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".
La Bamba
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
Ay, arriba arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan
Soy capitan, soy capitan
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba, bam
Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
Ay, arriba arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
The lyrics of Buddy Holly's La Bamba are a request for everyone to come together and dance in a festive manner. The opening line of “Para bailar La Bamba” sets the tone for the rest of the song as the repetition of the phrase emphasizes the importance of the dance. The key component to being able to dance La Bamba is having a little grace, as stated in “Se necessita una poca de gracia.” This grace is needed for both the dancer and the person they are dancing with, as emphasized in the repetition of “Para mi, para ti.” The phrase “Ay arriba, ay arriba” encourages people to get up and move, and the “Por ti sere” refrain suggests that everyone should dance for each other and for the greater good of the community.
The second part of the song shifts the focus to the singer, who professes that they are not a sailor but a captain, perhaps alluding to their leadership role in the dance. The “Bamba, bamba” refrain is another call for everyone to dance together. The rest of the song repeats the idea that both grace and the willingness to dance for others are essential to successfully and joyfully dance La Bamba. Overall, the song is a celebration of community and coming together through dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Para bailar La Bamba
In order to dance La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
To dance La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
A little bit of grace is necessary
Una poca de gracia
A little bit of grace
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
For me, for you, up above, up above
Ay, arriba arriba
Oh, up above, up above
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere
For you I'll be, for you I'll be, for you I'll be
Yo no soy marinero
I am not a sailor
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan
I am not a sailor, I am a captain
Soy capitan, soy capitan
I am a captain, I am a captain
Bamba, bamba
La Bamba rhythm
Bamba, bamba
La Bamba rhythm
Bamba, bamba, bam
La Bamba rhythm, go!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Bryan Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jacob Fieldz
I absolutely love how they gave buddy holly a part here. He is such a legend
faustrocket565
If only Ritchie was given a better part in the BHS film, they might as well left him out because that's pretty much how it went.
railway_lad2009
@faustrocket565 ye but atleast they featured the big bopper
faustrocket565
@railway_lad2009 true, but he's got to have his own movie too.
railway_lad2009
@faustrocket565 he really does because his life story is interesting
MDot Hill
He's a legend
Mystical Margaret
I remember when I first saw the movie in the theatres - this scene was so poignant and I was already teary eyed because I knew what was coming. At the end of course, the tears flowed. My mom cried, my aunts cried, my girl cousins cried. My boy cousins didn't cry, but they were very sad. When the film was over I looked around the theater - I wasn't the only one wiping tears away. 🥺💔💔💔
Lambert Benally
Margaret Tudor Yeah! It's such a beautifully directed scene. I'm so upset that it never got anything significant at the Oscars.
caitlin hill
yeh same thing happend to me its so sad isnt it
Jeff Garcia
😪