After a brief spell in the US Army, Vinton was signed to Epic Records in 1960 as a bandleader: "A Young Man With a Big Band." Two albums and several singles were not successful however, and with Epic ready to pull the plug, Vinton found his first hit single literally sitting in a reject pile. The song was titled "Roses Are Red (My Love)." It spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Arguably, his most famous song is 1963's "Blue Velvet" that also went to No.1. 23 years later, David Lynch named his movie Blue Velvet after the song. In 1964, Vinton had two #1 hits, "There! I've Said It Again" and "Mr. Lonely", the latter now being the basis for Akon's hit "Lonely."
In the 1970s, the "Polish Prince" continued to hit the Top 40, notably with "Ev'ry Day of My Life" and "Sealed With a Kiss" in 1972. That same year, Epic Records decided to end its relationship with Vinton and ended his recording contract. Undeterred, Vinton spent $50,000 of his own money on a self-written song sung partially in Polish: "My Melody of Love." After Vinton was turned down by 7 major labels, ABC Records bought Vinton's idea, and the result was a multi-million selling single that hit #1 on the AC charts in 1974. A gold album, Melodies of Love, followed as well as a successful half-hour variety show "The Bobby Vinton Show" (which aired from 1975 to 1978). He also starred in two John Wayne movies: Big Jake and The Train Robbers.
In the course of his career, Vinton has sold over 75 million records (singles, albums, compilation inclusions, etc) and is still performing on tour and at the Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
Blue on Blue
Bobby Vinton Lyrics
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Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
I walk along the street we used to walk
Two by two, lovers pass
And as they're passing by, I could die
Now the trees are bare
There's sadness in the air
And I'm as blue as I can be
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
Night after lonely night, we meet in dreams
As I run to your side
You wait with open arms, open arms
That now are closed to me
Through a veil of tears
Your vision disappears
And I'm as blue as I can be
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
And I find I can't get over losing you
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
Blue on blue now that we are through
Blue on blue-
The lyrics of "Blue On Blue" by Bobby Vinton express a poignant and heart-wrenching sentiment of loss and heartbreak. The repetition of the phrase "blue on blue" emphasizes the depth of sadness and despair felt by the singer after a devastating break-up. The use of the color blue as a metaphor for sadness is accentuated by the imagery of the bare trees and the sadness in the air. The singer laments the absence of his beloved, reminiscing about the walks they used to take along the streets as lovers. He experiences a palpable sense of longing and despair as he observes other happy couples and realizes he is alone.
The lyrics go on to describe the singer's dreams of his lost love, where he runs to her side only to find that she is no longer there for him. Her open arms are now closed, symbolizing the finality of their separation. Through a veil of tears, the vision of the lost love disappears, leaving the singer even more heartbroken and as blue as he can be. The use of repetition, powerful imagery, and metaphors conveys the depth of pain and suffering that comes with heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
The pain and sadness of losing you is layered on top of the pain and sadness I already have.
Blue on blue now that we are through
The sadness and loneliness has only increased since we ended things.
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
It's as if each heartache is compounding on the last.
And I find I can't get over losing you
Even though time has passed, the pain of losing you still feels just as strong.
I walk along the street we used to walk
I find myself on the same streets where we used to walk together.
Two by two, lovers pass
Every time I see couples walking together, it reminds me of what we used to have.
And as they're passing by, I could die
Seeing happy couples only makes my heartache more painful.
'Cause you're not here with me
I can't help but think about how much better everything would be if you were still with me.
Now the trees are bare
The world around me reflects the emptiness I feel inside.
There's sadness in the air
The world feels heavy with sadness and grief.
And I'm as blue as I can be
The pain and sadness are overwhelming, and I feel like there's no end in sight.
Night after lonely night, we meet in dreams
Even in my dreams, I can't escape the pain of missing you.
As I run to your side
In my dreams, I'm trying to recapture what we lost when we ended things.
You wait with open arms, open arms
In my dreams, you're waiting to welcome me back into your life.
That now are closed to me
But in reality, I know that those open arms are no longer meant for me.
Through a veil of tears
Even in my dreams, I can't help but cry for what we lost.
Your vision disappears
But the closer I try to get to you, the further away you seem.
And I'm as blue as I can be
Even in my dreams, the pain of losing you is still very real.
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
The pain of losing you is all-consuming, and it feels like it's never going to end.
Blue on blue now that we are through
Every moment feels more painful than the last now that you're no longer in my life.
Blue on blue, heartache on heartache
The pain of losing you is never-ending, and it's hard to see a future where I'm not hurting.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hal David, Burt F. Bacharach
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RC
on Venus
Frankie Avalon is the best-known version of this song.