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".
Great Balls Of Fire
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, oh what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
I learned to love all of Hollywood money
You came along and you moved me honey
I changed my mind, looking fine
You kissed me baby, woo, it feels good
Hold me baby, learn to let me love you like a lover should
You're fine, so kind
I'm a nervous world that your mine mine mine mine
I cut my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I'm really nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
Well kiss me baby, woo-oooooo, it feels good
Hold me baby
I want to love you like a lover should
You're fine, so kind
I got this world that your mine mine mine mine
I cut my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I'm real nervous 'cause it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
The lyrics of Buddy Holly's song Great Balls of Fire are about the overwhelming emotions of falling in love. The opening lines describe how the woman in question shakes the singer's nerves and rattles his brain. The lyrics suggest that the feeling of being in love to an extreme extent can drive a man insane. The chorus "Goodness gracious great balls of fire" is an exclamation of the singer's overwhelming emotions. The woman has broken his will and has given him a thrill, perhaps suggesting the singer is surprised that he still has intense feelings for someone.
The second verse describes how the singer has learned to love Hollywood movies and their glitz and glamour, until he meets the woman who changes his mind. She moves him with her physical appearance and character, and he appreciates her presence in his life. He wants to learn how to love her like a lover should, suggesting he wants to treat her properly and make her feel special. The singer is nervous but thrilled at the same time, describing how he twiddles his thumbs and cuts his nails, which could be seen as a way of expressing anxiety. The chorus repeats as the woman continues to drive him crazy, but he seems to feel that it is all worth it for the intense feeling of being in love.
Line by Line Meaning
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
You make me feel jittery and confused
Too much love drives a man insane
Excessive affection can cause a person to lose their mind
You broke my will, oh what a thrill
You have taken control of me in an exciting way
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
An expression of surprise and delight at the intensity of the passion
I learned to love all of Hollywood money
I used to only care about getting rich and famous
You came along and you moved me honey
You entered my life and stirred up my emotions
I changed my mind, looking fine
I have altered my outlook and appearance in response to your influence
You kissed me baby, woo, it feels good
Your physical affection is enjoyable and pleasurable
Hold me baby, learn to let me love you like a lover should
Embrace me and allow me to express my love in the way that is natural between lovers
You're fine, so kind
You are attractive and have a great personality
I'm a nervous world that your mine mine mine mine
I am anxious but excited to be in a romantic relationship with you
I cut my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I am fidgety and restless
I'm really nervous but it sure is fun
Although I am anxious, I am enjoying the experience
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Your actions and behavior are causing me to lose control
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
An expression of surprise and delight at the intensity of the passion
Well kiss me baby, woo-oooooo, it feels good
Your kisses are pleasurable and satisfying
Hold me baby
Embrace me physically
I want to love you like a lover should
I am eager to express my feelings for you in an appropriate and passionate way
I got this world that your mine mine mine mine
I feel like the world is mine now that I have you
I cut my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I am still fidgety and nervous
I'm real nervous 'cause it sure is fun
I am experiencing a mixture of anxiety and excitement
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Your actions and behavior are causing me to lose control
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
An expression of surprise and delight at the intensity of the passion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Hammer, Otis Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind