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.
Sugar Moon
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come out tonight
Bring me your glow
Of angel light
Here in my arms
Our love will bloom
If you will shine
While you shine down from up above
I'll hold her close and talk sweet love
And in your glow
We'll hear love's tune
Then she'll be mine
Oh, sugar moon
The song "Sugar Moon" is a romantic song where the singer is asking the "sugar moon" to come out and brighten up the night. The "sugar moon" is a reference to the full moon in spring, which is often associated with the time of year when the maple sap is harvested to create maple syrup, hence the name "sugar" moon. The lyrics suggest that the singer is hoping the moon's light will create a romantic setting for him and his lover to bask in its glow. If this happens, then their love will bloom and they will be together forever.
The moon's light is also symbolically associated with an "angel light," which suggests that the singer hopes his love will be pure and divine. The use of the word "angel" also sets an ethereal tone that adds to the song's dreamy quality. The singer imagines holding his lover close while they are bathed in the moon's light, talking sweet nothings and hearing love's tune. He becomes convinced that if the sugar moon shines down on them, she will be his forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, sugar moon
Addressing the moon and requesting it to come out tonight
Come out tonight
Requesting the moon to appear tonight
Bring me your glow
Asking the moon to emit its light
Of angel light
Comparing the moon's light to that of an angel's
Here in my arms
Expressing the desire to hold one's lover
Our love will bloom
Anticipating that their love will flourish
If you will shine
Contingent upon the moon emitting its glow
Oh, sugar moon
Repeating the initial request for the moon to appear
While you shine down from up above
Acknowledging the moon's position in the sky
I'll hold her close and talk sweet love
Sharing intimate moments with one's partner
And in your glow
Hoping to experience the effects of the moon's light
We'll hear love's tune
Suggesting that their love will be in harmony
Then she'll be mine
Expressing the hope that the person they love will belong to them
Oh, sugar moon
Closing the song with a repetition of the initial request for the moon to appear
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANNY WOLFE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gustavo Del Castillo
Maravillosa voz y estilo de Pat Boone,gracias ,inolvidable para nuestra juventud.
WendyKS93
My personal favorite by Pat Boone. Such a fantastic voice and the song is so slow and dreamy. I never get tired of listening to wonderful music like this.
shatinterry
A soothing voice from Mr. Pat Boone !!
lateforbreakfast
Certainly a laid back presentation of a song, Pat Boone croons this one as though he is about to go to sleep at any second, why he even out does Perry Como the master of sleepy croon.
metso grand
Why this version has not been picked up by a confectioner company is beyond me ?
catdustycat
I still have the 45 rpm bought in 1958.. Side A - " Cherie I Love You " + Side B " Sugar Moon" one of my Favorite Pat Boone records - Tom B - Low-Slow Delaware via Brooklyn NY
Ali Huddin Junus
you are lucky still keeping those record player 45rpm my almost gone
Robert Huge
Sugar looks, sugar voice...sugar moon!
59cadcoupe
Smooth as warm honey,,,,
MrJamieMurph4141969
I also know a polka like waltz, by Dick Rogers,"Yellow Moon," with a pretty similar feeling--"Oh, yellow moon, shine down on me, so when we kiss, she won't resist, you see," just that "superstition," or "old wives'tale,"call it what you will, that moonlight can magically make a man win "the honey of his dreams."