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".
Peggy Sue Got Married
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, no, no
Don't say that I told you so
I just heard a rumor from a friend
I don't say
That it's true
I'll just leave that up to you
You recall a girl that's been in nearly every song
This is what I heard of course the story could be wrong
She's the one
I've been told
Now she's wearing a band of gold
Peggy Sue got married not long ago
You recall a girl that's been in nearly every song
This is what I heard of course the story could be wrong
She's the one
I've been told
Now she's wearing a band of gold
Peggy Sue got married not long ago
Peggy Sue got married not long ago
The lyrics to Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue Got Married" describe a situation where the songwriter has just heard a rumor about his former flame Peggy Sue getting married. He pleads with his friend not to tell him if the rumor is true or not. Though he acknowledges that he cannot confirm the rumor as true, he does mention that he has heard the story before that Peggy Sue has worn a band of gold, indicating that she had indeed gotten married.
As the song progresses, the songwriter reminisces about Peggy Sue's impact on his music, stating that she has been referenced in almost every song. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the impact of past relationships and experiences on an artist's work.
The repetition of the line "This is what I heard, of course, the story could be wrong" highlights the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the situation, and the songwriter accepts that if Peggy Sue has indeed moved on, he will understand.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the fleeting nature of relationships and the bittersweet feeling of seeing someone you once had feelings for move on with their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Please don't tell
I'm about to share some gossip, but please don't share it further.
No, no, no
I'm serious, don't tell anyone.
Don't say that I told you so
If this rumor turns out to be false, please don't blame me.
I just heard a rumor from a friend
I got this information second hand and can't confirm its accuracy.
I don't say
I'm not making any definite claims here.
That it's true
I don't have evidence to back up this rumor.
I'll just leave that up to you
I'll let you decide what to make of this information.
If you don't believe I'll understand (understand)
I won't hold it against you if you don't believe me.
You recall a girl that's been in nearly every song
I'm referring to a well-known person who has been the subject of many songs.
This is what I heard of course the story could be wrong
I'm not completely confident in the truth of this rumor.
She's the one
This person is the subject of the rumor I heard.
I've been told
This is what I heard from my source.
Now she's wearing a band of gold
This person recently got married.
Peggy Sue got married not long ago
This is the name of the person who got married not too long ago.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BUDDY HOLLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Savvakisssss
I cannot imagine how many more legend songs like this would exist if Buddy Holly was alive today! Such a loss for music, with such a great impact on all the greats, he will never be forgotten!
Debbie Thompson
THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED .....
Nilda Ferrer
This song never ceases to amaze me. I love everything about it. This is truly a masterpiece of a song. I can never listen to it just once. Remembering Buddy 2/3/23
bigbum
This song never gets old
oana diaconu
Right!
Shavemad65
This man's talent shines through the dross we have been fed over the years. I was a teenager when Buddy was alive. His music is as fresh now as it was back then. Rock on Buddy.
William Powell
Wow...😀?
Tom NY
And as good as when I saw him at the Brooklyn Paramount
Andrew Mildinhall
Absolutel correct. By the end of the 60s it was downhill. Fortunately the likes of the Beatles, Stones and Ray Davies and the Kinks have kept that legacy alive
Curly glam rocker7
This song means sooo much to me in the best way. My grandmother who passed away almost 9 years ago she absolutely adored the movie Peggy Sue Got Married. & this song was so special the lyrics and the composition and when i hear it i feel like she’s here with me. 😢it will never get old