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.
Greenfields
Bobby Vinton Lyrics
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Once there were valleys where rivers used to run
Once there was blue sky with white clouds high above
Once they were part of an everlasting love
We were the lovers who strolled through green fields
Green fields are gone now, parched by the sun
Gone from the valleys where rivers used to run
Gone with the lovers who let their dreams depart
Where are the green fields that we used to roam?
I'll never know what made you run away
How can I keep searching when dark clouds hide the day?
I only know there's nothing here for me
Nothing in this wide world left for me to see
But I'll keep on waitin' 'til you return
I'll keep on waiting until the day you learn
You can't be happy while your heart's on the roam
You can't be happy until you bring it home
Home to the green fields and me once again
Bobby Vinton's song Greenfields is about lost love and the memories that linger on. The first verse talks about the way things used to be - when there were green fields and valleys where rivers ran. The blue sky had white clouds, and it was all part of an everlasting love. The second verse tells us that those green fields are gone now, parched by the sun, and the valleys are dried up. The cold wind has swept into the singer's heart, and the lovers who once roamed through the fields have departed, leaving only memories behind. The chorus asks the question, "Where are the green fields that we used to roam?", suggesting that those memories are still vivid, and the singer longs for a return to that time.
The third verse begins with the singer expressing confusion about why their love has left. They don't know what made them run away, and they are left searching in the dark. They realize that there is nothing left for them in this world, and they are feeling lost and alone. However, the chorus brings hope as the singer says they will keep waiting until their love returns, and they will hold onto the idea that one day they will be happy again.
The lyrics to Greenfields are poignant and bittersweet, speaking to the universal experience of lost love and the longing for what once was. The nostalgic tone of the song adds to its emotional impact, and Vinton's vocal delivery is filled with longing and heartbreak. The song reminds us that even when things have changed and love has been lost, the memories and the hope for a return to that love can remain.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there were green fields kissed by the sun
In the past, there were thriving and beautiful green fields, warmed by the sun's rays.
Once there were valleys where rivers used to run
In the past, there were valleys that had rivers flowing through them.
Once there was blue sky with white clouds high above
In the past, there used to be clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds floating above.
Once they were part of an everlasting love
These green fields, valleys, and beautiful skies were once a part of a love that seemed to last forever.
We were the lovers who strolled through green fields
The people who walked through these green fields were once in love.
Green fields are gone now, parched by the sun
The green fields have vanished now, having dried up and turned into barren wasteland due to the unrelenting heat of the sun.
Gone from the valleys where rivers used to run
The green fields have disappeared from the valleys where rivers once flowed.
Gone with the cold wind that swept into my heart
The green fields and the love that once emanated from them have disappeared like the cold wind that extinguishes a flame.
Gone with the lovers who let their dreams depart
The people who were in love and who once shared their dreams in these green fields have gone away, letting their dreams die.
Where are the green fields that we used to roam?
The person who once walked through the green fields in love is now searching for them, but cannot find them anywhere.
I'll never know what made you run away
The person is unable to understand why their lover left them.
How can I keep searching when dark clouds hide the day?
It is difficult for the person to continue searching for the green fields and love because they are shrouded in darkness and gloom.
I only know there's nothing here for me
The person has lost all hope and feels like there is nothing left for them in this world.
Nothing in this wide world left for me to see
The person feels like they have seen everything there is to see in this world and there is nothing left that can interest them.
But I'll keep on waitin' 'til you return
Despite everything, the person is still waiting for their lost love to come back.
I'll keep on waiting until the day you learn
The person hopes that their lover will one day realize that they cannot be happy unless they return home.
You can't be happy while your heart's on the roam
The person believes that their lover will not find happiness until they return home and put their heart at rest.
You can't be happy until you bring it home
The person believes that their lover will only find happiness when they come back to the green fields and to them.
Home to the green fields and me once again
The person is hoping that their lover will come back to the green fields with them and that they will once again share a love that will last forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TERRY GILKYSON, FRANK MILLER, RICHARD DEHR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RC
on Venus
Frankie Avalon is the best-known version of this song.