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.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Debby Boone Lyrics
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You came along and everything's startin' to hum
Still, it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come
Best is yet to come and babe, won't that be fine?
You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine
A-wait till the warm-up's underway
And wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain't seen nothin' yet
The best is yet to come and babe, won't it be fine?
Best is yet to come, come the day you're mine
Come the day you're mine
I'm gonna teach you to fly
We've only tasted the wine
We're gonna drain the cup dry
Wait till your charms are right for these arms to surround
You think you've flown before, but baby, you ain't left the ground
A-wait till you're locked in my embrace
Wait till I draw you near
A-wait till you see that sunshine place
Ain't nothin' like it here
The best is yet to come and babe, won't it be fine?
The best is yet to come, come the day you're mine
Come the day you're mine
And you're gonna be mine
The song "The Best Is Yet To Come" by Debby Boone is all about the hope and optimism that comes with meeting someone new and falling in love. The opening lyrics speak to the idea that life is full of possibilities, and that the singer has just picked a juicy "plum" from the "tree of life" - in other words, they have found something special. That something special is the person whom the singer is now addressing, and whom they believe will bring even more happiness and excitement into their life.
The chorus is a declaration of that hope and faith in the future. The singer asserts that the best is yet to come, and that everything will be fine when that happens. They suggest that even though the listener may have experienced good things in the past - symbolized by "seeing the sun" - they haven't yet experienced the full brightness of it. That brightness will come when the two of them are together, and they experience all the joys of a new relationship.
The rest of the lyrics build on that idea, with a sense of anticipation and longing. The singer talks about waiting for the moment when they can kiss for the first time, and waiting for the day when they can be together without any obstacles. They express a desire to "teach you to fly" and to explore all the possibilities that life has to offer - including the pleasures of love, symbolized by draining the cup dry. Ultimately, the song is an uplifting and optimistic ode to the power of love to transform our lives and make the future seem bright.
Line by Line Meaning
Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum
I have just gotten a great opportunity
You came along and everything's startin' to hum
You have come into my life and made everything better
Still, it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come
Despite how great things are now, there are even better things in store for us in the future
Best is yet to come and babe, won't that be fine?
The best things are still to come and it will be wonderful when they happen
You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine
You have experienced good things, but there are even better things yet to be experienced
A-wait till the warm-up's underway
Wait until everything is in full swing
Wait till our lips have met
Wait until we have kissed
And wait till you see that sunshine day
And wait until you experience that perfect day
You ain't seen nothin' yet
You haven't experienced the best yet
Best is yet to come, come the day you're mine
The best is still to come when we are together
I'm gonna teach you to fly
I am going to help you achieve great things
We've only tasted the wine
We have only experienced a small part of what is possible
We're gonna drain the cup dry
We are going to experience everything to the fullest extent possible
Wait till your charms are right for these arms to surround
Wait until you are ready to be fully embraced by me
You think you've flown before, but baby, you ain't left the ground
You think you have experienced great things before, but there is so much more waiting for you
A-wait till you're locked in my embrace
Wait until I hold you tightly
Wait till I draw you near
Wait until I pull you close
A-wait till you see that sunshine place
Wait until you experience that perfect place
Ain't nothin' like it here
There is nothing like what we will experience together
The best is yet to come, come the day you're mine
The best is still to come when we are together
And you're gonna be mine
And you will belong to me
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Carolyn Leigh, Cy Coleman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind