Wayne's severe asthma forced the family to move to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1952. In the spring of 1958, toward the end of Wayne's junior year in high school, a Las Vegas booking agent saw a local TV show on which the two Newton brothers were performing and took them back with him for an audition. Originally signed for two weeks, the two brothers eventually performed for five years, doing six shows a day.
Newton achieved nationwide recognition on September 29, 1962, when he and his brother performed on The Jackie Gleason Show. He would perform on Gleason's show 12 times over the following two years.
Many other entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Bobby Darin, Danny Thomas, George Burns, and Jack Benny lent Newton their support. In particular, Benny hired Newton as an opening act for his show.
After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the Flamingo Hotel, but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act.
In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust, calling for him to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week in a showroom named after him. In 2005, in preparation for the eventual demolition of the casino, the deal was, from all reports, amicably terminated; Newton began a 30-show stint that summer at the Hilton. His last show at the Stardust was on April 20, 2005. During a break in his on stage performance, he announced to the crowd that night he wanted to spend more time with his wife and new daughter as the main reasonings for cancelling the contract. Newton said the Boyd family made him a very nice offer to stay on past the demolition of the hotel and casino and to play in other Boyd venues, but Newton declined citing "another deal in the works for Vegas", but he did not mention the Hilton specifically. News crews were expecting this performance to end on time, to make their 10 pm and 11 pm shows, but the show finally ended around 11:30 pm, thus eliminating the possibility. Mr. Las Vegas went on at 7:30 that night, and sang nearly his entire repertoire and songs of other Vegas mainstays as well.
In 2001, Newton succeeded Bob Hope as “Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle.” In January 2005, Newton started a reality television show on E! called The Entertainer. The winner got a spot in his act, plus a headlining act of their own for a year. And recently during player introductions at the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Newton sang Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas."
In 2008, Newton received a Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a national memorial to President Wilson, commemorates "the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson." The award honors leaders who have given back to their communities.rs, earning him the nickname Mr. Las Vegas.
Call Me Irresponsible
Wayne Newton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes I'm unreliable,
Throw in undependable too!
Do my foolish alibis bore you?
Well I'm not too clever, I just adore you!
Call me unpredictable,
Tell me I'm impractical,
Call me irresponsible,
Yes I'm unreliable,
But it's undeniably true
I'm irresponsibly mad for you!
Call me irresponsible,
Yes I'm unreliable,
But it's undeniably true
I'm irresponsibly mad for you!
The lyricist of Wayne Newton's song "Call Me Irresponsible" uses irony to convey the depth of his affection for a person. Although he admits that he is unreliable, undependable, and impractical, he declares that he is passionately in love with this individual despite his recklessness. The singer is aware of his shortcomings, which he attributes to his lack of intelligence, but he can't help his unpredictable behavior and his longing for the person he loves.
The use of the word "irresponsible" represents the singer's willingness to take risks and make a sacrifice for someone he loves without caring about the consequences. He is willing to pursue the "rainbows" that he desires, which could be a metaphor for chasing his dreams, even if it means being unpredictable.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that the singer isn't concerned with societal norms or expectations and is willing to act impulsively and recklessly to obtain the affection of the person he admires. The song elicits a sense of love that is both unapologetic and unconstrained.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me irresponsible,
Refer to me as irresponsible
Yes I'm unreliable,
I cannot be trusted to follow through with my commitments
Throw in undependable too!
Add lacking dependability to my list of flaws
Do my foolish alibis bore you?
Are you tired of my excuses and rationalizations?
Well I'm not too clever, I just adore you!
I may not be intelligent, but I feel passionate about you
Call me unpredictable,
Refer to me as unpredictable
Tell me I'm impractical,
Inform me that my actions make no practical sense
Rainbows I'm inclined to pursue!
I have a tendency to chase after unrealistic desires
But it's undeniably true
Despite the aforementioned flaws, this declaration is still accurate
I'm irresponsibly mad for you!
I am passionately and recklessly in love with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sammy Cahn, James Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind