Dion

Any other Dion fans on here? He's easily one of my favorite singers. There's a bunch of good live footage of him on youtube. I'll post a couple links.

Donna the Prima Donna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k679WKSwRE

Where or When
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0O_f3kzHrg

Runaround Sue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7lVQQmn91o

The Wanderer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NybY4V4bK0

It would've been awesome to live back then

You know I am, Nicky.

My Dad's ten years older than Dion, but Dion remembers him well. We ran into him in Boca a few times. He's lived down there for years. Great guy. Devout Catholic. Incredible singer. One of my all-time favorites .

Be happy in your own skin, Junior. Some day some kid will tell you the exact same thing and you'll just shake your head. Trust me on that .

Dion is appearing at the Becan theather in manhattan on June 14 I am going.

He as two blues albums that kick ass

Hey remember abraham, Martin and John that was some song by Dion

I want to see Dion without his hat on

I think Runaround Sue is one of a half dozen or so candidates for the best song from the early rock and roll era:



Abraham, Martin and John is one of the better serious songs of the era:



Edit: I was typing while Footreads was posting.

I bet she was hot when she was young

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvGktPaDAPM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Yeah, you're right PB. But there's no denying that those were the best years to live in.

Great song and always reminds me of the film The Bronx Tale..

I love Dion. All tunes mentioned are great. Don't forget also, "Drip Drop" (The Roof is leaking and Rain's falling on my head...) Loved his sound!!



TIS

Great years to live in and Bronx tale and Goodfellas remind me so much of them

Re "Donna the Prima Donna."

A lot of people assume that's about an old girlfriend. It's actually about Dion's sister. And I love that song .

Dion must be in his 70's by now HUH ?????

I love that song too PB. What was the Crime Story theme song? Was it Runaway? I know it was a Dion song.



TIS

You're half-right, Tis. The song was "Runaway." But that's not a Dion song. It's a Del Shannon song.

But don't worry. I'm sure it was just a mind fart and not Alzheimer's .

OMG, you're right. AND shame on me cause Del Shannon is from my home state and was a neighbor of one of my friends before he became famous. Don't put me to pasture just yet though.


TIS

He had a nice voice. Shame he killed himself. I guess he just couldn't handle not being famous anymore? It's not uncommon in that world.

Dion can still sing even in his 70s. I am looking forward to his appearance here in June. I wish I could sing my grand daughter digs when I sing The Duke of Earl.

Love Doowop anyone seen the Movie Looking for an Echo with Armand Assante. Dug that movie.

"Lovers who wander" and "Lonely World" are two more great Dion songs.

I was watching a interview with him and was really surprised to hear he was a heroin addict for many years. Would've never guessed that.

Oh yeah, Nicky. He was a big time heroin addict. He beat it, though. And he gives all the credit to God. He's an extremely religious man.

I don't really remember the last time I saw Dion, either an interview or performing.




TIS

Heroin was all over the place back then.

My best friend calls me over to his apartment about 50 years ago. We used to live in the same tenement when we were little kids. We went to kindergarten together with my other best friend Johnny.

His name was Donnie I get there Donnie is worried he robbed some guys house who was in organized crime. Donnie give me a gun and says if anyone try's to get in shoot them. What are friends for so I holding the gun pointing it towards the door. Then I see Donnie shoot up for the first time. I was shocked then doonie goes limp from the high. Then a few minutes later he throws up all over his couch.

I call him an idiot. He tells me he can quit anytime he wants.

I told him I am going and he better kick it. I did not have much to do with him after that. I knew he would rob my house if he needed money. 4 months latter someone killed Donnie.

Dion and the Belmonts were one of the few white groups that made good music in the Doo-Wop era. I saw them, and Dion as a stand-alone, at a couple of the Alan Freed shows at the Brooklyn Paramount in the Fifties. They could rock, but they did beautifully on classics such as (Attention: PB!) "Where or When." You probably also know that Lou Reed worshipped Dion and inducted him into the R&R Hall of Fame. That's Dion wailing at the end of "Dirty Boulevard."

I remember the Alan Freed shows. In early 60s right? Don't remember if they ever had them in my area but if so, I never got to see his shows. Wasn't Freed the topic of a movie also? Can't remember title.


TIS

The belmonths tried to make music after Dion went on his own. I only remember one song they made that was any good. I don't remember the name of it. Dion was the really talented guy in that group.

Their best post-Dion song was "Tell Me Why."

My aunt lived in Belmont and my cousin went to school with Dion. My aunt used to dump pots of water on their heads when they harmonized under the window on Sunday nights. She used to yell down to them that they were just a bunch of bums while she was a working woman who needed her sleep.

Ha ha What a neat (and funny) story SB. I would have loved to have been in that area during the street corner Doo-Wop singers. I can't imagine not liking it. They sounded so good.


TIS

TIS, the Freed shows ran in NYC from 1955-60. He didn't have a movie about him, but he was in several really cheap "B" movies about R&R that were made in the Fifties and featured some of the acts he used in his shows.

Freed's end was sad, TB. He died young and in obscurity because of that payola nonsense. And let's face it, so-called "payola" is just the way of the world .

I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news that Dion and the Belmonts split up. (My dad's car ... I heard it on the news). My sister (then about 18) was a huge fan of theirs and I wanted to get home quickly to tell her the news. She had already heard about it (and was upset).

Dion and Frankie Valli had the "New York music" thing down pat back in those days.

At certain social gatherings, I will play "Runaround Sue" on the guitar. Everyone of age loves to sing that that song. Ah, youth.

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEYLK1OGpj8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

King of the New York streets music is bad, but I like the words

Oh yea, a fun sing-a-long song. One of my favorite Dion songs.
Oh, speaking of Dion songs, what about Ruby Baby? Another good tune.


TIS

A couple more

Dion & The Del Satins - Tonight Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goRqmdV9KTI

DION & BELMONTS - TEENAGER IN LOVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOiAwtvFxk

@Nicky

As much as I love and respect Dion, that's a fugazy "Tonight, Tonight."

Here's the original, and FAR superior version, by the Mello Kings. They were from nearby Mount Vernon, so they're honorary Bronx guys themselves.

Good version too! I had a feeling that Dion remade it, just didn't know who. Pretty surprising to see a white and black group during the 50s.

The first integrated doo-wop group was the Crests. Two Italians, a Puerto Rican and a Black guy. And Luther Vandross's aunt actually sang with them for awhile, too. Johnny Maestro on the lead, and he sang like an angel until the day he died.

RIP Gianni Mastrangelo .

Pizza boy there advertising dion again at the beacon theather I guess you can still get tickets.

He never appears in the city. You should try and get tickets.

I just might do that .

I really liked Dion's A Teenager in Love. Some of his songs were kind of novelty types though. Step by Step, wow!

Was this one a novelty

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu2EBYyPns0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Hell no!

That's one of the ONLY '60s "protest" songs that I can stomach. Great tune!