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What single sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 forty years ago this week? You might first guess it was perhaps something by the Bee Gees, who were in their own historical chart-run at this moment. But it was actually "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone, which was well on its way to becoming the No. 1 single of the entire 1970s. The record-smashing hit was also featured on an album of the same name, which became a platinum smash in its own right. Despite this success, the album has never appeared on CD...until now! Real Gone Music is rectifying this with the release today of You Light Up My Life: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition!
Debby Boone began her professional singing career when she was still a teenager at the dawn of the 1970s. The daughter of popular 1950s singer Pat Boone and granddaughter on her mom's side to country legend Red Foley, Debby started joining with her sisters (Cherry, Lindy and Laury) to support their father in concert while in Japan on tour in 1969 with The Osmonds. The Boone sisters would soon go into the studio to record their first single (in Japanese) for Liberty Records in Japan and then join their father on The Pat Boone Family album for Word Records.
Laury, Debby, Lindy and Cherry Boone at the start of their singing career (c. 1970) on stage and then records as The Boone Girls and, later, The Boones.
The quartet of sisters moved with Pat to MGM Records and became associated with producer Mike Curb. Over the next several years, they appeared on four additional Pat Boone/Boone Family albums some of their father's albums and recorded singles as The Boone Girls, The Boone Family, The Pat Boone Family, and The Boones. Gradually, Debby became the lead singer on the sisters' recordings.
By 1977, The Boones had landed at Warner Bros. Records where Mike Curb had established the Curb Records label. Curb was involved with the soundtrack for the film You Light Up My Life. The movie was written, produced and directed by jingle writer Joe Brooks, who also wrote the score. It starred Didi Conn as an aspiring singer. However, a studio singer named Kasey Cisyk was used to provide the singing voice in the movie. When tensions rose between her and Brooks over the record release, Debby was tapped to provide a vocal for the single of the title track. It was released in August of that year and Debby's life would be forever changed.
Debby, 1977
As the single raced up the charts, an album was quickly put together. Released in October of 1977, the You Light Up My Life LP would feature the title track together with three other Joe Brooks songs. It was then filled out with tracks recorded by Debby and her sisters over the years including songs produced by Mike Curb, Michael Lloyd, and Bob Gaudio. The album would reach No. 6 on the Pop and Country charts and become certified Platinum. The song would win the Oscar that year and Debby would pick up the Grammy for Best New Artist. Her solo career had officially gotten underway and Debby would record four more albums for Curb Records by 1981 before focusing exclusively on Contemporary Christian recordings for the remainder of the 1980s and embracing the American songbook in more recent years, including a tribute to her late mother-in-law Rosemary Clooney.
Real Gone's deluxe new edition expands the original You Light Up My Life album by a whopping thirteen tracks. Here you will be able to trace The Boone Girls' career from its beginning until 1977. You will find covers of songs by John Denver, The Supremes, and ABBA. Six previously unreleased outtakes are also among the bonus tracks, including revivals of songs by Paul Anka, Lesley Gore, and The Murmaids. Among the other rarities are tracks previously available only on Motown singles: "Please Mr. Postman," "My Guy," and "Friend." The CD is housed in a digipak and has been remastered by Ted Carfrae.
Debby rehearses for "The Midnight Special," 1977
Our very own Joe Marchese has penned the liner notes, including quotes from new interviews with producer/arranger Fred Werner, producer Michael Lloyd and Debby Boone herself. Plus, the booklet features a foreword by Debby's music mogul mentor Mike Curb, and previously unpublished photos from the Boone archives!
If you would like to go back in time to hear the hottest song of 1977, we've got the full track listing and ordering links below! Stay tuned - Debby's four remaining Warner/Curb albums, plus singles and other rarities, will be making their way to CD in April, 2018 from Real Gone Music!
Debby Boone, You Light Up My Life: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Real Gone Music, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
- You Light Up My Life
- A Rock and Roll Song
- Micol's Theme
- It's Just a Matter of Time
- Hey Everybody
- When I Look at You (My Love)
- From Me to You
- Baby I'm Yours
- When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes - The Boones
- The End of the World
- Your Love Broke Through
- Hasta Mañana - The Boones
- He's a Rebel - The Boones
- My Guy - The Boones
- Please Mr. Postman - The Pat Boone Family (The Boone Girls)
- Friend - The Pat Boone Family (The Boone Girls)
- You Don't Own Me - The Boone Girls
- Till - The Boone Girls
- Put Your Head on My Shoulder - The Boone Girls
- Popsicles and Icicles - The Boone Girls
- Laugh While I Cry - The Boone Girls
- See If It Comes Out Love - The Boone Gilrls
- Bless the Beasts & Children - The Boone Girls
- Anthem-Revelation - The Boone Girls
- Curiosity Killed the Cat - The Boone Girls
Tracks 1-12 from You Light Up My Life, Warner Bros./Curb Records LP BS 3118, 1977
Track 13 from Warner Bros. single WBS 8446, 1977
Track 14 from Motown single M 1389-F, 1976
Tracks 15-16 from Motown single M 1314-F, 1974
Tracks 17-22 previously unreleased
Tracks 23-24 from Lion single 110, 1972
Tracks 24-25 from MGM single K 14335, 1971 (*)
(*) Track 24 was released on both singles
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Congrats Joe on the liner notes.
This song brings back some painful memories of my youth. It was everywhere. All the time. I hated it. Only in the 70s could a song about god be number one for nine weeks.
I am puzzled why this was released on cd. Suppose someone still really loves it.
Not like it's difficult to find. The lp version still takes up space in the thrift shops. 7" as well.
And 4 more albums to be released in 2018. Mike Curb has always been a shrewd businessman.
Her follow up album did chart for a few weeks, but the other 3, nothing.
You think Real Gone would wait to see how this sells before issuing the rest. Maybe they'll press small runs in hopes of recouping.
My skepticism is why I wouldn't have made it in the record business.
Seems as though Debbie Boone was previously given a shot at a few major labels with no luck. Then along comes Curb Records. I've always thought Curb signed musicians with a shady deal. Don't know of any specific details, but I haven't heard of anyone renewing their contracts with them. She had a 5 album deal and only one more song bothered to crack the top 50? Lack of promotion or lack of interest? In those days a five album deal meant at least 5 years of steady work. Now a new band gets one, possibly two albums to prove it or they are done.
The song You Light Up My Life was a love song from the movie of the same name. It was Debby Boone who said that she was singing it to God. I doubt Joe Brooks had anything religious in mind when he wrote it. That said, I still think it is a great record. I loved it in the 70s and I still enjoy it when it comes on the radio today. I am buying this CD as I will the others. I hope the country albums with Larry Butler will be among those RGM is going to reissue on CD.
Limited amount of signed copies on Real Gone website, got mine today. Great job on the notes Joe.
I LOVE this CD re-issue! Fantastic collection of songs, and the rarities are wonderful. I do question one statement in the CD booklet, though. It states that the MGM single of "You Don't Own Me" / "Friend" was scrapped and lists "You Don't Own Me" as a previously unreleased track. That cannot be correct, for I have had a copy of that 45 for decades! I purchased it around 1978, not too long after "YLUML" had become a hit. I was on a quest at that point to own all of Debby's previous singles, so my aunt, who owned the local record store, ordered several singles from an "oldies / cut-out" record supplier for me. "You Don't Own Me" / "Friend" was one of them... I still have it after all these years. I also recall that the old Debby Boone Fan Club out of Reading PA sold some of The Boones' older 45's, and they also offered the record... Perhaps it was only issued in a limited release, or maybe a handful of copies got out??? Can anyone shed light on this matter?
Hi Ronald, that makes sense! Thanks so much for sharing. While the single was cancelled, your 45 is proof that some copies trickled out before being pulled! Thanks for clarifying!