After an unsuccessful first single, the group were signed to Laurie Records. Their breakthrough came when "I Wonder Why" made # 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the group appeared for the first time on the Dick Clark TV show. They followed it with the ballads "No One Knows" (#19) and "Don't Pity Me" (#40).
This success won Dion and the Belmonts their first major tour in late 1958, with The Coasters, Buddy Holly and Bobby Darin, and this was followed up by the "Winter Dance Party" tour with Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. On 2 February 1959, after playing at Clear Lake, Iowa, Dion decided that he could not afford the $36 cost of a flight to the next venue. The plane crashed, and Holly and the other stars were killed. However, the tour continued, with Jimmy Clanton and Bobby Vee being added to the bill.
In March 1959, Dion and the Belmonts’ next single, "A Teenager in Love", was released, making #5 in the Billboard Hot 100 and #28 in the UK Singles Chart, and this was followed by an album, Presenting Dion and the Belmonts. Their biggest hit, "Where or When", was released in November 1959, and reached #3 on the U.S. chart.
However, in early 1960, Dion checked in to hospital for heroin addiction, a problem he had had since his mid-teens. Further single releases for the group that year were less successful, there were musical and financial disputes between Dion and members of the Belmonts, and in October 1960 Dion decided to quit for a solo career. The Belmonts also continued to release records, but with less success.
Dion and the Belmonts reunited in 1966 for the unsuccessful album Together Again on ABC Records, and again in 1972 for a one-off show at Madison Square Garden, recorded and released as a live album.
Come On Little Angel
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well at last I know you know it was plain to see,
We did the Mashed Potato and it sure was fun,
Now ev'rybody wants to see the way it was done, now,
Come on little angel hear the band playing loud,
Turn around see them forming a crowd,
And now, little angel, now that you're in the groove
You hear them all a-clapping as we both start to move.
Come on little angel, come on.
Come on little angel, come on, come on.
Come on little angel now the lights are down low,
It's really getting late and we have to go,
Well thank you little angel for that wonderful kiss
And now you're gonna tell me that you're doing the Twist.
Around and around and up and down,
Around and around and up and down,
Around and around and up and down,
Around and around and up and down.
Yes, little angel, it sure is fun,
Ev'ry time we're dancin' she's a-right on time.
She moves to the left, she moves to the right,
She feels the beat and she dances all the night.
Why don't you come on little angel now the lights are down low,
It's really getting late and now we have to go,
Well thank you little angel for that wonderful kiss
And now you're gonna tell me that you're doing the Twist.
Around and around and up and down.
In "Come On Little Angel," Dion & The Belmonts sings about wanting to dance with an angelic figure. The song begins with a request for the "little angel" to dance with him and the acknowledgement of the pleasure of doing the "Mashed Potato" dance. The chorus repeats "Come on little angel, come on" as an invitation to dance even more. As the rhythm slows down, the angel is thanked for the "wonderful kiss" and introduces a new dance move: the Twist. The song ends with a repetition of the Twist and the urgency to leave since it's getting late.
The lyrics capture the essence of teenage romance and the fun of dancing. The "little angel" is portrayed as innocent, pure, and an object of desire. Dancing is used as a way to connect and express interest, even before verbal communication. The mention of different dance crazes like the Mashed Potato and the Twist are a nod to the popularity of these dances in the 60s and how they became part of the cultural expression of the time. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of music in creating a dancing atmosphere, with the line: "hear the band playing loud, Turn around see them forming a crowd."
Line by Line Meaning
Come on little angel won't you dance with me,
The singer is asking the angel to dance with him.
Well at last I know you know it was plain to see,
The singer is happy that the angel finally noticed him.
We did the Mashed Potato and it sure was fun,
The singer and the angel danced the Mashed Potato together and enjoyed it.
Now ev'rybody wants to see the way it was done, now,
Everyone is curious about how they danced the Mashed Potato.
Come on little angel hear the band playing loud,
The singer wants the angel to listen to the loud music and dance with him.
Turn around see them forming a crowd,
People are starting to gather around them and watch them dance.
And now, little angel, now that you're in the groove
The angel is now feeling the beat and is dancing well.
You hear them all a-clapping as we both start to move.
As they dance together, people in the crowd start to clap and cheer them on.
Now, come on, come on little angel, come on,
The singer wants the angel to dance with him some more.
Come on little angel now the lights are down low,
The lights are now dim and it's getting late.
It's really getting late and we have to go,
They need to leave now.
Well thank you little angel for that wonderful kiss
The singer thanks the angel for the lovely kiss they shared.
And now you're gonna tell me that you're doing the Twist.
The angel tells the singer that they want to dance the Twist now.
Around and around and up and down,
The singer and the angel are dancing the Twist together and moving in circles and up and down.
Yes, little angel, it sure is fun,
The singer enjoys dancing with the angel.
Ev'ry time we're dancin' she's a-right on time.
The angel is always dancing in sync with the singer.
She moves to the left, she moves to the right,
The angel is moving her body to the left and right as they dance.
She feels the beat and she dances all the night.
The angel is enjoying the music and dancing all night long.
Why don't you come on little angel now the lights are down low,
The singer is again asking the angel to dance with him as the lights are getting dim.
And now you're gonna tell me that you're doing the Twist.
The angel tells the singer again that she wants to dance the Twist.
Around and around and up and down.
The singer and the angel continue to dance the Twist together and move around in circles and up and down.
Contributed by Makayla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.