# Dion...The Original Badass Before (Or During) Elvis **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2017, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135 "2017-12-23T12:27:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Graymalkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@Graymalkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Graymalkin)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/21 "2017-12-24T03:05:28Z")
Terry Gross interviewed him on her show not too long ago. He brought a guitar with him to provide examples and explanations. Quite impressive. Worth a listen. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/22 "2017-12-24T04:37:46Z")
I thought he did a very good cover of [“Spoonful”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIFQg0ejhbo). ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/23 "2017-12-24T05:49:27Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I was going to bring up Del Shannon, but he wasn’t really Doo Wop was he? [Ronnie James Dio was,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8MUT00aK0) and he played bass on that track. The man was a God. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/24 "2017-12-24T06:47:43Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I was going to bring up Del Shannon, but he wasn’t really Doo Wop was he? > > I’m trying to think of any other Doo Wop artists known for playing instruments and I’m coming up blank. They were mostly harmonizing singers as I think about it. Del Shannon was another badass with a growler’s voice. [QUOTE=Penfeather;20683441 ] [Ronnie James Dio was,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew8MUT00aK0) and he played bass on that track. The man was a God. [/QUOTE] I never saw the Devil’s Horns, so me not believe. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/25 "2017-12-24T11:54:00Z")
> [@Graymalkin](#): > > Terry Gross interviewed him on her show not too long ago. He brought a guitar with him to provide examples and explanations. Quite impressive. Worth a listen. That’s what I was referring to, too. Link here: [Doo-Wop Singer Dion Pays Homage To His Musical Influences : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2017/05/29/530199966/doo-wop-singer-dion-pays-homage-to-his-musical-influences) ---
**Author:** ![Graymalkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@Graymalkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Graymalkin)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/26 "2017-12-25T02:13:49Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > That’s what I was referring to, too. Link here: [Doo-Wop Singer Dion Pays Homage To His Musical Influences : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2017/05/29/530199966/doo-wop-singer-dion-pays-homage-to-his-musical-influences) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/27 "2017-12-25T16:05:57Z")
I saw him on a blues cruise a couple years ago. I was like Dion, seriously?? I thought it was OK, but heard he was kind of a dick around the ship ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/28 "2017-12-25T18:05:45Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > I saw him on a blues cruise a couple years ago. I was like Dion, seriously?? I thought it was OK, but heard he was kind of a dick around the ship I listened to the Terry Gross interview, and then to some of his blues and folk recordings. I think he thinks he is a Major Artist, and you know, he really isn’t… ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/29 "2017-12-25T19:45:24Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I listened to the Terry Gross interview, and then to some of his blues and folk recordings. I think he thinks he is a Major Artist, and you know, he really isn’t… Gotta disagree. According to wikipedia, “Dion had 39 Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a solo performer, with the Belmonts or with the Del Satins.” The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame began inducting performers in 1986. In 1988, Dylan and the Beatles were inducted. In 1989, Dion was inducted. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/30 "2017-12-26T22:04:32Z")
I met Dion once and he was a dick. That was my opinion of him for quite a while until I figured well, maybe I caught him on a bad day. Now I guess I was right in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/31 "2017-12-26T22:35:40Z")
Couple questions about the video (“The Wanderer”) in post #2… I’m not clear on the lyrics at the culmination of the bridge (although I love the snarling delivery). I think he says “I’ve got my two fists of iron and I’m going nowhere”. Is that accurate? What are his two fists of iron supposed to be in relation to the rest of the song? He’s ready to kick some ass? And he’s not going nowhere, he’s going “everywhere” because…he’s the Wanderer! “When you ask me which one I like the best, I tear open my shirt and got old Rosie on my chest…” I am assuming this is a reference to a tattoo (shocking for those days I’m sure). Is Rosie a past lover that he “liked the best”? Also, this is another song that would qualify for the “songs about groupies” thread. He loves them (fucks them) and then “hops into his car and drives around the world”. Dion may be a dick in real life but his delivery on this song is great. This is pretty hardcore for the times, all things considered. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135/32 "2017-12-27T17:20:10Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Couple questions about the video (“The Wanderer”) in post #2… > > I’m not clear on the lyrics at the culmination of the bridge (although I love the snarling delivery). I think he says “I’ve got my two fists of iron and I’m going nowhere”. Is that accurate? What are his two fists of iron supposed to be in relation to the rest of the song? He’s ready to kick some ass? And he’s not going nowhere, he’s going “everywhere” because…he’s the Wanderer! > > “When you ask me which one I like the best, I tear open my shirt and got old Rosie on my chest…” > > I am assuming this is a reference to a tattoo (shocking for those days I’m sure). Is Rosie a past lover that he “liked the best”? > > Also, this is another song that would qualify for the “songs about groupies” thread. He loves them (fucks them) and then “hops into his car and drives around the world”. > > Dion may be a dick in real life but his delivery on this song is great. This is pretty hardcore for the times, all things considered. I think the line means he is a tough guy who cannot be intimidated by you into leaving, but that he will wander at his own pleasure when he wants to? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dion-the-original-badass-before-or-during-elvis/805135.md?page=1)