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.
The Majestic
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This dance started down in NYC
Now they're doing it on tv
All the way to the Pacific shore
Man it's the greatest dance you ever saw
Let's go everybody and move your feet
Yeah my drummer's got a swinging beat
Everything is grooving people here's your chance
It's called the majestic majestic yeah majestic majestic yeah
Come on everybody take a tip from me
They even got the message down in Waikiki
Grab your partner and get on the ball
Everytime you hear this call
Cause there is no more shimmy and no more bop
The kids in Philly stopped doing the slop
Everybody now looking just fine
It's the majestic majestic yeah majestic majestic yeah
All the way from Georgia to the Golden Gate
Kentucky Virginia and Dakota state
There even grooving in Chicago town
This dance is really getting around
Dance Dance People
Get up and do this dance OoOo....
In "The Majestic," Dion & The Belmonts sing about a popular dance that started in New York City and has now made its way across the country. The song encourages everyone to get up and join in the fun, as the "majestic" is the "greatest dance you ever saw." The lyrics suggest that the majestic has replaced other popular dances like the shimmy and the bop, and that it has made its way onto television and even as far as Hawaii.
The upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics convey a sense of joy and excitement that comes with discovering a new dance craze. The band's use of repetition drives the point home, encouraging listeners to get up and join in on the fun. Additionally, the lyrics emphasize the communal aspect of dancing, with lines like "grab your partner and get on the ball" and "let's go everybody and move your feet," highlighting the importance of dancing as a group activity.
Line by Line Meaning
Dooby-do yeah let's do this dance now
Let's begin dancing with enthusiasm and excitement
This dance started down in NYC
The dance originated in New York City
Now they're doing it on tv
The dance is being broadcasted on television
All the way to the Pacific shore
The dance is popular all the way to the Pacific coast
Man it's the greatest dance you ever saw
The dance is so great that it's worth seeing and participating in
Let's go everybody and move your feet
Everyone should join in and start moving their feet to the music
Yeah my drummer's got a swinging beat
The drummer is playing a great rhythm that keeps people dancing
Everything is grooving people here's your chance
The music and atmosphere are perfect, so now's the chance to dance
It's time for you to do this dance
It's now the right time for people to start dancing
It's called the majestic majestic yeah majestic majestic yeah
The dance is called the majestic, and people should be excited about it
Come on everybody take a tip from me
People should listen to the singer and follow his lead in dancing
They even got the message down in Waikiki
The dance has even spread to Waikiki
Grab your partner and get on the ball
Take your partner and start dancing
Everytime you hear this call
Whenever this music comes on, people should start dancing again
Cause there is no more shimmy and no more bop
Other dances like the shimmy and bop have lost popularity
The kids in Philly stopped doing the slop
Even popular dances like the slop have lost popularity in Philadelphia
Everybody now looking just fine
Everyone looks great while participating in the dance
It's the majestic majestic yeah majestic majestic yeah
Again, it's called the majestic, and people should be excited about it
All the way from Georgia to the Golden Gate
People all across the United States are dancing the majestic
Kentucky Virginia and Dakota state
Specifically, states like Kentucky, Virginia, and North and South Dakota are participating
There even grooving in Chicago town
Chicago is also participating in the dance
This dance is really getting around
The dance is spreading in popularity and becoming well-known all over the country
Dance Dance People
Motivating people to keep dancing
Get up and do this dance OoOo....
Encouraging people once again to get up and dance the majestic
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing, Spirit Music Group, Integrity Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BARBARA SCHWARTZ MUSIC
Written by: BRENDA LEE JONES, WELTON YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind