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".
Heartbeat
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?
Heartbeat
Why does a love kiss stay in my memory?
Piddly pat
I know that new love thrills me
I know that true love will be
Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?
Heartbeat
Why do you skip when my baby's lips meet mine?
Heartbeat
Why do you flip then give me a skip beat sign?
Piddly pat
And sing to me love's story
And bring to me love's glory
Heartbeat
Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?
The song "Heartbeat" by Buddy Holly is a classic rock and roll love ballad that captures the euphoria of being in love with someone. The lyrics are a reflection of the emotional state of the singer when he is with his lover. The song starts with an intriguing question when the singer asks, "Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?" The word 'you' here refers to the singer's heartbeat, which seems to skip a beat when he is with his lover. The following lines express the same feeling of love, enchantment and wonder, "Why does a love kiss stay in my memory?"
The next couple of lines reflect the singer's understanding of love. He feels that new love excites him (piddly pat) but he knows that true love will satisfy him (I know that true love will be). This idea of love being different in the beginning and transforming into something more profound is a common theme throughout the song. The final lines repeat the initial question but also ask, "Why do you skip when my baby's lips meet mine?" The word 'skip' here refers to the singer's heartbeat skipping a beat, emphasizing his strong emotional reaction to kissing his lover.
Overall, "Heartbeat" is an expression of the powerful emotions that come with being in love. It is a sweet and catchy song that evokes a sense of nostalgia for the golden age of rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
Heartbeat
The sound of my heart's rhythmic beating
Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?
Why does my heartbeat skip a beat when my significant other kisses me?
Heartbeat
The sound of my heart's rhythmic beating
Why does a love kiss stay in my memory?
Why does the memory of a kiss with someone I love stay engrained in my mind?
Piddly pat
The sound of a drumbeat or tapping that mimics the rhythm of my heartbeat
I know that new love thrills me
I am aware that the excitement of a new love is exhilarating
I know that true love will be
I am aware that true love will last
Heartbeat
The sound of my heart's rhythmic beating
Why do you skip when my baby's lips meet mine?
Why does my heartbeat jump or skip a beat when I kiss my significant other?
Heartbeat
The sound of my heart's rhythmic beating
Why do you flip then give me a skip beat sign?
Why does my heartbeat flip or feel a sudden surge before giving me a skipped beat as a sign of emotional response?
Piddly pat
The sound of a drumbeat or tapping that mimics the rhythm of my heartbeat
And sing to me love's story
And remind me of the wonderful story of love that I am living
And bring to me love's glory
And bring forth the glory of love into my life
Heartbeat
The sound of my heart's rhythmic beating
Why do you miss when my baby kisses me?
Why does my heartbeat skip a beat when my significant other kisses me?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Bob Montgomery, Norman Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind