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 Promise
Debby Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yet somehow I long for was my only possession
A shelter and changing through fire and rain
A reason to go on and live for
Never took the game for and afraid of the seasons
The lost dream that found me
An hour, do I go from here
I love you forever
You meant it when you said it
I love you, I still do
What will I do without you?
It can't be, just simply can't be
You and I can't take it we've been [through] of moments
Tomorrow will guide us
Tomorrow will show I love you forever
You meant it I know
An hour, do I go from here
[interlude]
I love you, I still do
What will I do without you?
It can't be, just simply can't be
You and I can't take it we've been [through] of moments
Tomorrow will guide us
Tomorrow will show
I love you forever
You meant it I know
The promise, the promise
The song "The Promise" by Debby Boone is about the power of love and its ability to provide a sense of stability and purpose in a world filled with uncertainty. The lyrics express the idea that even though life can be chaotic and unpredictable, love is something that is constant and reliable. The "promise" referred to is not a specific promise made by someone, but rather a general sense of hope and security that comes from loving someone deeply.
The first verse begins with the line "the promise that I never asked for", which suggests that love can be unexpected and come into our lives without us actively seeking it out. However, the singer admits that despite not asking for this promise, they long for it and cherish it as their "only possession". This promise provides a "shelter" and a source of resilience that helps them weather the "fire and rain" of life's challenges.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I love you forever", which reinforces the idea that love is something that endures over time. The singer expresses a fear of losing this love, stating "what will I do without you?" and asserting that "it can't be, just simply can't be". Yet, there is also a sense of optimism and faith in the future as they sing "tomorrow will guide us" and "tomorrow will show".
Line by Line Meaning
The promise that I never asked for
I didn't expect to fall in love, but I did
Yet somehow I long for was my only possession
My love is the only thing that truly belongs to me
A shelter and changing through fire and rain
Our love is a sanctuary that can weather any storm
A reason to go on and live for
My love gives me a sense of purpose in life
Never took the game for and afraid of the seasons
I never took love for granted and I'm afraid of losing it
The lost dream that found me
Love is the dream that I didn't know I was missing
And I loved again
I found love after experiencing heartbreak
An hour, do I go from here
I'm uncertain of what the future holds
I love you forever
My love for you is eternal
You meant it when you said it
I believe that you love me when you say it
I love you, I still do
Even though things may be uncertain, my love for you remains
What will I do without you?
I can't imagine my life without your love
It can't be, just simply can't be
I refuse to believe that our love is over
You and I can't take it we've been [through] of moments
We've been through so much, but we can overcome whatever comes our way
Tomorrow will guide us
We'll take things one day at a time and let the future unfold
Tomorrow will show I love you forever
No matter what the future holds, my love for you will endure
You meant it I know
I trust that you truly love me
The promise, the promise
Our love is a promise that we've made to each other
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mark kershner
I can't get through this song without tears. Debby sang it so beautifully !
TheMrsCDB1
One of my favorite theme songs and very emotional classic movie "The Promise".
Steven Galindo
Beautiful song wonderful performance
MARILAINE ESPERANÇA
Está canção, lembra o filme q vi a anos atras:"O SEGREDO DE UMA PROMESSA",até hoje Me emociono....linda música e lindo filme....q mostra q um amor quando verdadeiro, nem o tempo apaga.
Silvinho Fernandes RJ
maravilhosa canção
Ruth Adele West Cole
Beautiful song. Debby has the voice for it.
Blue Rose Krystal
Her wedding song, her mother in law sang this one for them.
Jude Kay
Thank you for that info!! Came to YouTube looking for this song from the movie The Promise, remembering Melissa Manchester's version. Now I have also heard Nancy LaMott's and Barbra Streisand's. Debby's rendition is beautiful!
Just found her mothers in-law's (Rosemary Clooney) version on YT!
TheMrsCDB1
I love this song and the movie. Thanks for sharing,
Bob Conway
SUCH A SAD MOVIE. WISH DEBBY WOULD HAVE GOT TO SING THIS FOR SOUNDTRACK TO MOVIE. SHE DOES IT SO BEAUTIFUL. LOVE YOU DEBBY!!!