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".
Oh Boy !
Buddy Holly Lyrics
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All of my kissin'
You don't know what you been a-missin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
All of my life
I been a-waitin'
Tonight there'll be no hesitatin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
Stars appear and a shadow's a-fallin' / (Ahh)
You can hear my heart a-callin' / (Ahh)
A little bit of lovin' makes everything right / (Ahh)
I'm gonna see my baby tonight / (Ahh)
All my love
All my kissin'
You don't know what you been a-missin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
dumb de dumb dumb, oh boy
Dumb de dumb dumb, oh boy
Ahh
Ahh
All my love
All my kissin'
You don't know what you been a-missin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
All of my life
I been a-waitin'
Tonight there'll be no hesitatin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
Stars appear and a shadow's a-fallin'
You can hear my heart a-callin'
A little bit of lovin' makes a-everything right
I'm gonna see my baby tonite
All my love
All my kissin'
You don't know what you been a-missin'
Oh boy (Oh boy)
When you're with me
Oh boy (Oh boy)
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
The lyrics to Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy" describe the excitement and anticipation of being with someone you love. The opening lines, "All of my love, all of my kissin', you don't know what you been a-missin'" suggest that the singer has been waiting to share their affection with the person they're speaking to. The repetition of the lines "Oh boy, when you're with me" reinforces the excitement of being in each other's company, and the declaration that "the world can see that you were meant for me" suggests a deep sense of connection that the singer feels with their companion.
The lines "Stars appear and a shadow's a-fallin', you can hear my heart a-callin'" are particularly evocative, painting a picture of a romantic moment under the stars. The final lines, "I'm gonna see my baby tonite, all my love, all my kissin'" suggest that the anticipation has paid off and the two are finally together. The playful "dumb de dumb dumb" that follows feels like a happy, carefree expression of pure joy.
Overall, the lyrics of "Oh Boy" capture the thrill and excitement of being in love and spending time with the person you care about. The simple, upbeat melody and repetition of key phrases make the song memorable and catchy, while the detailed imagery creates a sense of nostalgia and romantic yearning.
Line by Line Meaning
All of my love
All the romantic love I have for you
All of my kissin'
All of the intimate moments shared between us so far
You don't know what you been a-missin'
You don't realize how great our relationship is
Oh boy (Oh boy)
Expressing excitement and anticipation
When you're with me
When we are together as a couple
The world can see that you were meant for me / (Ahh)
Our love story is meant to be
All of my life
My entire life so far
I been a-waitin'
I have been eagerly waiting for this moment
Tonight there'll be no hesitatin'
No doubts or reservations about our love tonight
Stars appear and a shadow's a-fallin' / (Ahh)
Evening time is approaching
You can hear my heart a-callin' / (Ahh)
I am yearning for you
A little bit of lovin' makes everything right / (Ahh)
Our love can overcome any challenges
I'm gonna see my baby tonight / (Ahh)
I can't wait to see you tonight
dumb de dumb dumb, oh boy
Expression of joy and contentment
All my love
Reiterate the depth of feeling for the significant other
You don't know what you been a-missin'
Again emphasize how great the relationship is
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: NORMAN PETTY, BILL TILGHMAN, SUNNY WEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind