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.
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard they crowded the floor
Couldn't bear it without you
Don't get around much anymore
Thought I'd visit the club
Got as far as the door
They'd have asked me about you
Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease
But nevertheless, why stir up memories
Been invited on dates
Might have gone but what for
Awfully different without you
Don't get around much anymore
The lyrics to Dion & The Belmonts's song "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" convey the sense of longing and solitude felt by the singer, who is no longer actively participating in social activities due to the absence of a loved one. The opening lines, "Missed the Saturday dance, Heard they crowded the floor," suggest that the singer used to attend lively events like dances where the floor would be crowded with people. However, the singer now finds it unbearable to partake in such activities without the person they miss. This creates a feeling of isolation and detachment, as indicated by the repeated phrase "Don't get around much anymore."
In the second verse, the singer mentions attempting to visit a club but only manages to reach the door. This illustrates the internal struggle of the singer, torn between wanting to be part of the social scene and being reminded of their lost love. They express the fear of being asked about the absent person, indicating that it would only intensify their feelings of longing and nostalgia. The repeated refrain "Don't get around much anymore" further emphasizes the singer's withdrawal from social engagements.
The third verse reveals that the singer has been invited on dates but has no desire to pursue them. They acknowledge that life has become "awfully different" without their loved one, suggesting that their absence has caused a significant shift in their overall experience. The lyrics also suggest that the singer's mind may be more at ease now, possibly implying that they have come to terms with their situation to some extent. However, the line "why stir up memories" hints at the painful memories that would resurface if they were to become more active in their social life again.
Line by Line Meaning
Missed the Saturday dance
I didn't attend the Saturday dance
Heard they crowded the floor
I heard the dance floor was crowded
Couldn't bear it without you
I couldn't handle being there without you
Don't get around much anymore
I rarely go out anymore
Thought I'd visit the club
I considered going to the club
Got as far as the door
But I only made it to the entrance
They'd have asked me about you
People would have asked me about you
Don't get around much anymore
I rarely go out anymore
Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease
Sweetheart, I suppose I'm more relaxed now
But nevertheless, why stir up memories
But still, why bring back memories
Been invited on dates
I've been asked out on dates
Might have gone but what for
I might have gone, but why bother
Awfully different without you
It's incredibly different without you
Don't get around much anymore
I rarely go out anymore
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MattHatter
Now...my main love has always been the rock and roll from the British Invasion to about the mid-'70's. However, I do like artists from the '50's and early '60's but never paid enough attention to get to the REALLY GOOD STUFF. When it comes to great tracks like this....you can kinda sympathize with those who might have not liked it when The Beatles came on the music scene. I'm not knocking my Four Uncles from across the pond in ANY WAY! I'm just sayin'....