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".
Listen to Me
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you will see our love so right
Hold me darling
Listen closely to me
Your eyes will see what love can do
Reveal to me your love so true
Listen to me,
I've told the stars you're my only love
I want to love you tenderly
Those same bright stars in heaven above
Know now how sweet, sweethearts can be
Listen to me, hear what I say
Our hearts can be nearer each day
Hold me darling,
Listen closely to me
Listen to me
Listen, listen
Listen to me
I've told the stars you're my only love
I want to love you tenderly
Those same bright stars in heaven above
Know now how sweet, sweethearts can be
Listen to me, hear what I say
Our hearts can be nearer each day
Hold me darling,
Listen closely to me
"Listen to Me" by Buddy Holly is a simple and sweet love song. The lyrics are a plea to a loved one to listen to the depth and truth of the singer's feelings. The opening verse sets the tone for the entire song. The singer implores their lover to listen and hold them tight, promising that their love will be right. They ask for this person's undivided attention, urging them to listen closely.
In the second verse, the singer tells their lover to reveal their true love to them. They are essentially saying "trust me with your love" and "show me your true self". The singer has clearly fallen deeply in love and wants the same from their partner. Throughout the song, the singer makes it clear that their love is true and genuine.
The chorus reinforces the plea to listen. The singer wants their lover to really hear what they are saying and understand that they can be closer each day. The final verse brings everything full circle. The singer has already told the stars that their lover is their one and only, but now they are telling their lover themselves. The final phrase, "listen closely to me," is a final call to really hear and understand the depth of their love.
Overall, the song is an ode to deep, true love and the desire to be heard and understood by a partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to me and hold me tight
Pay attention to what I'm saying and hold me close.
And you will see our love so right
If you listen to me and hold me close, you will realize that our love is meant to be.
Hold me darling
Please hug me and make me feel loved.
Listen closely to me
Pay attention to what I'm saying and show me that you care.
Your eyes will see what love can do
If you pay attention to me and our love, you will see the amazing things that love can do.
Reveal to me your love so true
Please show me that your love for me is genuine and sincere.
I've told the stars you're my only love
I've proclaimed to the universe that you are the only person I love.
I want to love you tenderly
I desire to love you gently, affectionately, and with great care.
Those same bright stars in heaven above
The stars I told about our love are the same ones shining in the sky above us right now.
Know now how sweet, sweethearts can be
The stars now understand how wonderful and loving two sweethearts (like us) can be.
Listen to me, hear what I say
Pay attention to me and understand the importance of what I'm saying.
Our hearts can be nearer each day
If we listen to and love each other more every day, our hearts will grow closer together.
Hold me darling
Please hug me and make me feel loved.
Listen closely to me
Pay attention to what I'm saying and show me that you care.
Listen to me
Pay attention to me and what I'm saying.
Listen, listen
I really want you to listen to me.
Listen to me
Pay attention to me and what I'm saying.
I've told the stars you're my only love
I've proclaimed to the universe that you are the only person I love.
I want to love you tenderly
I desire to love you gently, affectionately, and with great care.
Those same bright stars in heaven above
The stars I told about our love are the same ones shining in the sky above us right now.
Know now how sweet, sweethearts can be
The stars now understand how wonderful and loving two sweethearts (like us) can be.
Listen to me, hear what I say
Pay attention to me and understand the importance of what I'm saying.
Our hearts can be nearer each day
If we listen to and love each other more every day, our hearts will grow closer together.
Hold me darling
Please hug me and make me feel loved.
Listen closely to me
Pay attention to what I'm saying and show me that you care.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BUDDY HOLLY, NORMAN PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@foggymountainmusic3468
An interesting fact:
look almost just like him. I’m from Texas, have a bit of a similar voice, and play guitar and some other instruments. I remember singing a while ago and my parents and everybody said I reminded them of Buddy Holly. Then my parents looked at my family tree. There he was. On my family tree. I’m also same religion as him. I’m a baptist he was too. And I realized that my father looked like buddy too. I am happy to be related to him. I impersonate him
Some information about Buddy Holly:
Buddy Holly was only 22 when he died and sang since he was around 13. He was in a country and western duo with bob Montgomery for a while then he joined the crickets in late 1957. They had good songs together, such as, Oh Boy!, Peggy Sue, That’ll be the day, Everyday, and words of love. He was no doubt great at a lot. I don’t like him because he’s my relative, I like him because he has talent. I was a fan of him before I figured out I was related to him. But his band was mainly friends but he had his 3rd cousin by marriage join. Niki Sullivan was in there but then quit because he wasn’t a fan of the traveling. Then it was stuck with Buddy Holly, Joe B Mauldin, and Jerry Allison. Then the crickets got in a argument because Buddy wanted to record in New York. But Jerry and joe wanted to stay in Clovis New Mexico. Also Joe and Jerry were drinking a little bit. Then Buddy on a tour that took his life along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Maria Elena Holly had a miscarriage and lost the baby. She was devastated and she never remarried again. February 3rd 1959 was then nicknamed The Day The Music Died. And there is some theories that Buddy shot The Big Bopper but there was no way it was possible for Buddy, Ritchie, or The Big Bopper to live. The last thing I want to say is....
R.I.P
@Elmer-hf1je
I came home from school when I heard Buddy had died in a plane crash ,and put this track on ,and played it over and over whilst crying my eyes out ! It was one of the saddest days of my young life! I’m 78 now and still play his music ,and Listen to Me still gets me all emotional when I hear it ! RIP Buddy , Joe B , and Nicki !
@commandingjudgedredd1841
Aye. And recently, J.I Alison finally joined his bandmates. Now, they're all together, playing those classics once more.
@kevincasson9848
I never, get tired of Buddy and the Crickets! Playing this now i am back in 1970 when i bought this on a LP. I can smell the vynil. All his songs send shivers down my spine. 😢
@colindant3410
@@kevincasson9848 Especially this one!
@theluddens2710
I’m 78 this month and when I listen to this I’m a teenager again.
@123SCI
Top!
@ocduff
This is my favorite Buddy Holly song, because it represents his true vision and legacy - if you listen to this in context of 1957, and realize that he was a 21 year old without a hit - you know that he was INVENTING something here. And not just the double tracking - he wrote/played/sang/arranged/produced this record. This song is evidence that he was the first independent recording artist.
@user-of4kk4in9f
Thanks for explaining. I'm new to Buddy so now i see how he and things like Sun records brought indie music to the post war mainstrwam.
@lesterjohnston8888
So true chuck
@mischadickerhof5375
...and together with «Words Of Love» it's at least 8 years ahead of its time in terms of psychedelia.