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.
Spring Rain
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are only spring rain
(You're just seventeen)
Go ahead and cry
True love will
Come to you again
(Seventeen)
Each little shower
Helps a little flower
Like you to grow
It hurts, I know
To find the wrong ways
That love can go
Tears at anytime
Can do a good thing
(It might do you good)
Dry your pretty eyes
There's more than
One spring (dry your eyes)
When you're older
You're gonna say
That all this anguish
And pain of being seventeen
Was only spring rain
Ten and seven years
May seem the worst time
(You wait, time will tell)
Don't you waste your tears
On love the first time
(Save your tears)
When you're older
You're gonna say
That all this anguish
And pain of being seventeen
Was only spring rain
(Just spring rain)
Just spring rain
The lyrics of Pat Boone's "Spring Rain" speak of the heartbreak and anguish experienced by a young teenager who has just gone through her first heartbreak. The metaphor of spring rain is used to depict her tears and emotional turmoil, suggesting that just as rain in spring can help little flowers to grow, tears shed during this season can also help the young girl to mature and become more resilient to the ups and downs of romantic relationships. The song acknowledges that it hurts to experience the wrong ways that love can go, but urges the singer not to waste her tears on her first love, as there will be many more opportunities for her to find true love in the years to come.
The song's lyrics can be seen as a kind of gentle advice from an older, more experienced perspective, one that suggests that while the pain of heartbreak may feel overwhelming at the time, it is in fact an essential part of growing up and learning how to navigate the world of relationships. At the same time, the lyrics also suggest that the singer will eventually look back on this time in her life with a sense of fondness, recognizing that it was only a passing phase and that ultimately, "all this anguish and pain of being seventeen was only spring rain."
Line by Line Meaning
Tears at seventeen
Being young and inexperienced, it's usual for teenagers to cry when their first tries at love fail.
Are only spring rain
Just like how spring rain brings new life to flowers, this emotional moment is merely a phase which could help one to grow and mature.
Go ahead and cry
It's alright to express your feelings and let the tears fall.
True love will
You can take comfort in knowing that eventually, you'll find genuine love.
Come to you again
You'll meet someone new who will make you forget about the hurt and heartbreak.
Each little shower
Just as each raindrop helps a flower to grow, every experience that we go through can help shape us into better humans.
Helps a little flower
Just like a flower, as you get through this phase, you'll become stronger.
Like you to grow
Your difficult experiences and emotions are part of your growth process.
It hurts, I know
The pain of failed love can be difficult to bear, and it's understandable to feel hurt.
To find the wrong ways
Discovering what doesn't work is a part of learning about love and relationships.
That love can go
Love isn't always perfect, and it's possible for things to end wrong.
Tears at anytime
Crying at any time actually can be cathartic and help one to release pent up emotions.
Can do a good thing
Crying can help you to feel better, and let go of the sadness and negative emotions.
Dry your pretty eyes
Don't be sad, instead find something hopeful to look towards.
There's more than
Like spring rains bring forth new life in flowers, there will always be other opportunities for love.
One spring (dry your eyes)
This emotional moment is just a small part of life and to dry your eyes and look forward to future springs.
When you're older
Life is a series of experiences, including heartbreak, which help us to grow and develop.
You're gonna say
In the future, after gaining more experience and growing, you will look back and have a different perspective.
That all this anguish
The pain and hardship of your first relationship will feel less intense as you grow up.
And pain of being seventeen
The challenges of adolescence will fade as you transition to adulthood.
Was only spring rain
This painful moment in time will be a memory, but not a defining experience of life.
Ten and seven years
Being seventeen can be a difficult age to navigate.
May seem the worst time
It may feel like the worst age to be, but things will get better.
Don't you waste your tears
Reserve your emotions for things that are worth it, and don't waste them on things that won't matter in the long term.
On love the first time
First love may not work out, but that doesn't mean there won't be other opportunities.
(Just spring rain)
In the big picture, this hard moment is just a small part of the journey that life takes us on.
Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ruth Adele West Cole
Beautiful song. Pat has a velvety voice.
194517laci1
Thank you for uploading this beautiful song, Pat is my fav singer since 1962.
Blanka Jestrabova
Very, very nice song .. Many thanks, dear friend :-)
LOVE Pat Boone :-) ** Greetings **
Janet Nader
wow, such a velvety voice, a mixture of frank Sinatra and nat king cole......
Diane Silva
Have always loved this song
Teresa Wong
Uncle Ray Cordeiro, the longest surviving DJ in Hong Kong, plays SPRING RAIN once in a while in his Nostalgia Program ALL THE WAY WITH RAY on RTHK. Many people still remember Pat's soft romantic tone!