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".
Soft Place In My Heart
Buddy Holly Lyrics
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And the dreams it's caused no one will ever know
I guess you know dear - my love has always been true
Now there's nothing left to say or do but go
These bitter tears I've shed for you - are all in vain
But if you decide you want me back again
Just come back dear and I'll no longer be so blue
I've got a soft place in my heart, my darling for you
In Buddy Holly's song "Soft Place In My Heart," he expresses his enduring love for someone, despite the pain and heartache that it has caused him. The title itself suggests an emotional vulnerability for the person who has captured his heart. He sings, "I've got a soft place in my heart for you, and the dreams it's caused no one will ever know," implying that he has kept these feelings to himself and that the pain of unrequited love is a private burden. Despite all of this, he assures this person that his love has always been true, and while he knows there is nothing else he can do but move on, he cannot help but hold onto the hope that this person might come back to him.
Throughout the song, he acknowledges that his unrequited love has caused him a great deal of sorrow, and that these tears have been shed in vain because the person he loves may never reciprocate those feelings. But he still holds out hope for the future, singing, "But if you decide you want me back again, just come back dear and I'll no longer be so blue." This line suggests that he has not given up on the possibility of a happy ending, that he is still willing to open his heart if this person should have a change of heart.
Overall, "Soft Place In My Heart" is a song about unrequited love, and the pain and longing that come with it. It is a testament to the power of love to endure even in the face of great sadness and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a soft place in my heart for you
My feelings for you are tender and compassionate.
And the dreams it's caused no one will ever know
No one else knows the depth of my unspoken desires caused by my love for you.
I guess you know dear - my love has always been true
You understand that my affection for you has always been genuine and honest.
Now there's nothing left to say or do but go
There's nothing else to say or do except to move on from this relationship.
These bitter tears I've shed for you - are all in vain
The tears I've cried for you hold no significance since it appears that our relationship is now over.
But if you decide you want me back again
However, if you change your mind and wish to rekindle our love, I'll be open to it.
Just come back dear and I'll no longer be so blue
If you return to me, all of my sadness will disappear.
I've got a soft place in my heart, my darling for you
My love for you still exists, even though our relationship has ended.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BOB MONTGOMERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind