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".
Chantilly Lace
Buddy Holly Lyrics
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A wiggle and a walk and a giggle and a talk made the world go round
Ain't nothing in the world
Like a big eyed girl to make me act so funny make me spend my money
I feel real loose like a long necked goose
Like a whoa baby, that's what I like
Chantilly lace and a pretty face and a pony tail hangin' down
Ain't nothing in the world
Like a big eyed girl to make me act so funny make me spend my money
Make me fool real loose like a long necked goose
Like a whoa baby that's what I like
Chantilly lace pretty face pony tail hangin' down
A wiggle in her walk giggle in her talk it gonna make that world go around
Ain't nothing in the world like a big- eyed girl
Make me act so funny spend my doggone money
I feel real loose like a long neck goose like a whoa baby that's what I like
Chantilly lace pretty face pony tail hangin' down
A wiggle in her walk giggle in her talk it gonna make that world go around
Ain't nothing in the world like a big- eyed girl
Make me act so funny spend my doggone money
I feel real loose like a long neck goose like a whoa baby that's what I like
The lyrics to Buddy Holly's classic hit "Chantilly Lace" paint a picture of a man who is completely smitten with a woman who possesses all of the physical traits he finds attractive. He describes her pretty face, ponytail, wiggle, walk, giggle, and talk as factors that make the world go round. The sight of a big-eyed girl causes him to act funny and spend his money, and he feels loose like a long necked goose in her presence. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes his fondness for this woman, and the catchy melody adds to the upbeat and fun-loving nature of the song.
While some may interpret the lyrics as a superficial look at love and attraction, others may see it as a fun-loving ode to physical admiration. The use of alliteration in the lyrics adds to the playful nature of the song, and the emphasis on the physical traits of the woman evokes a nostalgic feeling of teenage infatuation.
Overall, "Chantilly Lace" is a classic rock and roll song that captures the spirit of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Its catchy melody and fun-loving lyrics have made it a timeless hit that has continued to be covered and played for decades.
Line by Line Meaning
Chantilly lace pretty face pony tail hangin' down
He is infatuated with a woman who has a charming appearance, including a ponytail with lace in it.
A wiggle in her walk giggle in her talk it gonna make that world go around
The woman's flirty mannerisms and charm captivate and excite him.
Ain't nothing in the world like a big- eyed girl
He believes that nothing compares to the beauty of a woman with big, expressive eyes.
Make me act so funny spend my doggone money
Her presence makes him feel giddy and impulsive, leading him to spend his money on her.
I feel real loose like a long neck goose like a whoa baby that's what I like
Her effect on him is to make him feel carefree and almost silly in his delight, and this is what he enjoys.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, GLAD MUSIC CO.
Written by: J.P. Richardson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind