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.
Gone Fishin
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anytime he can't be found, we know just where to look:
Gone fishin', there's a sign upon his door
Gone fishin', he ain't workin' anymore
There's his hoe out in the sun where he left a row half done
He said "hoein' ain't no fun", he ain't got no ambition
Gone fishin' by a shady wady pool
I'd say no more work for mine on my door I'd hang a sign
Gone fishin' Instead of just a wishin'
Gone fishin'. . .see him snoozin' by a brook
Gone fishin'. . .didn't even bait his hook
There's his hound dog by his side fleas are bitin' at his hide
He won't scratch 'em he's to tired he ain't got no ambition
Gone fishin'. . .learnin' fishin' worms to swim
I'm wishin. . .he wuz me and I wuz him
Wish I had a plane to fly here's what I'd write in the sky
Gone' fishin'. . .instead of jest awishin'
Gone fishin'. . . he don't worry 'bout no wars
Gone fishin'. . .left his wife to do the chores
Cows need milkin' in the barn but he jest don't give a darn
See his fishin' pole is gone he's on a secret mission
Gone fishin'. . .out where peace has never died
I'm wishin'. . .all the world was by his side
Then our guns we'd throw away grab a fishin' pole and say
The lyrics to Pat Boone's song "Gone Fishin'" describe a man who is lazy but loveable. The singer and the listeners know where to find him whenever he can't be found. The man’s laziness is emphasized when it is mentioned that he left a row half-done in the garden and doesn't have any ambition to deal with it. However, instead of feeling sorry for him, the singer wishes he could be like him as he finds fishing to be a perfect escape from work and everyday life. The music and lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man who has found the perfect place to relax and enjoy himself.
The song is a fun and lighthearted tune that emphasizes the importance of taking time out of our busy lives to relax and enjoy nature. The lyrics provide a humorous commentary on people who become too busy and stressed out by everyday life that they forget to take some time off to enjoy themselves. The song also celebrates the joys of being outdoors and taking part in one of the most popular leisure activities in the world, fishing. Through the words of the song, the singer encourages people to slow down and take life easy, just like the man who has gone fishing.
Line by Line Meaning
He's lazy, but he's lovable, we know him like a book
He may not be the most hardworking person, but we accept him for who he is and can predict his behavior.
Gone fishin', there's a sign upon his door
He is taking a break from work to go fishing, as indicated by the sign on his door.
Gone fishin', he ain't workin' anymore
He has stopped working and is focusing on his fishing trip.
There's his hoe out in the sun where he left a row half done
He started working on his garden, but then decided it wasn't enjoyable and left it unfinished.
He said "hoein' ain't no fun", he ain't got no ambition
He admitted that he doesn't find gardening enjoyable and lacks the motivation to continue.
Gone fishin' by a shady wady pool
He is currently fishing at a peaceful and relaxing location.
I'm wishin' I could be that kinda fool
Despite knowing that fishing may be a waste of time, the singer wishes they could enjoy it as much as the person who's gone fishing.
I'd say no more work for mine, on my door I'd hang a sign
If the artist could, they would hang a sign indicating they're not working, just like the person who's gone fishing.
Gone fishin', Instead of just a wishin'
The artist wishes they could also take a break from work and go fishing, instead of just daydreaming about it.
Gone fishin'. . .see him snoozin' by a brook
The person who's gone fishing looks peaceful and relaxed, taking a nap by a body of water.
Gone fishin'. . .didn't even bait his hook
He's so confident in his fishing skills that he hasn't even bothered to bait his hook.
There's his hound dog by his side fleas are bitin' at his hide
The person who's gone fishing has brought along his loyal dog, who unfortunately is getting bitten by fleas.
He won't scratch 'em he's too tired, he ain't got no ambition
The person who's gone fishing is too tired to help his dog, and this further highlights his lack of motivation.
Gone fishin'. . .learnin' fishin' worms to swim
The person who's gone fishing is trying to learn more about fishing, even delving into the habits of the worms used as bait.
I'm wishin'. . .he wuz me and I wuz him
The singer wishes they could switch places with the person who's gone fishing and share in his peaceful and carefree lifestyle.
Wish I had a plane to fly, here's what I'd write in the sky
The artist wishes they had the resources to make a grand gesture, such as writing a message in the sky.
Gone' fishin'. . .instead of just a wishin'
The artist wishes they could also take a break from work and go fishing, instead of just fantasizing about it.
Gone fishin'. . . he don't worry 'bout no wars
The person who's gone fishing is not concerned with the conflicts happening in the world and is choosing to focus on his own peace and enjoyment.
Gone fishin'. . .left his wife to do the chores
The person who's gone fishing has left all the household responsibilities to his wife while he's taking a break.
Cows need milkin' in the barn but he jest don't give a darn
Despite knowing that his cows need milking, he doesn't care and has chosen to prioritize his own leisure time.
See his fishin' pole is gone, he's on a secret mission
The person who's gone fishing has taken his fishing pole with him, but it's possible that he's also doing something secretive and unknown to others.
Gone fishin'. . .out where peace has never died
The person who's gone fishing has found a peaceful location, away from the noise and chaos of the world.
I'm wishin'. . .all the world was by his side
The singer wishes that everyone could join the person who's gone fishing and experience a similar sense of peace and relaxation.
Then our guns we'd throw away, grab a fishin' pole and say
If everyone could experience the same tranquility as the person who's gone fishing, they would no longer feel the need for violence and warfare.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: CHARLES F KENNY, NICK A KENNY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LoveTheOConnor
What a fun song! Love it, Jim!! Love all your great backgrounds, and the clip is perfect!! Thanks so much for sharing! As always, you brightened my day :))
maureen1938
It's lovely to hear this lovely 'oldie' again. Thanks for sharing.
Roberto Andreotti
Pat Boone è il primo "crooner" che ho seguito: in assoluto Bernardine e Love letters in the Sand i primi due successi approdati in Italia: dopo i miei gusti sono approdati al jazz ma Pat mi riporta al periodo felice della adolescenza🌈
Blanka Jestrabova
WONDERFUL !!!
nipstertunes
I'm so glad you liked it! His version of the Bing Crosby hit. Thank you so much for watching and listening! Jim
nipstertunes
Yes, the lovely Sophia Loren from the film "Grumpier Old Men"! Ha! I love that movie! So glad you enjoyed it, Heather! Thank you so much for taking the time to watch it and for leaving me such a nice comment! Jim
nipstertunes
You are very welcome! Thank you so much for listening to it! Jim