The band personnel were drummer Jerry Allison, bassist Joe B. Mauldin, and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan. Sullivan dropped out within less than two years of touring and recording. He wasn't comfortable with the amount of traveling and to a lesser extent, he didn't fit in with Jerry and Joe. For the same reason, Jerry and Joe were not backing Holly after he moved to NYC. The big move was the real reason why the Crickets broke up, but Holly was not daunted by the breakup; he gained a new back-up band with Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings on the tour shortly after the Crickets folded. But after about 4 months, due to fans' mail and the band feeling nostalgic, a reunion was planned to start with all the original Crickets after Holly's winter tour through the northern mid-west was completed. It was on that tour that Holly was killed in a plane crash.
Learning The Game
Buddy Holly & The Crickets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These go with learning the game
When you love her and she doesn't love you
You're only learning the game
When she says that you're the only one she'll ever love
Then you find that you are not the one she's thinking of
Feeling so sad and you're all alone and blue
That's when you're learning the game
Buddy Holly's "Learning the Game" is a beautiful ballad about the inevitable heartbreak that comes with learning the game of love. The lyrics describe the pain that one experiences when they love someone who doesn't love them back, and the disappointment when they find out that the person they love is not thinking of them. The song paints a picture of someone who is feeling sad and alone after the realization that they were just a player in the game of love, and not a winner.
The lyrics perfectly capture the emotions that come with heartbreak and unrequited love. The words "hearts that are broken and love that's untrue" reveal that not everyone is playing the game of love with pure intentions. The lines "when she says that you're the only one she'll ever love, then you find that you are not the one she's thinking of" highlight how easily someone can get burned in the game of love. The song reminds us that learning the game of love takes a lot of practice, and sometimes, heartbreak is just a part of the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Hearts that are broken and love that's untrue
Experiencing heartbreak and false love are part of the process of learning how to navigate romantic relationships
These go with learning the game
These negative experiences are an inherent part of the learning process
When you love her and she doesn't love you
One-sided love is a common experience in the process of learning how to love
You're only learning the game
This experience is a valuable lesson in the process of learning how to love
When she says that you're the only one she'll ever love
Hearing words of commitment and devotion from a partner can be misleading
Then you find that you are not the one she's thinking of
Realizing that your partner's words were insincere can be a painful learning experience
Feeling so sad and you're all alone and blue
Experiencing sadness and loneliness is a common and difficult part of the learning process
That's when you're learning the game
These difficult experiences are when the true lessons of love and relationships are learned
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BUDDY HOLLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Stocks
Hearts that are broken and love that’s untrue
These go with learning the game
When you love her and she doesn’t love you
You’re only learning the game
When she says that you’re the only one she’ll ever love
Then you find that you are not the one she’s thinking of
Feeling so sad and you’re all alone and blue
That’s when you’re learning the game
When she says that you’re the only one she’ll ever love
Then you find that you are not the one she’s thinking of
Feeling so sad and you’re all alone and blue
That’s when you’re learning the game
That’s when you’re learning the game
Eric Tansley
So ahead of it's time both musically and lyrically. I'm from England and visited the Buddy Holly museum in Lubbock during a month driving across the USA in 2011. I was recovering from divorce at the time - my wife had an affair and left me after 30 years of marriage. So this song had particular meaning for me !
Ronald Quasebarth
Hard to overstate Buddy's effect on rock and more. His legacy still lives on after 63 years.
dave whellan
I can't begin to tell you what effect his music had on me as an eleven year old kid living in the UK in 1958. It was truly trail blazing stuff, never heard anything like it before and sounded absolutely fantastic. I know Elvis is regarded as the king of R&R but this guy was the real king, his musicianship and song writing set the stage for the 1960's pop music explosion and he was so influential on so many that followed him in that fabulous music decade. Such a legacy left by a man who changed so much but, tragically, died so young.
Jenny wren
It doesn't matter any more was mine, 1947 too..
Jeffrey Edwards
Dead right Dave.
Javi Marqués
He was the Real King, but….i agree, dies too young
Eleazar Beltran
He just wrote great songs. That simple. Every song has a beautiful melody. Great lyrics. For his time he was writing great rock n roll songs. Now he should be remembered as one of the greats
s b
An absolute musical hero. I wish I was around to hear/see Buddy perform live
Dave Macdonald
Me too mate 🇬🇧
ron kennington
yes