You Light Up My Life
Boone released her first solo effort, You Light Up My Life, in 1977. The song became the biggest hit of the 1970's on the Billboard Hot 100 spending 10 weeks at the No. 1 - longer than any of her father's No. 1 Billboard hits. At the time, only Elvis Presley's double-sided Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog spent more weeks (11) atop Billboard's Hot 100. The song earned her a Grammy award for Best New Artist and an American Music Award for Favorite Pop Single. She also received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Female and Record of the Year. You Light Up My Life also reached No. 1 Adult Contemporary (one week) and No. 4 Country. The single and the album (No. 6 Pop, No. 6 Country) of the same name were both certified platinum. Boone's overnight success led to a tour with her father and frequent television appearances.
The song, written and produced by Joe Brooks, was from the film of the same name. Brooks earned Song of the Year awards at both the 1978 Grammys and Oscars for writing the song. Boone's version, contrary to popular belief, was not used in the movie or featured on its soundtrack. The song was lip-synched in the film by its star, Didi Conn, performing to vocals recorded by Kasey Cisyk. Although written as a love song, Boone admitted it was instead God who "lit up her life."
Boone was unable to maintain her success in Pop music after You Light Up My Life. Her follow-up single, California (also written and produced by Joe Brooks), stumbled peaking at No. 50 Pop and No. 20 AC. California was included on Boone's second album, Midstream, which faltered at No. 147 Pop. Her next single, the double-sided God Knows/Baby I'm Yours, performed even worse peaking at No. 74 Pop becoming her last entry on the Hot 100. However, the single returned Boone to the Country (No. 22) and AC (No. 14) charts. Boone then released another movie theme, When You're Loved, from The Magic of Lassie. Like You Light Up My Life, the song was nominated for an Academy Award for its composers, the Sherman Brothers. But, it failed to replicate the chart success of her first single only reaching No. 48 AC. Boone's wholesome persona was in contrast to the image-conscious Pop music industry leading her in different musical directions.
[edit] Country Music
With the crossover success of You Light Up My Life and God Knows/Baby, I'm Yours, Boone began to focus on Country music. (Her father, Pat, and maternal grandfather, Red Foley, had also recorded in that genre.) Her first country single, 1978's In Memory of Your Love, fizzled at No. 61. But, she then hit No. 11 in 1979 with a remake of Connie Francis' My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own. Boone amassed three more Top 50 country singles that year - two more Connie Francis remakes (the No. 25 Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart and the No. 48 Everybody's Somebody's Fool) and a remake of the Happenings' See You In September (No. 41 Country, No. 45 AC). Boone included the Francis remakes, but not See You In September, on her 1979 eponymous album which failed to chart.
Her next album, 1980's Love Has No Reason (No. 17 Country), was produced by Larry Butler who guided much of Kenny Rogers' music during this period. It resulted in the No. 1 Country and No. 31 AC hit, Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again. Two weeks before Road ascended to No. 1, Boone was part of a historic Top 5 on the Billboard Country chart. For the week ending April 19, 1980, the Top 5 positions were all held by women:
Crystal Gayle (It's Like We Never Said Goodbye)
Dottie West (A Lesson in Leavin')
Debby Boone (Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again)
Emmylou Harris (Beneath Still Waters)
Tammy Wynette (Two Story House with George Jones)
The album generated two more Country singles, the No. 14 Free to Be Lonely Again and the No. 44 Take It Like a Woman. The latter charted simultaneously with her father's Colorado Country Morning (No. 60). Butler also produced Boone's next album, 1981's Savin' It Up (No. 49 Country), which yielded two more country singles, the No. 23 Perfect Fool (also No. 37 AC) and the No. 46 It'll Be Him.
[edit] Broadway Bound
Boone wrote her autobiography, Debby Boone So Far, in 1981 and spent a year touring the United States with the stage adaptation of the film Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. The play was a success nationwide before reaching Broadway in July 1982. The Broadway reviews were lackluster, but a scathing review by the New York Times led the show to close after just five performances. The day after the show's closing, several of the the show's stars and theater-goers protested the closing outside the New York Times building hoping for a retraction of its review and the re-opening of the show. But, despite the enthusiastic reception of the show from Broadway theater-goers, the producers believed that the show could not overcome its reviews and the show remained closed.
Boone continued her theater work appearing periodically in stage productions nationwide including lead roles in Camelot, Meet Me in St. Louis, Mississippi Love, South Pacific, The Human Comedy and The King and I. Boone returned twice to the New York stage. Her 1990 performance as Maria in The Sound of Music at Lincoln Center garnered her a Drama Desk nomination. In 1996, Boone played against her image as Rizzo in the 1990's revival of Grease.
Boone occasionally acted on television as well. Her first foray into television was a 1978 musical adaptation of O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi co-starring John Rubinstein. Boone headlined two of her own NBC television music specials - The Same Old Brand New Me (1980) and One Step Closer (1982). She stunned many in 1984 by portraying Clarissa Hope, a former call girl turned Christian singer, in the television movie, Sins of the Past. The film, co-starring Anthony Geary, Barbara Carrera and Kim Cattrall, was a Top 10 Nielsen hit. Boone also made guest appearances on several television shows including Step by Step and Baywatch Nights and was featured in the television films Come On Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story and Treehouse Hostage.
[edit] Faith and family
After Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Boone followed her heart and turned her musical career to Christian music winning two GMA Dove Awards and two more Grammys. Boone first recorded in this genre in 1980 with the Grammy winning With My Song ... I Will Praise Him. Subsequent Christian albums included Surrender (1983), Choose Life (1985), Friends For Life (1987) and Be Thou My Vision (1989). In 1989, Boone released her Christmas album, Home For Christmas, which boasted a duet with her mother-in-law, Rosemary Clooney, on Clooney's signature White Christmas.
Boone's career was always secondary as she devoted herself first to raising her four children: son Jordan (b. 1980), twin daughters Gabrielle and Dustin (b. 1983), and daughter Tessa (b. 1986). Boone married her husband, Gabriel Ferrer (son of Jose Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney and cousin of George Clooney), in 1979. The couple collaborated on several children's books. Boone wrote Bedtime Hugs For Little Ones (1988), Tomorrow Is a Brand New Day (1989), Snow Angel (1991), Welcome to This World (1996), Nightlights (1997) and Counting Blessings (1998) which were all illustrated by her husband. Boone and her children appeared frequently on the cover of Good Housekeeping magazine as they grew. Boone also released two children's videos, Debby Boone's Hug-a-Long Songs: Volumes 1 and 2.
Once her children were grown, Boone revived her recording career in 2005 with the release of Reflections of Rosemary. The CD was a fond tribute to her mother-in-law, Rosemary Clooney, featuring songs performed by Clooney as well as other songs not associated with Clooney which Boone felt showed Clooney as the person she and her family knew and loved. Boone toured extensively for the album including several nights at New York's famed cabaret, Feinstein's, where Clooney often performed.
Blue Skies
Debby Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' but blues skies do I see
Bluebirds singing a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things lookin' so right
Noticin' the days hurryin' by
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things lookin' so right
Noticin' the days hurryin' by
When you're in love, oh how they fly
Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Debby Boone's tune Blue Skies is a straightforward celebration of a joyous love affair, symbolized by bright, crystal-clear blue skies and pleasant bluebirds chirping out optimistic melodies. The singer is completely smitten, and even the passing of time doesn't discourage her, rather, she seizes each moment and all of its joy, watching as the blue skies stretch out before her, providing hope and warmth for her and her adored love. The opening verse describes a seemingly unendurable large passion for something, maybe a love relationship or a beautiful sunny day as signified by “blue skies,” which seems to be the center of attention, providing hope and unceasing joy. The song's upbeat tone intensifies this celebration of love, with the lyrics flowing effortlessly in accordance.
Boone emphasizes the way love can impact time, as if looking for new things to enjoy and making time fly, juxtaposed with an image of eternity in the blue skies that stretch out into the infinite, extending on into forever and providing a timeless backdrop to the couple's joy, which she emphasizes in the bridge portion with the line 'Noticin' the days hurryin' by, when you're in love, my how they fly.' The last verse emphasizes the idea that the story is one of everlasting affection, with the final line, 'Nothin' but blue skies from now on,' indicating that the sun of the couple's relationship will shine brightly from now on.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue skies, smilin' at me
The singer is feeling joyful because of the clear blue sky above her.
Nothin' but blues skies do I see
The entire atmosphere around the singer is filled with blue skies, emphasizing her happiness.
Bluebirds singing a song
The birds in the environment surrounding the singer also seem to be chirping away merrily.
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long
The birds present around the singer are consistently cheerful throughout the day, which adds to her happiness.
Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
The sun is shining brighter than ever before, and it indicates that the singer is seeing things positively and with fresh eyes.
Never saw things lookin' so right
The singer is in a very optimistic and hopeful mindset and all things seem to be aligned perfectly for her.
Noticin' the days hurryin' by
The person realizes that time is passing quickly, which can be enhanced when one is in love and in a great state of mind.
When you're in love, my how they fly
The singer realizes that when someone is in a state of love, time goes by very quickly.
Blue days, all of them gone
The singer has had many unpleasant days in the past, which she is now able to move on from, thanks to her optimistic and positive mindset.
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
The singer is about to start a brand new chapter in her life, filled with happiness and joyous times.
Writer(s): Berlin Irving
Contributed by Addison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.