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".
Smokey Joe's Cafe
Buddy Holly Lyrics
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A-sittin' there readin' down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
A chicken walked in through the door
That I had never seen before
At least I never saw her down at Smokey Joe?s Cafe
And it scared me when she sat right down next to me
Her knees were almost touching mine at Smokey Joe's Cafe
A chill was runnin' down my spine at Smokey Joe's Cafe
She smiled and made my heart go boom
And everybody room at Smokey Joe?s Cafe
They said be careful - that chick belongs to Smokey Joe
And from behind the counter - I saw a man
A chef's hat on his head and a knife in his hand
He grabbed me by the collar and began to shout
You better eat up all your beans, boy and clear right on out!?
Well, I know I'll never eat again at Smokey Joe?s Cafe
And so I'll never see again at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I'd rather eat my chili beans at Jim's or Jack's or John's or Gene's
Than take my chances eating down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I risked my life when that Smokey Joe's a crazy
The lyrics of Buddy Holly's song Smokey Joe tell the story of a man eating at a cafe when a woman he has never seen before walks in. As she sits down next to him, the man is immediately attracted to her and is entranced by her beauty and perfume. However, he soon finds out that she's with Smokey Joe, who is the owner of the cafe and possibly her boyfriend. The situation becomes tense when Smokey Joe appears from behind the counter wearing a chef's hat and brandishing a knife. He threatens the man, yelling at him to eat all his beans and leave. The man, scared and intimidated, decides that he will never eat at Smokey Joe's Cafe again.
The song employs humor and an engaging storyline to explore jealousy and possessiveness. The man's infatuation with the woman is portrayed as dangerous and reckless. Smokey Joe's Cafe is depicted as a place of danger and threat instead of a homey and welcoming place like most cafes. The lyrics have a sharp wit and a rhythmic feel in the way they are delivered, highlighting Buddy Holly's songwriting talent and skill.
Line by Line Meaning
One day while I was eating down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I was dining at Smokey Joe's Cafe when this incident happened
A-sittin' there readin' down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I was sitting and reading something while I was at Smokey Joe's Cafe
A chicken walked in through the door
A woman walked in through the cafe's door
That I had never seen before
I couldn't recall seeing her before
At least I never saw her down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I hadn't seen her at that specific place before
And it scared me when she sat right down next to me
I was frightened when she came and sat beside me
Her knees were almost touching mine at Smokey Joe's Cafe
Our knees were almost brushing, and it made me uncomfortable
A chill was runnin' down my spine at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I had a shiver down my spine while being at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I could smell her sweet perfume
I could smell the fragrance she had on
She smiled and made my heart go boom
Her smile made my heart beat faster
And everybody room at Smokey Joe's Cafe
Everyone else in the cafe was noticing what was happening
They said be careful - that chick belongs to Smokey Joe
People around me warned me that she's Smokey Joe's girl
And from behind the counter - I saw a man
I noticed a man from behind the counter
A chef's hat on his head and a knife in his hand
He had a chef's hat, indicating he's the chef, and he was holding a knife
He grabbed me by the collar and began to shout
He grabbed me by my collar and started yelling at me
You better eat up all your beans, boy and clear right on out!
He warned me to finish my meal and leave immediately
Well, I know I'll never eat again at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I have decided that I'm not going to eat again at Smokey Joe's Cafe
And so I'll never see again at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I will never return to Smokey Joe's Cafe again
I'd rather eat my chili beans at Jim's or Jack's or John's or Gene's
I have multiple places in mind where I would rather eat than Smokey Joe's Cafe
Than take my chances eating down at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I would not risk dining at Smokey Joe's Cafe
I risked my life when that Smokey Joe's a crazy
I feel like I was risking my safety by being in that cafe with Smokey Joe around
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind