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.
Tag Along
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feeling mighty blue
Dreamin' of my baby
My darling Cindy Lou
If she′d love me just a little
I would love her strong
Then I would be happy
Just to tag along
I'm a lonesome lover
I gotta tag along
I been planning and a-sceemin'
Day and nighttime too
How to make her love me
Like she oughta do
She smiles at me so pretty
She listens to my song
When she leaves me singin′
Then I′ll just tag along
Tag along, tag along
I'm a lonesome lover
I just must tag along
I says a, tag-tag and a-taggin′ along
This is a, tag-tag and a-taggin' along
Rock, tag-tag and taggin′ along
Bop, tag-tag and taggin' along
I said a tag-tag, tag along with me
Rock now, tag-tag, taggin′ along
Rock, tag-tag, taggin' along
Yeah, tag-tag, taggin' along
Uh-huh, tag-tag, tag along
Ta-a-a-a-a-g along
My friends are all in love with
With my Cindy too
They say she won′t have me
No matter what I do
But the other day she kissed me
Now there′s nothing wrong
If I keep on hopin'
While I tag along
Tag along, tag along
I′m a lonesome lover
I gotta tag along
I guess I'll tag-tag, tag along
I gotta tag-tag, tag along
Yeah, tag-tag, tag along
I′m gonna tag-tag, tag along
I just ta-a-a-a-a-g along
[Fade]
In Dion & The Belmonts' song "Tag Along," the singer expresses his love and longing for a girl named Cindy Lou. He walks around feeling blue and dreaming about her, but it seems that she doesn't love him as much as he loves her. Despite this, he keeps hoping and planning how to make her love him like she ought to do. He acknowledges his lonesome state but knows that he would be happy just to tag along with her. The catchy chorus repeats the phrase "tag along" several times, emphasizing the singer's desire to be with Cindy Lou even if he has to accompany her as a tag-along.
Line by Line Meaning
I was walkin′ by my lonesome
I was walking alone.
Feeling mighty blue
I was feeling sad.
Dreamin' of my baby
Thinking about my girlfriend.
My darling Cindy Lou
The name of my girlfriend.
If she′d love me just a little
If my girlfriend loved me even a little bit.
I would love her strong
I would love her deeply and strongly.
Then I would be happy
I would be happy if she loved me.
Just to tag along
Just to spend time with her.
Tag along, tag along
Just to be with her.
I'm a lonesome lover
I am a lonely person in love.
I gotta tag along
I have to follow her around.
I been planning and a-sceemin'
I have been thinking and scheming.
Day and nighttime too
All the time.
How to make her love me
How to make my girlfriend love me back.
Like she oughta do
The way she should love me.
She smiles at me so pretty
My girlfriend smiles at me beautifully.
She listens to my song
My girlfriend listens to my music.
When she leaves me singin′
When she leaves me singing alone.
Then I′ll just tag along
I will follow her around.
I says a, tag-tag and a-taggin′ along
I will follow her along.
This is a, tag-tag and a-taggin' along
I am following her along.
Rock, tag-tag and taggin′ along
I will follow her along while listening to rock music.
Bop, tag-tag and taggin' along
I will follow her along while listening to bop music.
I said a tag-tag, tag along with me
Follow me along.
Rock now, tag-tag, taggin′ along
Following me along while listening to rock music.
Yeah, tag-tag, taggin' along
Yeah, following me along.
Uh-huh, tag-tag, tag along
Yes, follow along with me.
Ta-a-a-a-a-g along
Following along.
My friends are all in love with
My friends are also interested in my girlfriend.
With my Cindy too
My girlfriend's name is Cindy too.
They say she won't have me
They say my girlfriend won't love me back.
No matter what I do
No matter what I try.
But the other day she kissed me
My girlfriend kissed me recently.
Now there′s nothing wrong
Everything is fine.
If I keep on hopin'
If I keep hoping that she will love me back.
While I tag along
While I follow her around.
I′m a lonesome lover
I'm a lonely person in love.
I gotta tag along
I have to follow her around.
I guess I'll tag-tag, tag along
I will continue to follow her along.
I gotta tag-tag, tag along
I have to keep following her.
I′m gonna tag-tag, tag along
I will continue to follow her along.
I just ta-a-a-a-a-g along
I am following her along.
Writer(s): Eliot Greenberg, Barbara Baer, Robert Schwartz
Contributed by Kaitlyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.