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.
With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair
Pat Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I dream of you yet
With the wind and the rain in your hair
I held you tight
And you whispered good night
With the wind and the rain in your hair
Now it will be my favorite memory
That vision of you standing there
Oh, there in the mist
How you sighed when we kissed
With the wind and the rain in your hair
[Chorus]
Mm, there in the mist
How you sighed when we kissed
With the wind and the rain in your hair
The lyrics to Pat Boone's "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair" are a nostalgic recollection of a romantic encounter. The singer reminisces about meeting a woman who left a lasting impression on him, even though the encounter was brief. The vivid imagery of wind and rain in her hair suggests a sense of drama and emotion in their encounter.
The first verse sets the scene and the tone of the song. The singer recalls meeting the woman last night and how he still dreams of her, suggesting that the encounter was significant for him. The second verse describes a moment of intimacy where they held each other tightly and she whispered good night. The repetition of the phrase "With the wind and the rain in your hair" emphasizes the romantic and dreamy nature of the encounter.
The chorus reveals that this encounter will be a cherished memory for the singer. The vision of her standing there, perhaps in the rain or mist, has made an indelible impression on him. The final verse repeats the image of wind and rain in her hair during a kiss, suggesting that this fleeting moment has left a powerful and lasting impact on him.
Overall, "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair" is a wistful and romantic song that captures the essence of a fleeting encounter that leaves a lasting impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night we met
I am reminiscing about the night when we first met.
And I dream of you yet
I still have dreams about you, even after all this time.
With the wind and the rain in your hair
Despite the harsh weather conditions, you were still beautiful and captivating.
I held you tight
I embraced you closely and didn't want to let go.
And you whispered good night
Before we parted ways for the night, you softly spoke words of farewell to me.
Now it will be my favorite memory
This memory will forever hold a special place in my heart and mind.
That vision of you standing there
The image of you standing before me, under the rain and wind, is something I will never forget.
Oh, there in the mist
You looked even more alluring and mysterious in the midst of the mist.
How you sighed when we kissed
The way you exhaled softly as we shared a kiss made the moment even more romantic and intimate.
With the wind and the rain in your hair
Despite the harsh weather conditions, you were still beautiful and captivating (repeated from earlier in the song).
Now it will be my favorite memory
This memory will forever hold a special place in my heart and mind (repeated from earlier in the song).
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARA EDWARDS, JACK LAWRENCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joe Charrette
On the B side, Pat channeled (or attempted to) his inner Wynonie Harris with his cover of "Good Rockin' Tonight", just barely breaking the Billboard Top 50.
Gary K. Nedrow
This song was composed in 1930 as a jazz number by Clara Edwards (her most successful song), but it didn't become popular until Bob Cosby and Kay Kyser and their orchestras revived it in 1940 as an uptempo dance tune. It is played during the opening credits of the film classic, "The Lady Eve." Pat Boone revived it again, but as a ballad, in 1959, emphasizing Lawrence's dreamy lyrics, and it became a big hit. Note Boone's amazing range; on the high and low notes, the warmth and resonance of his voice remains. Teenagers still knew how to waltz in 1959, and this song was a favorite at gym dances for the romantically inclined. Even boys with two left feet could dance to this one.
Jim Hilliker
I like it, romantic sound. Now, I hope to kiss a woman as we stand in the wind and the rain.
Thomas Hoffmann 1
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