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.
Wang Dang Taffy Apple Tango
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
-Artist: Pat Boone from "Pat Boone's Greatest Hits"-Dot DLP 25455
-peak Billboard position # 62 in 1959
-Words and Music by J. Leslie McFarland and Aaron H. Schroeder
(Ooh)
They did the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(Heel and toe?) I don't know
Last night at Papa Joe's my buddy met a lovely dove
She was the kind you never find but keep on dreamin' of
She did a dance we never saw before but sure did love
It was the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(Fast or slow?) I don't know (ooh)
Ooh la la la la la la la
(Ooh la la la la la la)
The crowd was tappin' and a-clappin' as the music played
His heart was right in time with every little move she made
Though he was shy she took his hand and said "Don't be afraid"
"Let's do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(Nice and slow?) I don't know
Ooh la la la la la la la
(Ooh la la la la la la)
He did a spin and shook his shoulder
To get the zing of it, the sway and swing of it
But every time he tried to hold her
She'd shake and shout "Olé", (Olé) then go the other way
Now all night long he did it wrong but still it ended right
My buddy walked her home and got a kiss and held her tight
So you can bet he'll be at Papa Joe's tomorrow night
To do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(To and fro?) I don't know
Ooh la la la la la la la
Now all night long?he did it wrong ?it ended right?.they kissed goodnight
So you can bet he'll be at Papa Joe's tomorrow night
To do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(How's it go?) I'm a no gonna say!!
Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
FADE
Tang Wang Mambo Cha Cha Cha
Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
Transcribed by Robin Hood
These lyrics were transcribed from the specific recording mentioned above
and do not necessarily correspond with lyrics from other recordings, sheet
music, songbooks or lyrics printed on album jackets.
The Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango (Mambo Cha Cha Cha) is a lively and upbeat song that tells the story of a man who meets a beautiful woman at a nightclub and they dance together. The song starts with the man's narration, where he first speaks about his friend who met a lovely woman at Papa Joe's nightclub the previous night. She does a dance, which they have never seen before but loved, and it's called the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha. The man is uncertain about the dance style and puts his doubts out by asking "Heel and toe? Fast or slow? Nice and slow? To and fro? How's it go? I'm a no gonna say!!"
The music plays throughout the song, and the crowd is tapping and clapping along. The man becomes shy as he takes the woman's hand to dance but eventually gets into the rhythm of the dance, trying to hold the woman, but she shakes and shouts "Olé," then goes the other way. Despite his repeated wrong efforts, the night ends right and signifies that he'll be coming back tomorrow night to do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha again. The song has elements of Latin music, dance, romance, and a party and adds a flavor of fun with the melodic lines.
Line by Line Meaning
(Ooh) They did the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
They danced the unique and exciting Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
They did the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
They performed the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango while accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of the Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(Heel and toe?) I don't know
The singer is unsure of the specific dance moves involved
Last night at Papa Joe's my buddy met a lovely dove
The artist's friend met a beautiful woman at a local bar named Papa Joe's
She was the kind you never find but keep on dreamin' of
The woman was the type that people dream of meeting but rarely do
She did a dance we never saw before but sure did love
The woman performed a dance that the singer and his friend had never seen but found enjoyable
It was the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
The dance she performed was the unique and exciting Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango accompanied by the Mambo Cha Cha Cha
(Fast or slow?) I don't know (ooh)
The artist is uncertain about the speed of the dance
The crowd was tappin' and a-clappin' as the music played
The audience at Papa Joe's was happily tapping and clapping along to the music
His heart was right in time with every little move she made
The artist's friend was completely captivated by the woman's every movement
Though he was shy she took his hand and said "Don't be afraid"
The woman sensed the man's shyness and encouraged him to join her in the dance
"Let's do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
The woman suggested they perform the exciting and unique dance
(Nice and slow?) I don't know
The singer is still uncertain about the speed of the dance
He did a spin and shook his shoulder
The singer's friend attempted to add some flair to his dance moves by spinning and shaking his shoulder
To get the zing of it, the sway and swing of it
He was attempting to fully embrace the unique style of the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
But every time he tried to hold her
Despite his efforts, the woman he was dancing with was difficult to hold onto
She'd shake and shout "Olé", (Olé) then go the other way
The woman would shout out a celebratory exclamation and then quickly change direction while dancing
Now all night long he did it wrong but still it ended right
Despite making mistakes throughout the dance, the singer's friend still managed to have a successful night with the woman he met at Papa Joe's
My buddy walked her home and got a kiss and held her tight
The singer's friend was able to walk the woman he met home, and they kissed and held each other closely
So you can bet he'll be at Papa Joe's tomorrow night
The artist is confident that his friend will return to Papa Joe's the following night
To do the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha
His friend will return to the bar to perform the exciting and unique dance once again
(To and fro?) I don't know
The artist is still unsure about the specific movements involved in the dance
Ooh la la la la la la la
A celebratory, rhythmic phrase used throughout the song
An instrumental break in the song without any lyrics
Now all night long?he did it wrong ?it ended right?.they kissed goodnight
A repetition of an earlier idea, emphasizing that despite making mistakes with his dancing, the singer's friend still had a successful night with the woman he met at Papa Joe's
(How's it go?) I'm a no gonna say!!
The singer refuses to divulge the specific movements involved in the Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
Repetition of the unique name of the dance
FADE
An instruction for the music to fade out
Tang Wang Mambo Cha Cha Cha
A rhythmic variation of the title dance
Wang Dang Taffy-Apple Tango
Repetition of the unique name of the dance
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AARON SCHROEDER, J. LESLIE MCFARLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nathaliek9451
this was my dad's 45... I remember listening to it and practicing dance moves to it <3
@linuxtuxvolds5917
Fallout New Vegas introduced me to the song name... Fallout New Vegas Radio Extended introduced me to the song itself, now I'm addicted.
@KevinWickerProductions
Love this record!
@richardfisher671
I had forgotten this song. I loved it.
@adalinezalkin7224
I love this song I could never get it out of my head all these years. Must’ve been written by a jingle writer
@194517laci1
This song reminds me to my youth in the secondary scool. I like this song, Pat is my faf singer.
@RenyJuta
one of my favorite songs when I was a kid, thanks for uploading!
@DaMagnumguy
I wore out my copy eons ago
@inerd77
Greetings. Fisto is programmed to please.
@MarkAStuart
This is the song that started it all for me with my deep music appreciation. I was about 3 or 4 when I first heard it, almost 50 now. I still have the 45, but not in such good shape. Thanks for uploading! Nice work on the video images too.