He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His style was influenced by gospel music, country music, and rhythm and blues acts, and he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school. He made his first appearance on local television in 1952, and the following year he formed the group "Buddy and Bob" with his friend Bob Montgomery. In 1955, after opening for Elvis Presley, he decided to pursue a career in music. He opened for Presley three times that year; his band's style shifted from country and western to entirely rock and roll. In October that year, when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets, he was spotted by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall, who helped him get a contract with Decca Records.
Holly's recording sessions at Decca were produced by Owen Bradley. Unhappy with Bradley's control in the studio and with the sound he achieved there, he went to producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, and recorded a demo of "That'll Be the Day", among other songs. Petty became the band's manager and sent the demo to Brunswick Records, which released it as a single credited to "The Crickets", which became the name of Holly's band. In September 1957, as the band toured, "That'll Be the Day" topped the US "Best Sellers in Stores" chart and the UK Singles Chart. Its success was followed in October by another major hit, "Peggy Sue".
The album Chirping Crickets, released in November 1957, reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. Holly made his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1958 and soon after, toured Australia and then the UK. In early 1959, he assembled a new band, consisting of future country music star Waylon Jennings (bass), famed session musician Tommy Allsup (guitar), and Carl Bunch (drums), and embarked on a tour of the midwestern U.S. After a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, he chartered an airplane to travel to his next show, in Moorhead, Minnesota. Soon after takeoff, the plane crashed, killing him, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson in a tragedy later referred to by Don McLean as "The Day the Music Died".
During his short career, Holly wrote, recorded, and produced his own material. He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. He was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Weezer, and Elton John. He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1986. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 13 in its list of "100 Greatest Artists".
Because I Love You
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I believe that's so - so don't tell me
That you've found someone new
To go through life with you
Because I love you - my darling
My dearest - I love you
You're the one I want nearest me
I love you - and I hope that you love me too
Than to go on through life without you
And you with someone new
To go through life with you
Because I love you - my darling
My dearest - I love you - I love you
You're the one I want nearest me
I love you - I love you - and I hope that you love me too
In the song "Because I Love You", Buddy Holly sings about a painful and difficult experience that many people face in their lives, which is the fear of losing someone they love. The song's lyrics convey the singer's pleading and begging for his beloved to not leave him, as if his life depends on it. He expresses that he would rather die thinking that she loves him than live without her, hinting at the desperation he feels at the thought of losing her.
The opening lines of "They say what you don't know - won't hurt you, And I believe that's so - so don't tell me" suggests that the singer is aware that his beloved might have found someone else. However, he wants to ignore the truth and live in a happy world where she still loves him. The lines "You're the one I want nearest me, I love you - and I hope that you love me too" register a strong emotion that conveys the singer's fear and insecurity, and his intense desire to be with her forever.
Overall, the song is an emotional plea from Buddy Holly to his beloved not to leave him. It focuses on themes such as love, loyalty, honesty, and the fear of losing someone dear. Holly's voice adds a unique element to the song as he conveys the emotions of the lyrics in his own style, which makes the song feel more authentic and heartfelt.
Line by Line Meaning
They say what you don't know - won't hurt you
People say it is better to remain ignorant of certain things as it won't bother you.
And I believe that's so - so don't tell me
I am of the same belief that knowing something unpleasant will only cause unease and anxiety, hence please don't tell me anything.
That you've found someone new
I hope it's not true that you found someone else to be with.
To go through life with you
To spend a lifetime together, sharing joys and sorrows.
Because I love you - my darling
The reason for my concern is that I love you deeply, my beloved.
My dearest - I love you
You are the most special person to me, and I love you with all my heart.
You're the one I want nearest me
You are my soulmate, and I want to be as close to you as possible.
I love you - and I hope that you love me too
I love you fervently, and I hope that you feel the same way for me.
I'd rather die thinking you love me
It's better for me to believe that you love me, even if it's not true, as the thought of not being loved by you is unbearable.
Than to go on through life without you
I cannot imagine living my life without you, as you are an essential part of my existence.
And you with someone new
The idea of you being with someone else is unbearable to me.
To go through life with you
I don't want to miss the chance of spending a lifetime with you and experiencing all the pleasures and pains that come with it.
Because I love you - my darling
The only reason for my insistence is my profound love for you, my darling.
My dearest - I love you - I love you
I cannot express enough how much I love you, my dearest, with all the love in my heart.
You're the one I want nearest me
You are the only one I want to be with, closest to my heart, forever.
I love you - I love you - and I hope that you love me too
I want you to know how much I love you, and I earnestly pray that you love me just as much.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BUDDY HOLLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nathan Brockmeier
They say what you don't know - won't hurt you
And I believe that's so - so don't tell me
That you've found someone new
To go through life with you
Because I love you - my darling
My dearest - I love you
You're the one I want nearest me
I love you - and I hope that you love me too
I'd rather die thinking you love me
Than to go on through life without you
And you with someone new
To go through life with you
Because I love you - my darling
My dearest - I love you - I love you
You're the one I want nearest me
I love you - I love you - and I hope that you love me too
jack godwin
One of the greatest rock and roll ballads ever! A rare and shimmering gem from the Great One!!. . .thank you Buddy
D Doeser
R.I.P ONVERGETELIJK ❤🇳🇱🙏 ZATERDAG 22 OKTOBER JAAR 2022.TIJDSTIP QUA TIJDSTIP 14:53 UUR MIDDAGS .
James Riley
Buddy Holly continues to entertain and bring enjoyment to music fans as much now as when he lived. I believe his songs will be played and loved by persons for decades in the future and that he will influence many more generations. What greater testimony can there be to his talent?
Dana Froehlich
Couldn't be a better love song... The quiver in his voice tells the story.
Michael Stewart
What a voice! How come nobody can sing like that anymore?
Wesley Cook
They have tried because his voice seems easy to do. But his style of going from high to low throws his impersonater off. Tommy Roe, Bobby Vee and Robin Luke came close. Tommy's Sheila and Robin Luke's Susie Darlin are two examples. Bobby Fuller also came close. But no one in the 70s , 80s or onwards even tried.
Dexter Morgan
@Wesley Cooklet me guess they're all from the UK the people you're talkin about what is it with people from the UK being obsessed with Buddy Holly this is coming from a country boy from the south USA
Richard Neville
What an extraordinary talent was BH.....I haven't heard this simple little masterpiece for well over 40 years, but upon JUST playing this YT I was SO freshly 'moved'; it's ALMOST like hearing High Church music.....Ave Maria or a Bach cantata, and the blessed lad was ONLY 22yrs. & 149 days when he was stolen from us. Oh for 'pop' to have anything of this standard these days, but BH's era of romantic sincerity is a thing of the past, and humanity's GREAT Loss. RIP Charles Hardin Holley. Amen.
RColo74
I simply cannot stop listening to this song.
GodzillaMane
One of the best songs to play while on a road trip. Just looking out the window and just playing this in the car. It's so epic! R.I.P. Buddy!