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 Pity Me
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pity my arms for losing you
Pity my dreams that won't come true
But don't (don't) don't pity me
Pity my heart that's gonna break (dow, dow, dow)
Pity my kiss that you won't take
Pity from others I have plenty of
But darlin', from you I want love
Pity the love I'll throw away (dow, dow, dow)
Till you return to me some day
But don't (don't) don't pity me
Pity from others I have plenty of
But darlin', from you I want love
Pity the love I'll throw away (dow, dow, dow)
Till you return to me some day
But don't (don't) don't pity me
(Don't, don't) pity me
(Don't, don't) don't pity me
The song "Don't Pity Me" by Dion & The Belmonts is a plea from a brokenhearted lover to their former significant other. The lyrics express the pain of losing someone, especially the intangible losses such as dreams that won't come true and a kiss that will never be shared again. The singer acknowledges that many people will offer pity for their situation, but it is the love of the person they've lost that they truly desire. The singer laments the love that they will throw away until the day the person they love returns to them.
The repeated refrain of "don't pity me" highlights the singer's desire to be seen as strong and deserving of the love they long for. The song suggests that pity is not enough and that it is the person they love who is truly valuable. The song captures the universal feeling of wanting to be loved and desired, and the pain of losing someone who was once the center of your world.
Overall, "Don't Pity Me" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that speaks to the emotions of anyone who has ever experienced unrequited love or the pain of losing someone they love. It is a poignant reminder that the love we share with others is what truly matters, and that we should never take it for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Pity my arms for losing you
My arms ache from missing you - I'm physically affected by your absence
Pity my dreams that won't come true
I had hopes and aspirations for us that won't happen now - it's heartbreaking
But don't (don't) don't pity me
But don't feel sorry for me - I don't want your pity
Pity my heart that's gonna break (dow, dow, dow)
My heart is in pain from the impending loss of you - it's beating heavily
Pity my kiss that you won't take
I imagined embracing and kissing you, but now that won't happen - it's sad
Pity from others I have plenty of
People around me feel sympathy for my situation, but their comfort isn't what I want
But darlin', from you I want love
But darling, what I want from you is your love, not your pity
Pity the love I'll throw away (dow, dow, dow)
I feel like I'm wasting my love on someone who won't reciprocate - it's a shame
Till you return to me some day
I have hope that you'll come back to me one day - it's a longing
But don't (don't) don't pity me
But don't feel sorry for me - I don't want your pity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JACOBSON STALLMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ronaldgarrett409
One of my favorites From the Loving 50’s Love the Oldies❤️❤️ It’s The Days of Teenage Romance & Heartbreak 💔💔 We Had The Greatest Love Songs Ever 💔🎶❤️🎶❤️🎶❤️🎶❤️ Love ❤️ Love ❤️ Love ❤️
@NI000NoIdentity
check out "1959 Top 40 From 40 to 11" Absolute Perfection. It counts down all the music from 59 each year to 1975 abd nukkuib sekkers\
@MattAttack54
What a fantastic single the B side “ Just you” is my other favorite Song Where or when/ That’s my Desire my two favorite singles
@eddiecharlie77
A favorite on the Old Don K Reeds Sunday Night Doo Wop Shop on the Old WCBS FM 101.1 in NYC
@pauljoseph8691
Beautifu sound. Dion our longest star
@stj971
What a voice! My late hubby loved this 😥
@MattAttack54
A timeless classic