Discography:
Inside My Brain (1980)
Back from Samoa (1982)
Yesterday Started Tomorrow (1986)
STP Not LSD (1988)
Return to Samoa (1990)
Live at Rhino Records (1992)
The '90s Suck And So Do You (1999)
Buddy Holly
Angry Samoans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why do they gotta front?
What did we ever do to these guys
That made them so violent?
Woo-hoo, but you know I'm yours
Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine
Woo-hoo, and that's for all time
Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore
I don't care what they say about us anyway
I don't care bout that
Don't you ever fear, I'm always near
I know that you need help
Your tongue is twisted, your eyes are slit
You need a guardian
Woo-hoo, and you know I'm yours
Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine
Woo-hoo, and that's for all time
Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly
Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore
I don't care what they say about us anyway
I don't care bout that
I don't care bout that
Bang, bang a knock on the door
Another big bang and you're down on the floor
Oh no! What do we do?
Don't look now but I lost my shoe
I can't run and I can't kick
What's a matter babe are you feeling sick?
what's a matter, what's a matter, what's a matter you?
What's a matter babe, are you feeling blue? oh-oh!
And that's for all time
And that's for all time
Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly
Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore
I don't care what they say about us anyway
I don't care bout that
I don't care bout that
I don't care bout that
I don't care bout that
The Angry Samoans' song "Buddy Holly" is a catchy, upbeat song with somewhat baffling lyrics. The song opens with the singer's apparent confusion at his friends' hostility towards his girlfriend. The singer is asking why his "homies" are dissing his girlfriend and what they did to deserve this treatment. The chorus expresses the singer's dedication to his girlfriend and his certainty that they belong together. The next verse has the singer reassuring his girlfriend that he will always be there for her and that he understands her quirks, such as her twisted tongue and slit eyes. The chorus repeats, with the singer comparing himself to Buddy Holly and his girlfriend to Mary Tyler Moore.
It's unclear what the relationship between the song's title and its lyrics is. Buddy Holly and Mary Tyler Moore are both iconic figures of pop culture, but they have little in common other than their fame. The lyrics also take an unexpected turn when the singer describes a knock at the door that ends with him losing his shoe and his girlfriend feeling ill. The song ends with a final affirmation of the singer's devotion to his girlfriend.
Possible interpretations of the lyrics may include the idea that the singer is in a codependent relationship with his girlfriend and is either oblivious to or unbothered by his friends' criticisms of her. Or, perhaps the singer is an outcast who identifies with the legendary and popular figures of Buddy Holly and Mary Tyler Moore, seeing himself and his girlfriend as similarly misunderstood.
Line by Line Meaning
What's with these homies, dissing my girl?
Why are these guys disrespecting my girlfriend?
Why do they gotta front?
Why do they have to act tough?
What did we ever do to these guys
What have we done to make them so hostile?
That made them so violent?
What caused their aggressive behavior?
Woo-hoo, but you know I'm yours
But you know that I belong to you
Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine
And I know that you belong to me
Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly
I resemble Buddy Holly
Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore
And you resemble Mary Tyler Moore
I don't care what they say about us anyway
I don't care about their negative opinions of us
I don't care bout that
Their opinions don't matter to me
Don't you ever fear, I'm always near
Don't worry, I'm always here to protect you
I know that you need help
I know that you require assistance
Your tongue is twisted, your eyes are slit
You are having difficulty speaking and your eyes are narrow
You need a guardian
You require someone to watch over you
Bang, bang a knock on the door
There is a loud banging at the door
Another big bang and you're down on the floor
There is another loud noise and you fall to the ground
Oh no! What do we do?
Oh no! What should we do?
Don't look now but I lost my shoe
I lost my shoe, but don't look now
I can't run and I can't kick
I'm unable to run or kick
What's a matter babe are you feeling sick?
Are you feeling unwell, baby?
what's a matter, what's a matter, what's a matter you?
What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong with you?
What's a matter babe, are you feeling blue? oh-oh!
Are you feeling sad, baby?
And that's for all time
And that is forever
I don't care bout that
I don't care about that
Contributed by Gianna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.