Willy DeVille (born William Paul Borsey Jr. in Stamford, Connecticut, on Au… Read Full Bio ↴Willy DeVille (born William Paul Borsey Jr. in Stamford, Connecticut, on August 25, 1950; died in New York City on August 6, 2009) was an American singer and songwriter of Basque, Pequot, and Irish descent. During his thirty-five year career, first with his band Mink DeVille (1974–1986) and later on his own, Deville created original songs rooted in various American musical styles. He worked with collaborators from across the spectrum of contemporary music, including Jack Nitzsche, Doc Pomus, Dr. John, Mark Knopfler, Allen Toussaint, and Eddie Bo. A wide range of styles, including latin rhythms, blues riffs, doo-wop, Cajun music, strains of French cabaret, and echoes of early-1960s uptown soul, can be heard in DeVille's work.

As a teenager, DeVille had a band named Billy and the Kids. He moved to London looking to form a band, but was unsuccessful in finding like-minded musicians. Eventually he landed in San Francisco where he formed a band with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The band played under the names Billy DeSade & the Marquis and the Lazy Eights before settling on the name Mink DeVille. Later, DeVille took the band to New York City, where they helped to pioneer punk rock music and were one of the original house bands at CBGB, the New York nighclub where punk rock music was born in the mid-1970s.

The typical DeVille song -- if any of his songs can be called "typical" -- is filled with romantic conviction and yearning. Latin rhythms, Blues riffs, and strains of country music can be heard in DeVille songs. Spanish Stroll was a hit in the U.S. and the UK in 1978; Storybook Love (nominated for an Academy Award in 1987) is the theme song of the movie The Princess Bride.

DeVille suffered from drug addiction for many years, which stifled his career. Among fellow musicians and songwriters, he was widely respected. Songwriter Doc Pomus said about Deville, "He knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song."

DeVille died of pancreatic cancer during the night of August 6, 2009 in a New York hospital.

DeVille had homes in New Orleans and Mississippi.

Betty And Dupree
Willy DeVille Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Betty told Dupree she wanna diamond ring
Betty told Dupree she wanna diamond ring
Dupree told Betty, Baby, I'll buy you anything

Dupree told Betty, Baby, won't you be my wife
Dupree told Betty, Baby, won't you be my wife
She said, "I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, for the rest of my life"

Put your arms around me, baby, honey, like a circle around the sun
Put your arms around me, baby, like a circle around the sun
Put your big strong arms around my waist, let it slide down on the one

Love me, baby, love me to the bone
Won't you love me, baby, honey, love me deep down in my bones
I will love you so good, that you can't stand to leave me alone

Kiss me, baby, right on my ruby lips
Kiss me, baby, honey, on my ruby lips
Put your big strong arms around my waist, and let it slide down on my hips

Yeah, yeah, Betty told Dupree, she wanna diamond ring

Betty told Dupree, she wanna diamond ring
And Dupree said: Betty, I'm gonna buy you anything

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Willy DeVille's "Betty And Dupree" explore the relationship between a man, Dupree, and a woman, Betty. Betty tells Dupree that she wants a diamond ring, suggesting that she wants a commitment from him. Dupree responds by telling Betty that he will buy her anything she wants, implying that he is willing to do anything to keep her happy.

As the song progresses, Dupree asks Betty to be his wife and she agrees, telling him that she is his for the rest of his life. The two then embrace, with Betty asking Dupree to put his strong arms around her waist, and kiss her deeply on the lips. The lyrics convey a sense of passion and intensity between the two characters, emphasizing their deep love and desire for each other.

Overall, the song's lyrics suggest that the relationship between Dupree and Betty is one of mutual love and respect, with both characters willing to do whatever it takes to make the other happy. The song's romantic imagery and sensual language help to convey the depth of emotion felt between the two characters, making it a moving and memorable love song.

Line by Line Meaning

Betty told Dupree she wanna diamond ring
Betty expressed to Dupree her desire for a diamond ring

Dupree told Betty, Baby, I'll buy you anything
Dupree promised Betty that he would purchase anything she desired

Dupree told Betty, Baby, won't you be my wife
Dupree asked Betty to marry him

She said, "I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, for the rest of my life"
Betty agreed to marry Dupree and be with him for the rest of her life

Put your arms around me, baby, honey, like a circle around the sun
Dupree requested that Betty embrace him tightly, enveloping him like the sun in a circle

Put your big strong arms around my waist, let it slide down on the one
Dupree instructed Betty to wrap her arms around his waist and slide them down to a specific position

Love me, baby, love me to the bone
Dupree requested that Betty love him passionately to the core of his being

I will love you so good, that you can't stand to leave me alone
Dupree promised to love Betty so deeply and completely that she would never want to be apart from him

Kiss me, baby, right on my ruby lips
Dupree asked Betty to kiss him passionately on his red lips

Put your big strong arms around my waist, and let it slide down on my hips
Dupree instructed Betty to wrap her arms around his waist and move them down to his hips

And Dupree said: Betty, I'm gonna buy you anything
Dupree reiterated his promise to buy Betty anything she desired

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chuck Willis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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