Perched somewhere between the sugary platitudes of Fabian and Paul Anka and the exquisite singing of black vocal groups like the Five Satins and the Moonglows were Dion and the Belmonts, a Bronx-born doo-wop quartet whose harmonies bubbled and sparkled like fine champagne.
Who can forget the classic “Hape Hape/Bom de, Hatie Hatie/Hape Hape” patterns of Dion’s 1961 hit “Runaround Sue,” or the tight, angling gospel harmonies that lifted “I Wonder Why” heavenward. Members of the Belmonts have scattered, but Dion, whose post-Belmonts solo career was sidelined by a heroin addiction, is back from the brink.
An otherworldly aura surrounds the 49-year-old tenor, who is scheduled to appear at the Tropicana Hotel Casino Friday through next Sunday. His performance late last year at Paul Simon’s Benefit For The Homeless led critics to describe him as the surprise hit of the evening. Accompanied by a chorus of superstar fans – Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Lou Reed, James Taylor and Ruben Blades – Dion stole the show.
Some of the same artists will join the tender troubadour in the studio this summer when he records his first non-Gospel LP in 10 years. “I’ve been working on songs for over a year and they’re good,” a laid-back Dion reported during a recent telephone interview. “Bryan Adams and Tom Waits contributed songs. Dylan sent me a tune and I have been writing a lot of stuff on my own. I really don’t know who is going to be stopping by when we record but I’ve been getting a lot of support lately.
“Recording is a funny thing,” he said. “You go in prepared but most of the good stuff you invent on the spot. You don’t nail it down beforehand.”
It’s rumored that Dion and the Belmonts discovered the power of their chiming four-part harmonies strictly by accident. Forced by economic necessity to rehearse a capella, members of the quartet began trying out their diddy wop vocal tricks in subway stations, deserted stairwells and alleyways. The acoustic ambience – with the built-in “echo chamber” of such sites allowed the group to transform each formless “Ohh” and “Ahh” into precise, onomatopoeic statements, nonsense syllables of a language all their own.
Even before Dion DiMucci joined in street corner harmonizing, he was discovering ways to stretch his rich, nasally voice.
“I started out listening to Hank Williams music before I even met the Belmonts. I had a repertoire of about 200 of his tunes but then I started listening to some of the early doo-wop groups. Of course, I was also a big fan of Little Richard’s. When I first heard him – forget about it, I hit the ceiling. And Fats Domino had this rolling style of piano playing with a Cajun accent. I went out of my mind.”
By 1960, Dion was on his own. He launched his solo career with the pop doo-wop classic “Lonely Teen-ager.” A succession of hits followed: “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer” in 1961, “Little Diane” in 1962 and “Ruby Baby” in 1963.
“Drip Drop” would be Dion’s last hit before Beatlemania and a growing drug dependency temporarily forced him into exile. “I don’t know if I’d have found this new way of life if I hadn’t hit bottom,” he said about his chemical addictions.
“I thank God I’m still here and I wouldn’t advocate anyone destroying themselves with drugs, but what eventually happened to me brought a deep sense of joy into my life.”
Dion, who emerged again in 1968 with the folk-rock hit “Abraham, Martin and John,” went through another transformation after he discovered Christianity. “I recorded songs like ‘The Wanderer’ and ‘Runaround Sue’ and all these love songs and self-pity songs but ‘The Wanderer’ has to go somewhere.
“I guess Bruce Springsteen started out his career with ‘Born To Run,’ which asks a lot of questions. But eventually you have to answer those questions and I did. I settled down; I learned that spiritual principles work. I had a kind of hectic life in the ’60s with drugs – it got to be very confusing. I was cornered and ran out of excuses. . . . What happened was that I started to write gospel songs and I became more God-centered than self- centered.”
For the last five years, Dion has recorded Christian music for the Word Music label. “I’ve always been working but because Gospel music is not a part of the mainstream, you don’t read about it,” said Dion, whose autobiography is due this fall from William Morrow Publishers.
“But I had a fabulous time traveling around the world, learning about different religions and cultures and different approaches to faith.”
His new LP will be a departure from the Gospel sound and a return to his secular music roots. “I guess I’m just as radical and rebellious now as I ever was but instead of being a ‘Rebel Without A Cause,’ I found my cause,” he said. “I feel more excited by what’s happening these days because it all seems to be more real to me now. I feel like I’m connecting much more with the audience. I guess I’m appreciating the moment.”
SO YOU DON’T FORGET: Comedian George Carlin is at Caesar’s Friday through next Sunday. . . . Jerry Lee Lewis brings his audacious, rowdy brand of country-flavored rock to Harrah’s Marina Hotel and Casino Friday through next Monday. . . . “The Dirty Dancing Tour” bumps and grinds into Resorts International Hotel Casino Friday through Sunday. . . . Entertaining at the Sands Hotel and Casino this weekend are Natalie Cole and Jerry Seinfeld. . . . Jazz and pop singer Al Jarreau performs at The Trump Plaza Hotel Friday through next Sunday.
Amy Longsdorf is a free-lance writer on entertainment for The Morning Call.
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