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".
Shake
Buddy Holly Lyrics
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And rattle those pots and pans
Get out from that kitchen
And rattle those pots and pans
Well, roll my breakfast
'Cause I'm a hungry man
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
Well, you'll never do nothing
To save your doggone soul
Wearing those dresses
Your hair done up so nice
Wearing those dresses
Your hair done up so nice
You look so warm
But your heart is cold as ice
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
Well, you'll never do nothing
To save your doggone soul
Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
I'm like a one-eyed cat
Peeping in a sea food store
I'm like a one-eyed cat
Peeping in a sea food store
I can look at you
'Til you don't love me no more
I believe you're doing me wrong
And now I know
I believe you're doing me wrong
And now I know
The more I work
The faster my money goes
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
Well, you'll never do nothing
To save your doggone soul
Shake, rattle, and roll
The song "Shake, Rattle and Roll" by Buddy Holly is a classic rock-and-roll tune that is all about having fun and letting loose. The song begins with an invitation for the listener to come out of the kitchen and get moving. The importance of breakfast is emphasized with the line "well, roll my breakfast 'cause I'm a hungry man." The repeated phrase "shake, rattle, and roll" is a call to action, urging people to dance and enjoy themselves.
The song then takes a turn to address a woman who may look good on the outside, but is cold-hearted on the inside. The lyrics compare the woman's warm appearance to her heart that is "cold as ice." The one-eyed cat peeping in a seafood store metaphor suggests that the the singer is interested in the woman, but feels like an outsider looking in. The final verse shifts the focus to money and work, with the singer complaining about feeling taken advantage of. However, the constant refrain of "shake, rattle, and roll" reminds the listener that despite the challenges of life, it's important to keep dancing and enjoying oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Get out from that kitchen
Stop what you're doing in the kitchen
And rattle those pots and pans
Come and make noise with those utensils
Well, roll my breakfast
Cook up some breakfast for me
'Cause I'm a hungry man
I'm very hungry right now
I said, shake, rattle, and roll
Move your body and make some noise
Well, you'll never do nothing
If you don't dance
To save your doggone soul
Then your soul will be lost
Wearing those dresses
Dressed up so beautifully
Your hair done up so nice
Your hair is styled so well
You look so warm
You appear friendly and inviting
But your heart is cold as ice
You're actually not a kind person at all
Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!
Let's get moving, let's go!
I'm like a one-eyed cat
I'm like a curious cat with one eye
Peeping in a sea food store
Watching the people in the seafood store
I can look at you
I can stare at you
Til you don't love me no more
Until you no longer care for me
I believe you're doing me wrong
I think you're betraying me
And now I know
Now I'm sure
The more I work
The harder I try
The faster my money goes
The more quickly my money disappears
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Calhoun
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind