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".
When You Ask About Love
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rely on someone who's older
I don't know what to tell you
when you ask about love
I think I know what's wrong with you
I've been going steady too long with you
I don't know what to tell you
What you feel for me is infatuation
And it all started back during summer vacation
Someone else needs my attention
And I can't go steady with you no more
The lyrics to Buddy Holly's song When You Ask About Love seem to be centered around a speaker's inability to reciprocate their partner's feelings. The first stanza, "Don't cry on my shoulder/ Rely on someone who's older/ I don't know what to tell you/when you ask about love" suggests that the singer understands that their partner is seeking guidance, possibly because they're confused or hurt. However, the singer is not equipped to offer advice, perhaps because they don't feel the same way about their partner. The next stanza, "I think I know what's wrong with you/ I've been going steady too long with you/ I don't know what to tell you/ when ask about love" further drives home the idea that the singer is at a loss. They acknowledge that they've been together for a while and that there may be something more serious going on with their partner, but they still can't provide the support that's needed.
The final stanza, "What you feel for me is infatuation/ And it all started back during summer vacation/ Someone else needs my attention/ And I can't go steady with you no more" is perhaps the most telling. The singer admits that their partner's feelings are temporary, that they're not truly in love. The mention of summer vacation suggests that this could be a young love, the kind that's intense and all-consuming at the time but doesn't necessarily last. The line "Someone else needs my attention" is also significant, implying that the singer has other priorities that take precedence over their partner. The final line, "And I can't go steady with you no more" is the ultimate rejection. The singer is drawing a clear line in the sand, stating that they're no longer willing to be in a committed relationship.
Overall, the lyrics to When You Ask About Love convey a sense of confusion, indecision, and ultimately, rejection. The singer is struggling to navigate a relationship that they may have outgrown, and they're not sure how to let their partner down gently. The song captures the complexities of young love and the difficult conversations that sometimes come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't cry on my shoulder
I am not the person you should be seeking for comfort.
Rely on someone who's older
Find someone with more experience and wisdom to guide you.
I don't know what to tell you
I am not equipped to give you advice on this matter.
when you ask about love
Regarding questions regarding love, I am at a loss.
I think I know what's wrong with you
I have a hypothesis regarding the source of your issues.
I've been going steady too long with you
Our relationship has gone on for too long without any significant progress.
What you feel for me is infatuation
Your emotions towards me are not true love, but rather a passing fancy.
And it all started back during summer vacation
The foundation of your feelings for me were established during a time of brief romantic encounters.
Someone else needs my attention
I have obligations and responsibilities to other people in my life.
And I can't go steady with you no more
I am unable to continue our relationship in its current state.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERRY ALLISON, SONNY CURTIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind