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.
This Love of Mine
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though life is empty since you have gone
You're always on my mind, though out of sight,
It's lonesome through the day,
But oh! the night
I cry my heart out, it's bound to break,
Since nothing matters, let it break
I ask the sun and the moon,
What's to become of it,
This love of mine
In these opening lines, Dion & The Belmonts express the enduring nature of a love that continues to persist even in the absence of the person they long for. They convey the emptiness they feel in life after their beloved has departed, but emphasize that this love remains a constant presence in their thoughts, even though they cannot see or be with the person. The daytime is described as lonesome, but it is the night that brings a heightened sense of loneliness and longing. It is during these nights that they find themselves pouring out their hearts, fully aware that doing so could lead to their heart breaking. They acknowledge that nothing else seems to matter in comparison to the pain they feel from the separation.
The lyrics then shift to a moment of introspection, where they turn to the sun, moon, and stars to seek answers about the future of this love they hold. This portrays a sense of desperation, as they grasp at anything that might provide clarity or insight into the fate of their love. They are essentially questioning the universe about the course this love is destined to take. It reveals their desperation to understand what lies ahead for their connection, highlighting their vulnerability and uncertainty in the face of such deep emotions.
Overall, these lyrics capture the deep longing and emotional turmoil that one experiences when separated from a love they hold dear. The persistence of this love, even in the absence of the beloved, is both a source of comfort and anguish. Through their heartfelt words, Dion & The Belmonts convey the intensity of their emotions, seeking solace and understanding in a universe seemingly indifferent to their heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
This love of mine goes on and on
My love for you is everlasting and continues to endure
Though life is empty since you have gone
My existence feels hollow and devoid of meaning without you
You're always on my mind, though out of sight
Even though I can't see you, thoughts of you occupy my every moment
It's lonesome through the day
Loneliness engulfs me during the daylight hours
But oh! the night
However, the night brings an overwhelming sense of longing and emotional intensity
I cry my heart out, it's bound to break
I weep with such intensity that my heart feels like it may shatter
Since nothing matters, let it break
In a state where nothing else holds significance, I am willing to let my heart break
I ask the sun and the moon
I seek answers from the celestial bodies above
The stars that shine
Those sparkling stars that illuminate the night sky
What's to become of it
I wonder about the fate and outcome of this love
This love of mine
This profound and deep affection I hold
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, THE MUSIC GOES ROUND, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind