Clark was born Samuel Goldberg to Jewish parents in Boston, Massachusetts. He made his Big Band singing debut in 1934 with Benny Goodman on the Let's Dance radio program. In 1936 he started to perform on the show, Your Hit Parade, and lasted until 1938. In the mid-1930s he signed with Vocalion Records, having a top-20 hit with "Spring Is Here". He did not have another hit until the late 1940s, but continued recording, appearing in movies, and dubbing other actors' voices.
In 1946 he signed with Columbia Records and scored his biggest hit with the song "Linda" recorded in November of that year, but hitting its peak in the following spring. Linda was written especially for the six-year-old daughter of a show business lawyer named Lee Eastman, whose client, song-writer Jack Lawrence, wrote the song at Lee’s request. Upon reaching adulthood and becoming famous as a photographer, Linda was, for a while, something of a musician, later became a prominent spokeswoman for vegetarianism and animal rights, and broke a generation of teenage girls' hearts when she married Beatle Paul McCartney.[citation needed]
1947 also saw hits for Clark with such titles as "How Are Things in Glocca Mora" (from the musical Finian's Rainbow), which made the Top Ten, "Peg O' My Heart", "An Apple Blossom Wedding", and "I'll Dance at Your Wedding". The following year he had another major hit with "Love Somebody" (a duet with Doris Day, selling a million and reaching #1 on the charts) and nine more chart hits, and extended his success into 1949 with a number of hits, both solo and duetting with Day and Dinah Shore. He was fatally injured in a private plane crash in Los Angeles, returning from a college football game, when the craft ran low on fuel and crash-landed on Beverly Boulevard. A month after his death, his recording of "A Dreamer's Holiday" hit the charts.
Buddy Clark and five other friends had rented a small plane to attend a Stanford vs. Michigan football game. After the game on the way back to Los Angeles, the plane developed engine problem, due to lack of gas, and lost altitude and crashed on Beverly Boulevard, in California. Clark didn't survive the crash. At that time, he was 37 years old reaching new heights of popularity, when tragedy struck.
Ballerina
Buddy Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And do your pirouette
In rhythm with your aching heart.
Dance, ballerina, dance,
You mustn't once forget
A dancer has to dance the part.
Whirl, ballerina, whirl,
That's empty in the second row.
This is your moment, girl,
Although he's not out there
Applauding as you steal the show.
Once you said
His love must wait its turn.
You wanted fame instead;
I guess that's your concern;
We live and learn.
And love is gone, ballerina, gone,
So on with your career;
You can't afford a backward glance.
Dance on and on and on;
A thousand people here
Have come to see the show
As round and round you go,
So ballerina dance, dance ,dance.
The lyrics to Buddy Clark's "Ballerina" paint a vivid picture of a ballerina performing on stage, while also examining the emotional turmoil that can come with fame and artistic achievement. The first verse urges the ballerina to dance in rhythm with her aching heart, suggesting that she is torn between the passion she feels for her art and a sense of sadness or loss. The second verse acknowledges the absence of someone important in the ballerina's life - perhaps a lover or close friend - but ultimately encourages her to focus on the present moment and the importance of her performance. The final verse reflects on the sacrifices the ballerina has made in order to pursue her career, recognizing that love may have fallen by the wayside in the pursuit of fame.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of urgency and intensity that reflects the pressure the ballerina is under to perform at her best, no matter what else is going on in her life. The repeated command to "dance, ballerina, dance" serves as a reminder that artistry requires discipline, practice, and dedication, regardless of personal setbacks or hardships. At the same time, the lyrics also suggest a kind of transcendence through dance - a sense that, even when everything else seems to be falling apart, the ballerina can find solace and meaning in her performance.
One interesting aspect of "Ballerina" is that while the lyrics were written by Bob Russell, the music was actually composed by Carl Sigman, who was known for his work on pop standards like "Love Story" and "It's All In The Game." The song was originally recorded by Vaughn Monroe in 1947, but it was Buddy Clark's version that became a hit, reaching #17 on the Billboard charts in 1957. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Bing Crosby, Deana Martin, and Steve Lawrence.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance, ballerina, dance,
The singer urges the ballerina to start dancing
And do your pirouette
Perform a turning spin on one foot
In rhythm with your aching heart.
Match the beat of your heart with your moves
Dance, ballerina, dance,
The singer repeats his call to dance
You mustn't once forget
Don't ignore the fact that as a dancer, you must act out a role
A dancer has to dance the part.
A dancer must fulfill the expectations of the performance
Whirl, ballerina, whirl,
Spin and turn, ballerina!
And just ignore the chair
Forget the empty seats and audience
That's empty in the second row.
Don't dwell on who's absent
This is your moment, girl,
Now is the time to shine
Although he's not out there
Even if the person you once loved is not watching
Applauding as you steal the show.
You're in control of the performance and will be the one applauded
Once you said
At one point in your life, you said
His love must wait its turn.
Romantic love must take a backseat to professional success
You wanted fame instead;
You preferred celebrity status over romantic love
I guess that's your concern;
That seems to have been your decision/focus
We live and learn.
We gain knowledge and experience through life
And love is gone, ballerina, gone,
Love has left you behind
So on with your career;
It's time to continue focusing on your professional aspirations
You can't afford a backward glance.
You can't let the past hold you back
Dance on and on and on;
Keep dancing, no matter what
A thousand people here
Many people are watching
Have come to see the show
They're here for your performance
As round and round you go,
As you continue to twirl and spin
So ballerina dance, dance, dance.
Dance, ballerina, keep dancing to the music
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Carl Sigman, Bob Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jack Tolkien
@the78prof thanks for this! Absolutely love this! Buddy Clark is my favorite
The78Prof
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thomas Dollard
I like Buddy Clark's version the best.
Walter Haight
Much more subdued than the Vaughn Monroe version.
Irene Mccann
Smashing, but I prefer Perry Como singing this song.