Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Bonds was living in Norfolk, Virginia in the 1950's when he began singing publicly in church, and with a group called The Turks. He joined record producer Frank Guida's small Legrand label and Guida changed his name to U.S. Bonds in hopes that it would be confused with a public service announcement advertising the sale of government bonds and thus get more airtime. Bonds' first hit was the song "New Orleans", which was followed by "Not Me", a flop for Bonds, but later a hit for The Orlons, and then by his only Number One hit, "Quarter To Three" in June 1961. Subsequent hits, under the name Gary (U.S.) Bonds, included "School Is Out", "Dear Lady Twist" and "Twist, Twist, Senora" in the early 1960s. In a 1963 tour of Europe, he headlined above The Beatles. Eventually, the singer came to be known as Gary U.S. Bonds.
"Quarter To Three" appears on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.
In the early 1980s, Bonds had a career resurgence, working off collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and the E Street Band. Later hits included "This Little Girl", "Jolé Blon" and "Out Of Work". Bonds continues to release albums sporadically, and today is a mainstay of the nostalgia concert circuit.
While Gary U.S. Bonds is mostly known for achievements within Rhythm and Blues and Rock 'n' roll, he often transcends these genres, e.g. he has been nominated for the Country Music Association's "Songwriter of the Year" distinction. He is also a honoree of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. Bonds is an accomplished golfer and often plays celebrity PGA events.
He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on Oct 15, 2006.
Angelyne
Gary "U.S." Bonds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was a night cashier down at the Stop 'n' Shop
He was kinda good lookin'
And she was kinda fun
They met 'neath that big oak tree
Out where the river runs
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
Just Big Bill and Little Angelyne
She was just in from Texas, didn't know her way around
So he took her to a roadhouse on the edge of town
In the beer hall light she looked so fine
And so he popped the question that was on his mind
It was a simple affair, only a friend or two
Preacher asked if they did, they said they do
She bought two tickets with her daddy's American Express
And hopped a Greyhound bus in her wedding dress
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
Just Big Bill and Little Angelyne
In a six dollar motel with the honey bun
With seven glorious days in the Nevada sun
He played the tables, she pumped the slots full of dimes
They came back broke but they had a good time
Now many fell apart in the years come and gone
But Big Bill and Little Angel they'd last on and on
They held together when the times grew thin
A little boy that looked like her, and a girl that looked like him
So mister don't you pay it no mind
If the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
It’s Big Bill and Little Angelyne
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
Back of a Greyhound bus sat two lovers entwined
Big, Big Bill and Little Angelyne
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
In the back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
It was Big Bill and Little Angelyne
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
It’s just, Big, Big, Big Bill and Little, oh, oh
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
It’s just Big Bill and Little Angelyne
Little Angelyne, Little Angelyne
As the sun goes down
and the moonlight shines, the story of two lovers unfolds in Gary "U.S." Bonds's classic song "Angelyne". The song talks about how Big Bill, a bouncer at Tony's Body Shop, and Little Angelyne, a night cashier at the Stop 'n' Shop, fell in love. They met under a big oak tree where the river runs in a chance encounter, and from then on, their love story took off. Little Angelyne had just moved to town from Texas and didn't know her way around, so Big Bill took her to a roadhouse on the edge of town, where he proposed to her. They got married in a simple ceremony, and Little Angelyne used her daddy's American Express to buy two tickets for a Greyhound bus to Las Vegas, where they spent a week in a six-dollar motel with honey buns and nickel slots.
The song is a heartwarming tribute to true love that endures. Despite the odds stacked against them, including financial woes and societal pressure, Big Bill and Little Angelyne stuck together and raised a family. The song is a testament to the power of love and how it can conquer all hardships.
Line by Line Meaning
He was a bouncer in a joint called Tony's Body Shop
He worked as a bouncer at a place called Tony's Body Shop
She was a night cashier down at the Stop 'n' Shop
She worked as a night cashier at the Stop 'n' Shop
He was kinda good lookin'
He had a decent appearance
And she was kinda fun
She had a lively personality
They met 'neath that big oak tree
They met under a large oak tree
Out where the river runs
In a location where a river flows
She was just in from Texas, didn't know her way around
She had recently arrived from Texas and was unfamiliar with the area
So he took her to a roadhouse on the edge of town
He brought her to a roadhouse located on the outskirts of town
In the beer hall light she looked so fine
Under the dim light of the beer hall, she looked attractive
And so he popped the question that was on his mind
He asked her the question that he had been considering
It was a simple affair, only a friend or two
Their wedding was a modest occasion with only a few friends in attendance
Preacher asked if they did, they said they do
The preacher asked if they agreed to marry each other and they said yes
She bought two tickets with her daddy's American Express
Using her father's American Express card, she purchased two tickets
And hopped a Greyhound bus in her wedding dress
She boarded a Greyhound bus wearing her wedding dress
In a six dollar motel with the honey bun
They stayed at a cheap motel and shared a honey bun
With seven glorious days in the Nevada sun
They enjoyed a full week in the sun in Nevada
He played the tables, she pumped the slots full of dimes
He gambled while she played the slot machines with many small wagers
They came back broke but they had a good time
Although they returned without much money, they had an enjoyable trip
Now many fell apart in the years come and gone
While others did not last, this couple stayed together over time
But Big Bill and Little Angel they'd last on and on
Big Bill and Little Angel continued to have a long-lasting relationship
They held together when the times grew thin
During difficult times, they remained united
A little boy that looked like her, and a girl that looked like him
They had a son and daughter, each resembling one of the parents
So mister don't you pay it no mind
The listener is advised not to worry about the couple's story
If the sun goes down and the moonlight shines
During the night when the sun has set and the moon is out
Back of a Greyhound bus sit two lovers entwined
Two lovers are sitting together at the back of a Greyhound bus
It’s Big Bill and Little Angelyne
The lovers are named Big Bill and Little Angelyne
In the back of a Greyhound bus sat two lovers entwined
Two lovers sat together at the back of a Greyhound bus
Big, Big Bill and Little Angelyne
The lovers are named Big Bill and Little Angelyne
It’s just Big Bill and Little Angelyne
Only Big Bill and Little Angelyne are involved in this story
Contributed by Brayden S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.