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".
I'm Looking For Someone To Love
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just won't get it 'cause you say we're through an'
I'm lookin' for someone to love
I'm lookin' for someone to love
Well if you're not here
My baby I don't care
Because I'm lookin' for someone to love
Playin' the field all day long
Since I found out that I was wronged now
I'm lookin' for someone to love
I'm lookin' for someone to love
Well if you're not here
My baby I don't care
Because I'm lookin' for someone to love
Drunk man, street car
Foot slipped there you are now
I'm lookin' for someone to love
I'm lookin' for someone to love
Well if you're not here
My baby I don't care
Because I'm lookin' for someone to love
Caught myself, thinkin' of you
You can't love me and an other one too
Well I'm lookin' for someone to love
I'm lookin' for someone to love
Well if you're not here
My baby I don't care
Because I'm lookin' for someone to love
The song I'm Looking for Someone to Love by Buddy Holly tells the story of a man who has been left by his lover, and is now searching for someone new to love. He spends his days "playing the field" and trying to find love, but it is clear that he is still hung up on his ex, often caught thinking of her. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who is lost and unsure of what to do, searching for love in all the wrong places.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I'm lookin' for someone to love" several times, emphasizing the man's desperation and longing for companionship. However, it is also clear that he is not willing to settle for just anyone - he wants someone special who he can truly love.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the universal human desire for love and companionship, and the difficulties that can arise when trying to find it. The lyrics capture the feeling of being lost and alone, as well as the hopefulness that comes with the possibility of finding someone new to love.
Line by Line Meaning
Stayin' at home, waitin' for you
Sitting at home while waiting for you to come back is not enough because you have informed me that our relationship is over.
Just won't get it 'cause you say we're through an'
My insistence on waiting for you will not make things better because you have already broken up with me.
I'm lookin' for someone to love
I am currently searching for a new person to fill the void left by our breakup.
Well if you're not here
If you are not present or available to be with me.
My baby I don't care
I am not too worried or upset about your absence or departure.
Because I'm lookin' for someone to love
My focus and energy is currently directed towards finding a new love interest.
Playin' the field all day long
I have been spending my time exploring my options and seeking out new prospects.
Since I found out that I was wronged now
Since I discovered that you have done me wrong and our relationship is over.
Drunk man, street car
An unfortunate event occurring while in a drunken state and resulted in a streetcar accident.
Foot slipped there you are now
A chance encounter where you appeared unexpectedly after my foot slipped and caused me to bump into you.
Caught myself, thinkin' of you
Realizing I have been thinking about you despite our breakup.
You can't love me and an other one too
It is impossible for you to be in love with me and someone else at the same time.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Holly, Norman Petty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dennisfothergill
Buddy Holly was well ahead of time in his music.Ive been an avid fan of his music, for over 50 years now, and I'm still drawn to The Chirpin Crickets L.P. of which my late brother owned, what fantastic arrangements there were on that Album, all those years ago, absolutely "BRILL" R.I.P. Charles Harding Holly xx
@Tonetwisters
The all-time best rock and roller. Period.
@sauquoit13456
'Drunk man, street car; foot slipped, there you are now'...
One of the their best songs, but then again, the Crickets never had a bad song!!!
@gabize
greil marcus: There’s the lack of care in the singer’s plea, the plea of someone looking for love, bereft, alone, but also cruising, not in any hurry, laughing at himself—and it’s the lack of care that makes the room in the song, room in its story, in its heart, room, in this case, for the cool walk of the last verse, which turns out to be as complete a definition of rock ’n’ roll as Holly’s guitar solos, the verse that was nothing but a Holly family saying, which here seems a Zen koan, a frontier password, and lines left out of “Not Fade Away” all at once: “Drunk man / Street car / Foot slip / There you are.”
@bigsinger1981
He wrote this while travelling to studio to record that il be the day and his brother gave him that line which was something their mother used to say. Watch documentary and Gary and Roma tollett explained the story .
@rogerdodger4444
His brother Travis wrote that line of the song
@jaredtomlin85
Never a bad song, that's why Buddy will always be my favorite!
@morna45
Great song that I had on an original EP, along with Not Fade Away, Oh Boy and That'll Be the Day. Does it get any better than that? I don't think so.
@geraldlewis9963
I almost agree
@jeffjeeves6337
What a fine guitar player he was.