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.
If Dreams Came True
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If dreams came true, dear
I'd dream you everything
That you would always
Be happy as a king
If dreams came true, dear
Just song and laughter
To keep you company
Oh my darling, oh my lover
In your heart you would soon discover
Song and laughter ever after
From the dreaming I'd do
If dreams came true
If dreams came true, dear
I'd dream you paradise
A moonlit garden
And stars to match your eyes
But as for me, dear
My world is all agleam
For I have you, dear
And have no need to dream
Oh my darling, oh my lover
In your arms is where I discover
More than moonlight, more than starlight
More than dreaming could do
If dreams came true
The lyrics of Pat Boone’s “If Dreams Came True” are a romantic expression of the singer’s love and devotion for his significant other. The song describes his desire for a world where he could provide everything his lover could ever want or need, a world that is free of troubles, full of joy, and a lifetime of happiness. From the very first line, “Oh my darling, oh my lover,” Boone’s passionate emotions are on full display. He dreamily sings about the perfect life he envisions for his loved one, “If dreams came true, dear I'd dream you everything That you would always Be happy as a king...”
The second verse continues the theme of perfection and illustrates how he would create an even more beautiful world for his lover, “If dreams came true, dear, I'd dream you paradise, A moonlit garden, And stars to match your eyes...” Boone’s love is so strong that he feels he can create a better world for his lover with his dreams. Although the lyrics are almost a bit overly idealistic, they are a reflection of the depth of his feelings.
The final verse ties everything together and reveals the ultimate truth in the singer’s mind. Despite all his dreams of creating the perfect world for his lover, the reality is that he already has everything he needs in her love, “But as for me, dear, My world is all agleam, For I have you, dear, And have no need to dream…” In these few lines, we understand that no matter how amazing the world he could create, it pales in comparison to the love he has found.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my darling, oh my lover
Addressing the loved one affectionately
If dreams came true, dear
Expressing a hypothetical scenario
I'd dream you everything
Wishing for the loved one's happiness
That you would always
Wishing for a permanent state of happiness
Be happy as a king
Wishing for the highest level of happiness
If dreams came true, dear
Reiterating the hypothetical scenario
No trouble would you see
Wishing for the absence of problems
Just song and laughter
Wishing for joy and merriment
To keep you company
Wishing for a pleasant company
Oh my darling, oh my lover
Addressing the loved one affectionately
In your heart you would soon discover
Asserting the effectiveness of the dream
Song and laughter ever after
Wishing for a lifetime of joyfulness
From the dreaming I'd do
Stating the source of the dream
If dreams came true
Reiterating the hypothetical scenario
I'd dream you paradise
Wishing for a perfect world
A moonlit garden
Wishing for a romantic place
And stars to match your eyes
Wishing for a beautiful view
But as for me, dear
Stating the singer's contentment
My world is all agleam
Describing the singer's euphoria
For I have you, dear
Stating the reason for contentment
And have no need to dream
Asserting the fulfillment of wishes
Oh my darling, oh my lover
Addressing the loved one affectionately
In your arms is where I discover
Describing the place of happiness
More than moonlight, more than starlight
Describing the value of the loved one
More than dreaming could do
Asserting the superiority of reality over dreams
If dreams came true
Reiterating the hypothetical scenario
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BENNY GOODMAN, EDGAR SAMPSON, IRVING MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Charlie Harnett
Very romantic song with very touching words, Pat Boone one of my all time favorite singers.
George Phinn
Such a beautiful song makes you want to be 18 all over again - those innocent years when you secretly love someone but couldn’t tell them - remember those days - we all did - those were the days
George Phinn
Such a beautiful love song - they don’t sing them like that anymore - those were the days when Love was innocent - true and pure - to be young again and in love - we all can dream can’t we. If dreams came true what a wonderful life we would all have
lucy bird
My young teen heart throb ... way back when. Wonderful years!
QUEEN OF ALL HIGH AND LOW
I'm so in love with this beautiful song
mrob75
This was the summer of 1958. The flip side of this pretty ballad was a kind of Pat Boone rocker style: “That’s How Much I Love You” which had been a big hit especially for Eddy Arnold back in the 1940s.
Robert Huge
he does commercials now but back in the day he was Elvis' counterpart. That we had both of them at the same time...what a dream that was.
Liz Doyle
Dreams do come true 💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘💘⚘
Isketam Bola
Bestt