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".
Blue Monday
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got me workin' like a dog all day
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
Til Friday I get paid
All my tired has gone away
Got my money and my honey
And we're out on the town to play
Sunday morning my head is bad
But it's worth it, all the times I had
But I've still got to get my rest
For Monday is a mess Saturday morning,
Oh Satirday morning
All my tired has gone away
Me and my honey, we got some money
And were out on the town play
Sunday morning my head is bad
But it's worth all the times I had
But I've got to go and get some rest
For Monday is a mess!
The song "Blue Monday" by Buddy Holly is an ode to the working class, specifically the concept of the Monday blues. The first two verses describe the monotony and exhaustion of the work week, with the singer working like a dog and having no time or energy to play. However, the tone shifts on Saturday morning when he receives his paycheck, spending time with his significant other and going out to enjoy the city. Even though Sunday morning may bring a hangover, it is worth it for the memories and experiences from the night before. The final verse concludes with the realization that despite the fun of the weekend, the singer must still rest for the upcoming work week.
Interestingly, "Blue Monday" was not originally a Buddy Holly song. It was written by Dave Bartholomew and first recorded by his band, Smiley Lewis, in 1954. It gained popularity in the R&B and rock 'n' roll scenes of the 1950s and was later covered by various artists, including Fats Domino and Little Richard. Buddy Holly's version was recorded in 1956 and released as a single, but it did not achieve the same level of success as his other hits.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Monday, how I hate blue Monday
I despise Mondays, they are depressing and demotivating.
Got me workin' like a dog all day
I work very hard and tirelessly throughout the day like a dog.
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
Tuesdays are equally tough, exhausting and demanding.
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
I am too worn out and have no energy to have fun or enjoy myself.
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
By Wednesday, I am completely exhausted and physically drained.
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
I am too tired to talk to my girlfriend and avoid answering her calls.
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
My girlfriend understands the demanding nature of Thursdays and how hard I work.
Til Friday I get paid
I am looking forward to payday on Friday when I will receive my hard-earned wages.
Oh Saturday morning, Saturday morning
Saturday mornings bring a sense of relief and relaxation after a long week.
All my tired has gone away
My exhaustion has dissipated, and I feel reenergized and refreshed.
Got my money and my honey
I now have my paycheck and my girlfriend to enjoy my free time.
And we're out on the town to play
We are excited to go out and have some fun together in the city.
Sunday morning my head is bad
My head aches and throbs from the heavy partying and drinking the night before.
But it's worth it, all the times I had
Regardless of the pain, I still feel that the fun I had was worth it.
But I've still got to get my rest
I need to rest and recover from the hectic weekend before returning to work on Monday.
For Monday is a mess
Mondays are chaotic, disorganized and unpleasant - back to the daily grind.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dave Bartholomew
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gerard van Leeuwen
The man who bring Rock'n Roll to another level !!
Ferreira
Brought
José Adan
Underrated tune from Holly
LooghcasMusic
Wow this Sound is amazing 😅
Brenda Wright
Rock
nroll ain t been same since day Buddy Holly died --- John MillinerFernando NIRVANA
Show, aprendi fazer esse solo hoje!
Michael Craig
I cover this song. This is the best version of this song for sure!
Ferry Yuwanto
excellent.......great rocker
Steve Fortenberry
Great artist. Died way to early.
WAYCNF
How does it feel?
To treat me like you do?
When you- oh wait wrong Blue Monday