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".
See you later alligator
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With another man today
Well, I saw my baby walkin'
With another man today
When I asked her what's the matter
This is what I heard her say
See you later alligator
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
Can't you see you're in my way now
Don't you know you cramp my style
When I thought of what she told me
Nearly made me lose my head
When I thought of what she told me
Nearly made me lose my head
But the next time that I saw her
Reminded her of what she said
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
Can't you see you're in my way now
Don't you know you cramp my style
[Instrumental Interlude]
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby
You know my love is just for you
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby
You know my love is just for you
Won't you say that you'll forgive me
And say your love for me is true
I said wait a minute 'gator
I know you meant it just for play
I said wait a minute 'gator
I know you meant it just for play
Don't you know you really hurt me
And this is what I have to say
See you later alligator
After 'while crocodile
See you later alligator
So long, that's all, goodbye
The song "See you later alligator" by Buddy Holly features lyrics that describe a young man who sees his girlfriend walking with another man. His girlfriend tells him that he is "cramping her style" and says, "see you later alligator." The song continues to relay their conversations and the singer's emotional turmoil. But towards the end of the song, his girlfriend apologizes and confirms her love for the singer.
The lyrics are very straightforward; the singer is in pain due to his girlfriend leaving him, and he tries to understand the reason behind their breakup. His girlfriend's intention was never to hurt him, and she was merely trying to "play" around. There is a sense of light-hearted humor in this song, evident through the colloquialism of "see you later alligator" and the response of "after while crocodile." The song is a testament to the 1950s era of pop culture, where catchy and carefree music dominated the airwaves.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I saw my baby walkin' / With another man today
I saw my girlfriend walking with another guy
When I asked her what's the matter / This is what I heard her say
I asked her what's going on, and she said:
See you later alligator / After 'while crocodile / Can't you see you're in my way now / Don't you know you cramp my style
I'm breaking up with you; you're getting in the way of my happiness
When I thought of what she told me / Nearly made me lose my head
When I thought about what she said, I almost lost my mind
But the next time that I saw her / Reminded her of what she said
But when I saw her again, I reminded her of her words
She said, I'm sorry pretty baby / You know my love is just for you
She apologized and said that she only loves me
Won't you say that you'll forgive me / And say your love for me is true
Will you forgive me and declare your love for me?
Don't you know you really hurt me / And this is what I have to say
You hurt me deeply, and I have to respond
See you later alligator / After 'while crocodile / See you later alligator / So long, that's all, goodbye
I'm really breaking up with you, and I'm not looking back
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network
Written by: Robert Charles Guidry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@silberlinie
Hello young folks.
I am 82 and I also heard this song for the first
time with my friend who emigrated to usa at
the end of school.
I am in Cologne, Germany.
Today, more precisely just now, I dialogued
with ChatGPT about it
@dangerouspie22
My mum's last words when she passed away ....see you later alligator
@maxmiliankupka7145
bullshit
@muireannbee1971
dangerouspie22 every time I go to bed my mum is like ‘see you later alligator ‘ and I always reply with ‘ not for awhile crocodile 😂, I’m sorry about your mum 😔
@corzwann4185
Sos sad sorry for your mam
@someoneontheinternetuvenev6268
Is this real or is it a joke
@garfieldthelasangacat1622
@ilovegumz yes
@profile1674
Whenever my mom had visitors and they left her house she'd always say "See you later, alligator" by way of goodbye. She grew up in the golden years of rock 'n' roll and loved that music until the very end. When she suddenly passed away, we had her cremated, and when the urn with her ashes was carried out of the church, we had this song playing as a final goodbye to her. You're being missed a lot, mom, yet I am happy you're not around to face the wide-awake nightmare that life has become nowadays. Thank you for making me the person I am today. I have not said it enough when you were still here, but I love you.
@birgitleimbach2279
You are so right Profile 1
@potter3439
Very well said
@karlaerazo2935
I truly sad with your WORDS.
Im studying English. But I can feel and understand your feelings Without doubt