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.
Big Cold Wind
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It came a rolling down this hill
It passed an old pine tree
That tree is a shivering still
Now that wind was cold as it could be
But no colder than the kisses you've been giving me
They're like a big, a big, mighty big
Like a big cold wind
Ah, since your heart has turned on me
There's nothing more to say
There's someone new that you want to see
So I'll be going on my way
I'm gonna miss your kiss
And the arms that held me tight
I'm gonna miss those nights
When things were going right
But I want to tell you just before I go
That I pray your heart will never ever know
A love that turns about can freeze you out
Like a big cold wind
Ah, since your heart has turned on me
There's nothing more to say
There's someone new that you want to see
So I'll be going on my way
I'm gonna miss your kiss
And the arms that held me tight
I'm gonna miss those nights
When things were going right
But I want to tell you just before I go
That I pray your heart will never ever know
A love that turns about can freeze you out
Like a big cold wind
A love that turns about can freeze you out
Like a big cold wind
The song "Big Cold Wind" by Pat Boone tells the story of a relationship that has ended and the singer's decision to move on. The title of the song is a metaphor for the coldness and bitterness that the singer feels after being left behind. The song begins with the image of a cold wind blowing down a hill and passing a shivering pine tree, which is a representation of the singer's feelings. The singer then draws a comparison between the wind and the kisses he has received, indicating that they are just as cold and unfeeling.
The verses describe the singer's feelings towards his former lover who has now moved on to someone else. He states that there is nothing more to say and that he is going to leave. He reminisces about the times when he was with her and misses the moments when everything was going right. However, he warns her that a love that turns cold can freeze you out, like the cold wind, and wishes that her heart will never have to experience something like that.
The song is a country ballad with a slow tempo and a melancholic tone. It was written by Boone and Tom Coman and released in 1962. It was moderately successful, reaching #49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a big cold wind
Represents the change in the relationship between the singer and the person they are addressing.
It came a rolling down this hill
The change in the relationship was sudden and unexpected, just like the big cold wind that came rolling down the hill.
It passed an old pine tree
The change in the relationship affected more than just the singer and the person they are addressing, as represented by the old pine tree.
That tree is a shivering still
The old pine tree is reacting to the big cold wind, just like the artist is reacting to the change in the relationship.
Now that wind was cold as it could be
The big cold wind was extremely cold, representing how hurt the artist is by the change in the relationship.
But no colder than the kisses you've been giving me
The way the person the singer is addressing has been treating them is even colder than the big cold wind.
They're like a big, a big, mighty big
The person's cold behavior towards the singer is comparable to the big cold wind, only emphasizing how hurtful it is.
Ah, since your heart has turned on me
The change in the relationship happened because the person the artist is addressing has fallen out of love with them.
There's nothing more to say
The artist has accepted that the relationship is over and there is no hope of salvaging it.
There's someone new that you want to see
The person the artist is addressing has moved on to someone else, making it clear that the relationship is truly over.
So I'll be going on my way
The singer has decided to move on from the relationship and leave it in the past.
I'm gonna miss your kiss
Although the artist is ready to move on, they can't deny that they will miss the physical and emotional aspects of the relationship.
And the arms that held me tight
The singer will miss the comfort and security they felt when they were held by the person they are addressing.
I'm gonna miss those nights
The singer will miss the good times they shared with the person they are addressing.
When things were going right
The singer enjoyed the relationship when it was going well and they had hope for the future.
But I want to tell you just before I go
The artist wants to make one last attempt to communicate their feelings to the person they are addressing before moving on.
That I pray your heart will never ever know
The artist wants the person they are addressing to never experience the pain of being hurt like they have been.
A love that turns about can freeze you out
The sudden change in the relationship has had a major emotional impact on the singer, almost like being frozen out by a big cold wind.
Like a big cold wind
Reiterates the comparison between the change in the relationship and the big cold wind, emphasizing how much it has affected the singer.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB ELGIN, ROBERT LEE MOSLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim Hilliker
I didn't know what to expect. I had never heard this record. It's pretty good. I really love the piano part throughout the song. Pat does a good job with this tune, overall. For some reason, I don't like the way the song ends. But I enjoy listening to this one, but I'm not a huge Pat Boone fan. But, one of my friends from the class of 1962, told me her 3 favorite singers in high school were Ricky Nelson, Johnny Mathis and Pat Boone. So, it may be an age thing regarding who likes Pat Boone records.
Darryl C Preston
Somebody fairly extreme; it may have been Ozzie Osbourne, stated that Pat Boone was the nicest guy in his neighborhood. That's a great endorsement, considering the source.
Joe Loesch
Thanks for the clear and focused mono record!
Raymond Malcuit
This Song Went To Number 19 On The Billboard Hot-100 Chart In 1961.