Born in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Boone is a direct descendant of the American pioneer Daniel Boone. He grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, attended David Lipscomb College and began recording in 1954 for Republic Records. His 1955 version of "Ain't That a Shame" was a huge hit, selling far better than Fats Domino's original version. This set the stage for the early part of Boone's career, which focused on covering R&B songs by black artists for a white market. Previously, rock 'n' roll had had only limited exposure outside of the African American community. Pat Boone's pale covers gave attention to the more authentic original artists, such as Little Richard and Fats Domino and to rhythm and blues in general. In addition, the songwriters and copyright holders benefited even when individual artists did not.
In fact, only six of Boone's many hit singles were R&B covers, and only four of those were rockers. All were released in the first two years of his long career. These were "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino and "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard, and "At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama)" by the El Dorados. The other two R&B covers were well-chosen blues ballads, "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Ivory Joe Hunter and "Chains of Love," a hit for Big Joe Turner and later B.B. King that had been written by Ahmet Ertegun. By 1957, Boone was concentrating on the middle-of-the-road music that dominated his career. He never recorded another R&B cover.
Known as "The Kid in White Buck Shoes", Boone sported a clean-cut image that appealed to white [teens]] and parents. His singing style, a rich baritone, followed in the tradition of his idol, Bing Crosby. Preferring to carry on in the Crosby tradition, he soon began turning more and more to ballads. Some of his biggest hits included "Love Letters in the Sand" (with the instrumental break featuring Boone's whistling), "April Love", "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)", and "Don't Forbid Me".
His teen idol popularity in the late 1950s was second only to that of Elvis Presley, and, like Presley, he soon tried his hand at acting. Boone's pictures included 1960's Journey to the Center of the Earth alongside Hollywood notable James Mason.
His recording of the theme song from the 1957 film April Love topped the charts for six weeks and was nominated for an Academy Award. Pat also wrote the theme song for the movie Exodus.
A devout born-again Christian, he was raised in the conservative Church of Christ, but has been a member of a Pentecostal church for more than thirty years. Boone has refused both songs and movie roles that he felt might compromise his standards, including a role opposite the decade's reigning sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe. Among his other achievements, he hosted a TV series in the late 1950s and began writing in the early 1960s, a series of self-help books for adolescents, including Twixt Twelve and Twenty.
The British Invasion effectively ended Boone's career as a hitmaker, though he continued recording throughout the 1960s. In the 1970s, he switched to gospel and country, and he continued performing in other media as well, most importantly radio. He is currently working as the disc jockey of a popular oldies radio show and runs his own record company which provides a much-welcomed outlet for new recordings by 1950s greats who can no longer find a place with the major labels.
Boone married Shirley Lee Foley, daughter of country music great Red Foley and singer Judy Martin, in 1953 and they had four daughters: Cherry, Lindy, Debby, and Laury. In the 1960s and 1970s the Boone family toured as gospel singers and made gospel albums, such as The Pat Boone Family and The Family Who Prays.
In the early 1990s, Boone joined Amway and spoke at many motivational seminars. He was also a distributor. He never reached the coveted Amway rank of Diamond.
In 1997, Boone released In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, a collection of heavy metal covers revamped to fit his style. To promote the album, he appeared at the American Music Awards in black leather, shocking audiences and losing his respectability among his largest constituency, conservative Christians. He was then fired from Gospel America, a TV show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. About a year later, the controversy died down and many fans, including Jack Hayford, accepted his explanation of the leather outfit being a "parody of himself". He was re-hired by Trinity Broadcasting and Gospel America was brought back.
In 2003, the Gospel Music Association of Nashville, Tennessee recognized his gospel recording work by inducting him into its Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Boone and his wife live in Los Angeles, California. They are members of The Church on the Way in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley. His one-time neighbor was Ozzy Osbourne and his family. Boone's cover of Osborne's song "Crazy Train" became the theme song for The Osbornes. (It appears on The Osbornes Soundrack.) Osborne said that Boone "never complained once" about living next door to his less-than-traditional family.
Boone once claimed to use his own surname in lieu of curse words when upset.
In 2006, Boone penned an article for WorldNetDaily in which he argued that Democrats and others who are against the Iraq War cannot, under any circumstances, be considered patriotic. He also recently was interviewed by Neil Cavuto on Fox News, where he expressed his outrage against the opponents of George W. Bush (namely the Dixie Chicks) that their criticisms of the President showed they did not "respect their elders". Another article defended Mel Gibson after the actor was recorded making an anti-Semitic rant. Despite their differing political views, Pat Boone is friends with the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
At My Front Door
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crazy little mama come knocking, knocking at my front door
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
Woke up this morning with a feeling of despair looking for my baby and she wasn't there
Heard someone knocking and much to my surprise
There stood my baby looking in my eyes
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
If you got a little mama and ya want to keep her neat
Keep your little mama off my street
Same thing will happen like it did before
She'll come knock, knock, knocking at my door
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
[Chorus]
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
Crazy little mama come knocking, knocking at my front door door door
Crazy little mama come knocking, knocking at my front door
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
[Chorus]
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
The lyrics of Pat Boone's song "At My Front Door" describe an unwelcome visitor, a "crazy little mama" who keeps knocking at the singer's front door. The singer wakes up feeling alone and desperate, looking for his baby who is nowhere to be found. Then he hears a knock at the door and sees the "crazy little mama" who has come back yet again. The chorus warns others to keep their "little mama" away from the singer's street or they'll face the same situation.
While the lyrics may seem lighthearted and humorous on the surface, they touch on themes of love and loyalty. The singer's desperation for his missing baby suggests a deep emotional attachment, while the warning to others about keeping their "little mama" off his street suggests a possessiveness over his partner.
Interestingly, the song's repetitive structure and catchy melody were intended to mimic a scene from a popular movie at the time, with the chorus meant to mimic the sound of a cash register opening and closing.
Line by Line Meaning
Crazy little mama come knocking, knocking at my front door door door
A girl who is not in a stable relationship comes to my front door unexpectedly and repeatedly.
Crazy little mama come knocking, knocking at my front door
A girl who is not in a stable relationship comes to my front door unexpectedly.
Crazy little mama come knock, knock, knocking, just like she did before
The girl comes knocking on my door repeatedly, just like she did in the past.
Woke up this morning with a feeling of despair looking for my baby and she wasn't there
I woke up feeling sad because I was looking for my girlfriend but she was not around me.
Heard someone knocking and much to my surprise
I was surprised to hear someone knocking on my door.
There stood my baby looking in my eyes
I saw my girlfriend standing in front of me and looking at me directly.
If you got a little mama and ya want to keep her neat
If you have a girlfriend and you want to keep her in good condition and in a stable relationship,
Keep your little mama off my street
keep your girlfriend away from me and my unpredictable love life.
Same thing will happen like it did before
If your girlfriend comes to my door repeatedly, I will have the same problem as before.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management
Written by: EWART G. JR. ABNER, JOHNNY MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
onthegoldenline
Actually it's not too bad (it's the first time I've heard it). Ace Cannon on sax?
THOMAS HOFFELDER
DAVE PELL
roguejulie
ShaNaNa does a really good version of this, too.
tricky dick
I think much of the criticism toward Boone's covers derives from the fact that his recordings sound so much cleaner than the originals recorded in a closet-like studio. But that is more a question of recording facilities than musicality. Boone was a very good singer, with a cleaner voice than many black singers (and also white ones). But that it is not necessarily a disadvantage: it's more a question of style. And he has style, in my opinion. One wonders though if his choice of songs was always the right one: but if he made money out of it, so he was right.
1lenny
Well said tricky dick.Thanks for your kind words. I also like Pat's style.
mrob75
Some of the on-line stations (like Sirrus) play a mix of pop covers as well as the original R & B versions. Here in the southwest, we have an A. M. station that plays both as well. Many folks who grew up in that early 50s pop sound (right before Rock and Roll) have fond memories of those pop performers...Pat Boone, Gale Storm, Georgia Gibbs) Georgia even did a version of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" !
mrob75
LOL I would be one of those "not everyone"....I like Pat's version here! As a matter of fact I bought it on 45 as well as "Tutti Frutti" :-) I really think that comparing original R & B versions to these Pop covers is comparing apples to oranges....Each in their own right had their own merit. As much as I loved Lavern Baker's "Tweedle Dee" I also loved Georgia Gibb's pop version as well...Each had it's different style. (jmo)
MrCharliedub1
when you are sad , just play this loud ,and it will make you feel good just like the sun is out and you feel happy and good , enjoy your life as you only have one go at it so enjoy life love and peace to all 29/10/20
MrCharliedub1
@1lenny you know that music will give you that bit of lift just when you are down , so keep on rocking :)
1lenny
I feel better already. You're right! Thanks for the advice and your comment. Thanks for listening:))