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 Wanna Play House With You
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come back baby I wanna play house with you
You may go to college
You may go to school
You may have a pink Cadillac
But don't you be nobody's fool
Come back baby come
Come back baby
I wanna play house with you
Now this is one thing baby
I want you to know
Well-a, come on back to me little girl
We can make like we did before (chorus)
Well now this is one thing baby
That I'm talkin' about
Well, come on back to me little girl
So we can play some house (chorus)
Well, listen to me baby
Try to understand
Well, I'd rather see you dead little girl
Than to be with another man (chorus)
Buddy Holly's song I Wanna Play House with You is a classic rock and roll love song that captures the essence of the era. The lyrics are playful and suggestive, with the singer asking his lover to come back to him so they can "play house" together. The repetitious chorus reinforces the singer's desire to be with his lover and the passion of their relationship.
The lyrics themselves are not particularly complex, but they do reflect the cultural norms of the time. The mention of college and school suggests that the lovers are young and perhaps still in school, while the line "You may have a pink Cadillac, But don't you be nobody's fool" reinforces the idea that the woman should not let herself be taken advantage of by others. However, the most striking line in the song is the final chorus that states "Well, I'd rather see you dead little girl, than to be with another man." This line has been criticized for its violent and possessive nature, and it demonstrates the gender roles and expectations that were prevalent during the period.
Overall, while the song has some problematic elements, it remains a classic rock and roll love song that captures the spirit of the era.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby baby baby baby baby
The singer is expressing his affectionate feelings towards his partner by repeating the word 'baby'.
Come back baby I wanna play house with you
The singer is urging his partner to return to him because he wants to be together and have fun like they used to.
You may go to college
The singer acknowledges his partner's ambitions for higher education.
You may go to school
The singer acknowledges his partner's commitment to learning.
You may have a pink Cadillac
The singer acknowledges his partner's possessions and achievements.
But don't you be nobody's fool
The singer warns his partner not to be taken advantage of or deceived by others.
Now come baby come
The singer is urging his partner to return to him.
Now this is one thing baby
The singer is about to make a point.
I want you to know
The singer wants his partner to be aware of his thoughts and feelings.
Well-a, come on back to me little girl
The singer is repeating his request for his partner to return to him.
We can make like we did before (chorus)
The singer is reminiscing about past experiences with his partner and wants to recreate those moments together.
Well now this is one thing baby
The singer is about to make another point.
That I'm talkin' about
The singer wants his partner to pay attention to what he is saying.
So we can play some house (chorus)
The singer wants to engage in playful activities with his partner, just like they used to.
Well, listen to me baby
The singer wants his partner to listen carefully to what he is about to say.
Try to understand
The singer is asking his partner to empathize with his feelings and perspective.
Well, I'd rather see you dead little girl
The singer is expressing the extreme emotions he would feel if his partner were to leave him for another man.
Than to be with another man (chorus)
The singer is emphasizing that he wants to be with his partner and engage in activities with her, rather than have her be with someone else.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CY COBEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind