting smile after smile
Amid the rush, cheerful faces meet other smiling faces, that contribute to the merrymaking ambiance of the season.
And on every street corner you'll hear
The lyric suggests that the sounds of 'Silver Bells' are ubiquitously heard on every corner of the streets.
Strings of streetlights, even stoplights
The description of the twinkling streetlights and stoplights are an enchanting sight in the city during Christmas time.
Blink a bright red and green
The different hues of blinking red and green lights on the streets act as an embellishment for the season's pleasant mood.
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
The line describes the shoppers' hurry to gather gifts and other items to bring home, adding a sense of bustling happiness in the air.
Hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch
As the snow falls, the sound of the crunch, accompanied by the sight of kids playing together gathering snow around them, exemplify the mirth that prevails in the festive season.
This is Santa's big scene
This line confirms that the momentous festival of Christmas is synonymous with the arrival of Santa Claus, who brings a feeling of anticipation, joy, and excitement to children everywhere.
And above all this bustle you'll hear
Despite the noisy and chaotic surroundings, one can still hear the 'Silver Bells' jingling in the background, encompassing the entire atmosphere with gaiety and delight.
Silver bells, silver bells
The chorus repetition denotes the recurring feeling of joy and happiness that overwhelms everyone during Christmastime.
It's Christmas time in the city
The repetition of the line signifies that the festival of Christmas creates a unique temporal atmosphere that imbues festivities of its own kind, within the city.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
The reiterated mention of jingling 'Silver Bells' introduces the liveliness and convivial atmosphere of the season.
Soon it will be Christmas day
Repeating the line from the beginning emphasizes that Christmas day is the significant moment during the festive season that amplifies the jubilant mood to its peak.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind