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".
Ting a Ling
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
Ya, I'm just a poor young boy
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
Ya, I'm just a poor young boy
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
They way they rock and roll and hold me, angel child
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
The way they laugh, the way they sing
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
The way they laugh and sing
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling
Well, I'm young and I'm free
And it's a real fine way to be
Well, I'm young and I'm free
And it's a real fine way to be
Ya, I'm young and I'm free
And it's a real fine way to be
I want a fine young gal that is so nice and free
The lyrics to Buddy Holly's "Ting-a-Ling" represent the exuberance and joy of youth and being free. The song is about a poor young boy who is captivated by the carefree nature and infectious energy of the girls around him. The boy enjoys the way the girls laugh and sing, and the way they rock and roll. The upbeat and cheerful nature of the song is contagious, making it impossible not to tap your feet or sing along.
The repetition of the phrase "ting-a-ling" is symbolic of the boy's heart racing with excitement at the prospect of finding a girl he can connect with. The phrase is also used to represent the sound of a bell, which can be interpreted as the boy's awakening to the world of love and romance. The lyrics suggest that the boy craves a girl who is "so nice and free" but the focus is more on the boy's feelings of elation and not on any one girl in particular.
Overall, "Ting-a-Ling" is a song about the joys of being young and carefree. The lyrics capture the vibrancy and energy of youth and the excitement of discovering new things. The infectious melody and upbeat tempo make the song a classic and demonstrate Buddy Holly's ability to create music that is both fun and thought-provoking.
Line by Line Meaning
Well now I'm just a poor young boy
I am a not a rich teenager
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
These girls are making me crazy
Ya, I'm just a poor young boy
Again, I am a not a wealthy teenager
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
These girls are driving me insane
Ya, I'm just a poor young boy
Once more, I am expressing that I am an underprivileged youth
And these girl's 'bout to drive me wild
These girls are going to make me go crazy
They way they rock and roll and hold me, angel child
The way they dance and embrace me is heavenly
The way they laugh, the way they sing
Their laughter and singing
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
Makes my heart flutter
The way they laugh, the way they sing
Once more, their laughter and singing
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
Again, it causes my heart to race delightfully
The way they laugh and sing
Their laughing and singing in general
Makes my heart go ting-a-ling
Causes me to feel an ecstatic emotion
Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling
Repeating the onomatopoeic expression of my joyful feeling
Well, I'm young and I'm free
I am still in the prime of my life and have freedom
And it's a real fine way to be
This is a great state to be in
Well, I'm young and I'm free
Again, restating my youthful age and freedom
And it's a real fine way to be
This is an awesome way of life
Ya, I'm young and I'm free
Yet again, reiterating my age and state of independence
And it's a real fine way to be
It is indeed an amazing way to live
I want a fine young gal that is so nice and free
Expressing my desire for a beautiful and liberated girl
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: A. NUGETRE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Barry Hestand
One of Buddy's best, honestly.
Janice A Stets
You got it! One of my favs!
karri tolvanen
Simply best pure of rockabilly
karri tolvanen
yep....
adrian varty
Great song! I've always thought this was one of his best. It's a pity he went away from songs like this.
Axel Bodin
Buddy rocks.
Mike Thomas
I dig this'un.
Jos van Gogh
I bought the single in 1962 in New Orleans. working on a tanker from Shell. I had never seen this record in Holland, where I lived. It broke and now I heard it again 60 years later.
What number was on the flip side? anybody knows?
Phil J
Good day.....Girl on My Mind / Ting-A-ling.
Kelly Reinoso
Try the Kingbees version....great song.