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".
Rock Me My Baby
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And try your best to squeeze me
Love me baby - you know how
Yes, a-rock me my baby
Well, rock a-like a hockory-dock, dickory-dock
Rock-a-bye my baby
Up and down - around the clock
Well, a-rock me my baby
And make me bubble brightly
Thrill me to my fingertips
Well, a-rock me my baby
Tell me that you love me too
And say you'll never me
No one loves you like I do
So rock me my baby
The lyrics to Buddy Holly & The Crickets' song Rock Me My Baby are a simple yet effective expression of love and affection between two people. The song speaks of physical touch, kisses and loving words, and conveys a sense of joy and happiness. The first stanza tells the partner to put their arms around the singer and squeeze them, already setting a theme of call-and-response that permeates the song. The second stanza talks about rocking the baby in the hickory-dock rhythm, and the third stanza brings in the idea of kisses that bubble brightly and thrill to the fingertips. The fourth and final stanza declares the singer's love, asking for a response, and the song ends on a high note with the call to rock the baby.
While on the surface, the lyrics can be seen as just an upbeat love song, there are deeper themes that can be explored. The call-and-response structure of the lyrics could be seen to represent the give-and-take of a healthy relationship, with each partner giving and receiving physical and emotional support. The image of the baby being rocked could be seen to represent the fragile beginnings of a relationship, with the partners needing care and support to grow and develop. The sense of joy and happiness in the lyrics could also be interpreted as a celebration of the simple pleasures of life and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Put your arms around me now
Wrap your arms tightly around me
And try your best to squeeze me
Hold me firmly and give me a tight squeeze
Love me baby - you know how
You know how to love me, my baby
Yes, a-rock me my baby
Please rock me, my sweet baby
Well, rock a-like a hockory-dock, dickory-dock
Rock me like the ticking of a clock
Rock-a-bye my baby
Sing a lullaby to me, my baby
Up and down - around the clock
Rock me up and down, all day and night
Well, a-rock me my baby
Please rock me, my sweet baby
Plant your kisses on my lips
Kiss me deeply on my lips
And make me bubble brightly
Make me feel happy and excited
Thrill me to my fingertips
Make my whole body tingle with excitement
Well, a-rock me my baby
Please rock me, my sweet baby
Tell me that you love me too
Say that you love me too
And say you'll never me
Promise that you'll never leave me
No one loves you like I do
I love you more than anyone else does
So rock me my baby
Please rock me, my sweet baby
Lyrics Β© Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SHORTY LONG, SUSAN HEATHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidhaley4176
Rockabilly personified - Great vocal - guitar playing amazing - this is one of the most underrated Buddy songs
@OsitoTejano
Perfection right there.
@punchinker
Spectacular guitar, and all you modern drummers, listen to Jerry Allison: that's how it's done.Simply the best ever.
@RhandirQH
The guitar solo is one of his best, I have always been surprised that it is not heard more often. He and Jerry Allison just meshed together so well. Arf
@9641roger
I agree, I love this track, it shows of Buddy's lovely jangly guitar playing; great solo along with Ready Teddy
@surfinwax58
He also used his Fender vibrato bar during the solo.
@chezfun
Tis a goody! It has a little Ling Ting Tong sound to it....but then the guitar starts up....oh yes, rock me my baby! LOL!
@raymondcunningham9655
It's the only time you'll hear Buddy using the tremolo arm on any of his records
@TheHeater90
He also uses it on the solo for the song "Heartbeat"
@raymondcunningham9655
No he didn't that solo was byTommy Aiisup