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.
Speedy Gonzales
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I walked alone between some old adobe haciendas
Suddenly, I heard the plaintive cry of a young Mexican girl
You better come home, Speedy Gonzales
Away from tannery row
Stop all a your a-drinkin'
With that floozy named Flo
And slap some mud on the wall
The roof is leakin' like a strainer
There's loads a roaches in the hall
Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't cha come home?
Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
How come ya leave me all alone?
"Hey, Rosita, I have to go shopping downtown for my mother
She needs some tortillas and chili peppers"
Your doggy's gonna have a puppy
And we're runnin' outta Coke
No enchiladas in the icebox
And the television's broke
I saw some lipstick on your sweatshirt
I smelled some perfume in your ear
Well if you're gonna keep on messin'
Don't bring your business back a-here
Mmm, Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
Why don't cha come home?
Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
How come ya leave me all alone?
"Hey, Rosita come quick
Down at the cantina they giving green stamps with tequila"
The song "Speedy Gonzales" by Pat Boone is a tale of a Mexican girl named Rosita, who is pleading with her lover, Speedy Gonzales, to come back home to her. The song starts with a setting of a moonlit night in old Mexico. As Pat Boone sings about walking alone between some old adobe haciendas, the audience gets a sense of the romantic and lonely atmosphere. Suddenly, he hears the plaintive cry of a young Mexican girl, the girl being Rosita, who's expressing her love towards her partner, the titular character, Speedy Gonzales.
Rosita is urging her boyfriend to stop his drinking and come home as there's much to be done. She reminds him that their doggy is going to have puppies soon, and they are running out of Coke. She goes on to say that there are no enchiladas in the icebox and the television is broke, indicating that she needs him to help with chores around the house. She also notices some lipstick on his sweatshirt and smells perfume in his ear, so she's not happy about his affairs.
Overall, the song is a fun and lighthearted story of a lover pleading for her mate to return home. It's a classic tune that became famous in the 1960s and is still enjoyed by many today.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a moonlit night in old Mexico
The first line of the song sets the location of the incident, which occurred in the country of Mexico on a particular night illuminated by the moon.
I walked alone between some old adobe haciendas
The singer was strolling all by himself around some ancient and abandoned homes, typical of the architecture of Mexico, known as adobe haciendas.
Suddenly, I heard the plaintive cry of a young Mexican girl
Out of nowhere, the singer was startled when he heard a deep, sorrowful wail of a girl who seemed to be Mexican, which implies that something is upsetting her.
You better come home, Speedy Gonzales
Rosita, the Mexican girl, is calling out to her unfaithful boyfriend, Speedy Gonzales, urging him to return home immediately.
Away from tannery row
Rosita informs Speedy to abandon the 'Tannery Row', a particular section in Acuna, Mexico, known for tannery industries.
Stop all a your a-drinkin'
Rosita tells Speedy to refrain from having alcohol, implying that she suspects he has a drinking problem.
With that floozy named Flo
Rosita is unhappy that Speedy is hanging out with another girl named Flo, who she regards as a cheap woman of low morals.
Come on home to your adobe
Rosita spends half of the song pleading with Speedy to return to his house, implying that he had deserted her.
And slap some mud on the wall
The roof is possibly leaking; hence, she asks Speedy to apply some mud on it to stop the rainwater from draining into the house.
The roof is leakin' like a strainer
The song directly points out how inadequate Speedy is as a partner; the house is full of problems, such as a leaking roof, causing Rosita a lot of distress.
There's loads a roaches in the hall
The verse tells us that the adobes have become infested with cockroaches and that Rosita wants Speedy to come to do something about the problem.
Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
The chorus repeats the name of the song, which is the name of a famous cartoon character who is Mexican, hence relating to the song title.
Why don't cha come home?
The chorus sees Rosita questioning Speedy on his reasons for leaving her and urging him to return home to her.
How come ya leave me all alone?
Rosita again notices Speedy's lack of commitment and wants to know why he has chosen to abandon their relationship and leave her all alone in the house.
"Hey, Rosita, I have to go shopping downtown for my mother
She needs some tortillas, and chili peppers"
Speedy, instead of soothing Rosita's feelings, offers excuses to evade the problems at home, such as that his mother needs some things from the shopping center.
Your doggy's gonna have a puppy
The song gets comical, and Speedy's explanation is that their dog is about to give birth to some puppies, meaning they will have even more responsibility in their home.
And we're runnin' outta Coke
As if the problems at their house aren't already too many, Speedy points out yet another issue that they've run out of their favorite drink, Coke.
No enchiladas in the icebox
Speedy mentions that they have no food in the house, in this case, traditional Mexican food, enchiladas, which seems like a problem for them and is another reason why he has to leave.
And the television's broke
Explaining why he sometimes has to leave, Speedy says that their TV is broken which raises a concern for the couple as they will not have a source of entertainment.
I saw some lipstick on your sweatshirt
The song takes a dark turn, and it sounds like Rosita is suspicious of Speedy’s infidelity as she found lipstick stains on Speedy's sweatshirt.
I smelled some perfume in your ear
Adding to the previous line's suspicion, Rosita noticed perfume fragrance around Speedy’s ear possibly from a woman, which insinuates that Speedy is cheating on her.
Well, if you're gonna keep on messin'
Rosita gives Speedy a condition that if he continues his unfaithfulness, then there is no room for him in their relationship.
Don't bring your business back a-here
The final verse shows that the relationship has reached a point where Rosita demands that Speedy not come back if he doesn't change his ways.
Mmm, Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
The chorus repeats for the last time, and it signals the end of the song.
Why don't cha come home?
The song concludes with Rosita asking Speedy to come back home and work on their relationship.
Speedy Gonzales (Speedy Gonzales)
The song ends with the repetition of the cartoon character's name again.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Kaye, David Hess, Ethel Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spueman133
I heard this song at a bar in La Paz, Mexico last week. I loved it. I was born in 1969 and heard many of Mr. Boone's songs. He is a legend.
@sheltonjayaweera6943
I agree for it
@Gargattina
Needs to be celebrated also in 2022! 😍♥️♥️♥️ Fantastic Pat Boone!!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️ Thank you!
@jrgboy
Don't forget Mel Blanc..
@stephenholloway6893
@jrgboy And don't forget Robin Ward doing the La La Las.
@ErnestoChirico
Grande Pat. En mi juventud alla por los años 60 este era uno de los Mayores Exitos tuyos. Gracias por tu musica.
@Victor77070
I’m Mexican and I approve of this song — even my culture loves this song so much that a Mexican singer did a cover in español !!!
@FrancescoAlcozer
Larga vida a México, tierra de grandes músicos. Saludos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcXEVfdnu5E MEXICO Guitarra solista al estilo de The Ventures
@doboyle1955
I Bien, y muy bien, gracias !
@tintinfan007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apHaiJ1J4NI&ab_channel=TintinFan