Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Budd… Read Full Bio ↴Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock.
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".
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".
Me And Bobby McGee
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, headin' for the trains
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained
Took us all the way to New Orleans
I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin sad while Bobby sang the blues, yeah
With them windshield wipers slappin' time, And Bobby clappin' hands
We finally sang every song that driver knew, yeah
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free,
Feelin' good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues
You know, feelin' good was good enough for me
From the coal mines of Kentucky to the California sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin' right beside me Lord, through everything I done
And every night she kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away
Lookin' for the home I hope she'll find
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
Holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But if feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
Hey, feelin' good was good enough for me, mm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained
Took us all the way to New Orleans
I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin sad while Bobby sang the blues, yeah
With them windshield wipers slappin' time, And Bobby clappin' hands
We finally sang every song that driver knew, yeah
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Feelin' good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues
You know, feelin' good was good enough for me
From the coal mines of Kentucky to the California sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin' right beside me Lord, through everything I done
And every night she kept me from the cold
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away
Lookin' for the home I hope she'll find
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
Holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But if feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
Hey, feelin' good was good enough for me, mm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred L. Foster, Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Zé Pedro Bacelar
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, headin' for the train
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
Took us all the way to New Orleans
I took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna
And was blowing sad while Bobby sang the blues
With them windshield wipers slappin' time
And Bobby clappin' hands
We finally sang up every song that driver knew
Freedom's just another word for nothing' left to lose
Nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free
Feeling good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues
Feeling good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
From the coal mines of Kentucky to the California sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin' right beside me, Lord, through everything I've done
Every night she kept me from the cold
Then somewhere near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away
Lookin' for the home I hope she'll find
And I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday
Holdin' Bobby's body next to mine
Freedom's just another word for nothing' left to lose
Nothin' left is all she left for me
Feeling good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues
Buddy, that was good enough for me
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
Marc Gomez
Johnny Cash - Me and Bobby McGee
Busted flat in baton rouge, waiting for the train
Feelin about its faded as my jeans
Bobby flag the diesel down just before it rained
Took us all the way to new orleans
Then i pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin sad while bobby sang the blues
With them windshield wipers clapping time
andBobby´s hands and mine we finally
sang up every songThat driver knew
Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose
nothin aint worth nothin but its free, yes is free
Feelin good was easy, lord, while bobby sang the blues
Feeling good was good enough for me, for me,
Good enough for me and Bobby McGee
From the coalmines of kentucky to the california sun
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Standin right beside me Lord through everythin I done
And every night she kept me from the cold
And then one day near Salinas, lord, I let her slip away
lookin for the home I hope she´ll find
and Id trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday
Holdin bobbys body next to mine
Usuario Incógnito
"Me And Bobby Mcgee"
(originally by Roger Miller)
Busted flat in Baton Rouge, headin for the trains,
Feelin nearly faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,
Took us all the way to New Orleans.
Took my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
And was blowin sad while Bobby sang the blues,
With them windshield wipers slappin time and
Bobby clappin hands we finally sang up every song
That driver knew.
Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose.
And nothin aint worth nothin but its free.
Feelin good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues.
Feeling good was good enough for me.
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
From the coalmines of Kentucky to the California sun,
Bobby shared the secrets of my soul,
Standin right beside me through everythin I done,
And every night she kept me from the cold.
The somewhere near salinas, Lord, I let her slip away,
She was lookin for the love I hope shell find,
Well I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday,
Holdin Bobbys body next (close) to mine.
// Freedoms just another word for nothin left to lose,
And nothin aint worth nothin but its free, but is free.
Feelin good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues,
And buddy, that was good enough for me.
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee. //
Rebecca Carson
I’ve never heard this version until tonight, he puts a whole different spin on the song! Makes it his own!
Richard Henderson
Hello Rebecca how are you doing today dear I hope all is well with you and your family? Have a nice day.
chevtrukman
If you liked this, look up The Statler Brothers version. Much respect to Johnny, but the Statler version is my alltime favorite, by far.
Gilles Descoins
The man in black is magic for everything..RIP for his légende..un fan français
Laura Poulsen
You should look up Charley Price's version. There is the live and the record version. I think the record version is his best. But his is also from the heart. I think his better than Johnny Cash although he did a fantastic job
kool breeze
Johnny did this version on the Flip Wilson also
Subhajit Saha
I came across Janis Joplin's songs in 2012. And this one is my favourite. But Johnny Cash took it to another height altogether. If Janis had the hungry haste of river in voice, Johnny reflects ocean's tireless waiting.
Dos Gardenias
You've described it so well!
Ruby
I reccomend you listen also to Kristofferson's version. He wrote the song, and his version of it is closer to this one but it has it's own quality to it.
Subhajit Saha
@Ruby Hey, thanks for the recommendation. I listened to it, and I was mesmerized.