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.
My Foolish Heart
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beware my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Take care my foolish heart
There's a line between love and fascination
That's hard to see, on an evening such as this
All we both share the very same sensation
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
And should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
All this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart, my foolish heart
Dion & The Belmonts's song "My Foolish Heart" is a classic song that epitomizes the intensity and bewilderment of love. The song is composed in a jazzy style with a hint of romanticism that creates a mellow and soothing atmosphere. The opening lyrics, "The night is like a lovely tune. Beware my foolish heart," sets the tone of the song. It indicates that the singer is experiencing a love that feels too good to be true and it's making their heart less wise.
The chorus talks about the thin line between love and fascination which is hard to distinguish. The singer confesses that love and fascination have a similar effect as both can lock an individual in the magic of a kiss. The bridge section is sung in falsetto voice, and it talks about the closeness of the lips between the singer and their love interest. They are aware of the danger that is part of such proximity, urging themselves to beware of their foolish heart.
The chorus of the song comes in again, and the singer has changed their mind. They are now open to the possibility of the consummation of their love interest. This time it isn't fascination, and it's not just a dream that will fade over time. It's genuine love, and it's significant. Overall, "My Foolish Heart" is a song that highlights the confusion and intensity that comes with the feeling of love.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is like a lovely tune
The night is peaceful and serene
Beware my foolish heart
Be cautious because the heart can be easily fooled by emotions
How white the ever constant moon
The moon's brightness never fades even in the darkest of nights
Take care my foolish heart
Be careful not to let your heart be swayed by momentary feelings
There's a line between love and fascination
It is difficult to distinguish between intense feelings of love and infatuation
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
This distinction is not always obvious and has many names
For they both have the very same sensation
The feelings that both love and infatuation produce are very similar
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
When the power of a kiss takes over, it can be difficult to differentiate between true love and infatuation
Her lips are much too close to mine
The distance between us is very small
Beware my foolish heart
The heart can be easily swayed by passion and emotions
But should our eager lips combine
If we kiss passionately
Then let the fire start
Let our passion ignite
For this time it isn't fascination
This time it is not mere infatuation
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It is not a fleeting, unrealistic dream that will soon disappear
It's love, this time it's love
This time it is true love
My foolish heart
Even though the heart can be easily deceived, this is true love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Ned Washington, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind