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".
Queen Of The Ballroom
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're in every man's arms
When I look upon you
How you thrill me with your charms
You have all the men at your feet
With your lovely, lovely ways
And I will love you forever and always
May I have - may I have this dance
Now I know - you're looking for fun, not romance
You're the queen of the ballroom
And I love you more and more
Queen of the ballroom
Queen of the ballroom floor
The song Queen of the Ballroom by Buddy Holly is a romantic ode to a woman who captures the attention of every man in the ballroom. The lyrics portray her as a captivating and charming woman who knows how to make every man feel special when she dances with them. The singer of the song is deeply enamored with her and acknowledges that she is the "queen" of the ballroom.
However, despite his love for her, the singer also recognizes that the woman does not seek any emotional attachment from her dance partners. She is looking to have fun without any commitment or long-lasting connections. The singer understands this, yet he still cherishes the moments they share on the dancefloor and appreciates her beauty and grace.
Overall, the lyrics of Queen of the Ballroom are a testament to the power of dance and the emotions it can elicit. It is also a melancholic recognition of the fleeting nature of romantic connections made in a dance hall.
Line by Line Meaning
You're the queen of the ballroom
You are the most popular woman in the ballroom and everyone wants to dance with you.
you're in every man's arms
Every man wants to dance with you and you are gracious enough to dance with all of them.
when I look upon you
When I see you dancing with other men, I feel a sense of admiration for you.
how you thrill me with your charms
Your charming personality and dance moves make me feel excited and happy.
You have all the men at your feet
You have the power to attract and impress all the men in the ballroom.
with your lovely, lovely ways
You have a very appealing personality that makes everyone around you feel happy and relaxed.
and I will love you forever and always
I will always cherish the moments we spend together and my love for you will never fade away.
May I have - may I have this dance
Excuse me, would you like to dance with me?
now I know - you're looking for fun, not romance
I understand that you're here to have fun and enjoy the dance, not necessarily to find a romantic partner.
and I love you more and more
My admiration and affection for you keep growing stronger and stronger.
queen of the ballroom
You are the most admired and respected woman in the ballroom.
queen of the ballroom floor
Your dance moves are so graceful and elegant that they make you stand out from everyone else on the dance floor.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DON GUESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind