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.
Blue Bobby Socks
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're blue because you're lonely
Blue bobby socks
You've lost your one and only
He used to walk you home from school
And now you walk alone
He gave his heart to someone else
Gone is all the love you've known
Blue bobby socks
I know how much you miss him
Blue bobby socks
Your lips still long to kiss him
But someday you'll find someone new
Who'll love you with a heart that's true
Then they won't call you
Blue bobby socks again.
In Pat Boone's song "Blue Bobby Socks," the singer addresses a pair of blue bobby socks, expressing sympathies for the loneliness the socks are feeling since they have lost their one and only. The one who always used to walk the socks home from school has given his heart to someone else, and now the socks have to walk alone. The socks are mourning the love they used to know, and the sadness of their state has made them blue.
The singer knows how much the socks are missing their loved one, and how they’re longing for his kiss. However, he assures the socks by saying that someday they will meet someone new, who will love them with a heart that’s true. This will take away their loneliness and bring back the warmth of love in their lives. They will forget the old love and will not be blue bobby socks again.
The song represents the innocent teenage love of the 1950s, where the bobby socks were an iconic fashion item. The lyrics of the song are full of nostalgia for a simpler time and reflect the true emotions and feelings of many young people who felt the pangs of love and heartbreak in their teenage years.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue bobby socks
The singer is addressing a pair of blue bobby socks and using them as a symbol for the loneliness and heartache felt by someone who has been dumped by their significant other.
You're blue because you're lonely
The reason the socks are colored blue is to symbolize the feeling of being 'blue' or sad that comes with being lonely after losing one's special someone.
You've lost your one and only
The socks have lost their love and are no longer with their 'one and only' special someone, leaving them lonely.
He used to walk you home from school
The person who left the socks used to walk them home from school, but no longer does, leaving the socks to walk home alone.
And now you walk alone
The socks are now walking home from school all by themselves, feeling the loneliness that comes with losing a loved one.
He gave his heart to someone else
The reason the socks are lonely is that their special someone gave their heart to someone else, leaving the socks behind.
Gone is all the love you've known
The socks have lost all the love that they once had and are now left with only loneliness.
I know how much you miss him
The artist acknowledges that the socks miss their special someone and the love that they once had.
Your lips still long to kiss him
The socks still desire to kiss their special someone and miss the intimate aspect of their lost relationship.
But someday you'll find someone new
The artist provides the socks with hope for the future, suggesting that they will find a new love interest who will give them the love and attention they deserve.
Who'll love you with a heart that's true
The singer predicts that the new love interest that the socks will find in the future will love them with a true and genuine heart.
Then they won't call you Blue bobby socks again.
The artist concludes by suggesting that once the socks have found a new love interest, they will no longer be blue or lonely, and will once again be happy - as evidenced by the fact that they won't be called 'blue bobby socks' again.
Writer(s): David Hal, Falco Anthony M, Falco Ralph
Contributed by Max M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bill Busse
This is on a multitude of Pat's Gold , Greatest Hits, etc LPs from Japan....where it must have been a big hit single. I've the original Japanese release with picture cover.
木下和男
パットブーンの歌で私の中ではベスト3に入る曲です。大好きでした。コミカルな曲も悪くはないけど、この曲の様なバラードが好きです😃
Bill Busse
This was never released as a single in the US by Pat but was a single by Wink Martindale with picture sleeve.
David Chernofsky
Believe it not this song is written by the legendary Hal David
mewojdjdj
thank u