Ray Edward Cochran was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota; however, as his parents were from Oklahoma, he considered himself an Oklahoman, and introduced himself as such in interviews. He took music lessons in school, but eventually quit the band to play drums. Rather than take piano lessons, Cochran began learning guitar, playing the country music he heard on the radio. As time went on, Cochran moved to Los Angeles, California in 1953. Together with Hank Cochran, Eddie formed The Cochran Brothers, though the two shared no relation.
Around the same time, Cochran worked as a session musician, but aspired to be a songwriter and artist in his own right, and recorded a demo with songwriting partner and future manager, Jerry Capeheart. Cochran's first notable foray into the public eye was as one of the many performing artists featured in the musical comedy film The Girl Can't Help It starring Jayne Mansfield, eventually resulting in a recording contract with Liberty. He would follow up on this appearance by appearing in several films of the same genre. He also performed as a support act for such stars as Gene Vincent and Little Richard, who were among Cochran's co-stars in the aforementioned film.
For his recordings, Cochran often used experimental techniques that would later become part and parcel for other recording artists, notably recording numerous overdubs in order to create the rich, distinctive guitar sound for "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody". "Twenty Flight Rock", the song Cochran performed in The Girl Can't Help It, was the very first song a young Paul McCartney played for John Lennon as his audition for Lennon's group, The Quarrymen, which would later metamorphose into The Beatles.
Cochran was killed in an automobile accident in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England during a tour of Britain with Gene Vincent. Vincent and Cochran's fiancee, who were both in the car, survived the crash. Scholars have noted that, somewhat eerily, Cochran's last single release in his lifetime was "Three Steps to Heaven", although the song's lyrical context has nothing to do with death. Cochran's death occurred little over a year after the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, to whom he paid tribute in his recording of the song "Three Stars", which remained unreleased until 1966.
A majority of Cochran's recorded legacy would be released posthumously; in his lifetime, only one album, Singin' to My Baby (1957), was ever released. Perhaps owing to the brevity of his career, Cochran never attained the same star status as other rockers of the era; however, his lyrical themes of teenage desires and rebellion, being somewhat more morose and raucous than his contemporaries, had a profound influence on many of the greatest artists of the '60s and '70s, such as The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones.
Guilty Conscience
Eddie Cochran Lyrics
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Honey when you hold someone new
When you look into his eyes and tell him all those lies
Honey don't your concience bother you
Don't your concience bother you when your hear my name
Knowin' how you hurt your darlin'
Should fill your heart with shame
Guilty concience, guilty concience
Guilty concience, don't you have a guilty concience
When you hold another in my place
When you're walkin' by his side, dear are you satisfied
Or does a guilty concience bother you
I still remember all the things you said that wasn't true
And when you're holding someone else don't you remember too
Guilty concience, guilty concience
Honey don't your concience bother you
Guilty concience, don't you have a guilty concience
Honey when you hold someone new
When you know that it is smart, you jump from heart to heart
Honey don't your concience bother you
You told me once that you would love me till eternity
And now you're tellin' someone else the same as you told me
Guilty concience, guilty concience
Don't a guilty concience bother you
The song "Guilty Conscience" by Eddie Cochran is about the guilt and shame that someone should feel when they cheat on their significant other. The lyrics suggest that the person holding someone new should feel guilty about the lies they are telling their new partner, and should also feel guilty when they hear the name of their ex-partner because they know how much they hurt them. The chorus repeats the question: "Don't your conscience bother you?" The singer then goes on to remind the person of all the lies they have told and how they should feel ashamed for their actions.
The lyrics of the song are poignant and emphasize the emotional turmoil of the person who has been cheated on. The use of the word "conscience" highlights the idea of morality and the consequences of actions. The repetition of the question "Don't your conscience bother you?" emphasizes the guilt that someone should feel when they cheat on their partner. The song also suggests that the person who was cheated on is still hurting and remembers all the lies that were told.
Overall, "Guilty Conscience" is a powerful and emotional song that highlights the consequences of cheating on your partner. The lyrics emphasize the guilt and shame that someone should feel for their actions and how their behavior can have a lasting impact on their ex-partner.
Line by Line Meaning
Guilty concience, don't you have a guilty concience
The singer is asking if the person has a guilty conscience
Honey when you hold someone new
Referring to the person holding someone else
When you look into his eyes and tell him all those lies
The person is lying to the new person they are with
Honey don't your concience bother you
The artist is asking why the person's conscience isn't bothering them
Don't your concience bother you when your hear my name
The artist is asking if the person feels guilty when they hear their name
Knowin' how you hurt your darlin'
The singer is aware of how the person hurt them
Should fill your heart with shame
The singer believes the person should feel ashamed
Guilty concience, guilty concience
Reiterating that the person has a guilty conscience
Honey don't your concience bother you
The artist is again questioning why the person's conscience doesn't bother them
Guilty concience, don't you have a guilty concience
Reiterating that the person has a guilty conscience
When you hold another in my place
Referring to the person holding someone else in the singer's place
When you're walkin' by his side, dear are you satisfied
Asking if the person is satisfied with the new person they are with
Or does a guilty concience bother you
The singer is questioning whether the person's conscience bothers them
I still remember all the things you said that wasn't true
The singer remembers the lies the person told them
And when you're holding someone else don't you remember too
The singer is asking if the person remembers the lies they told them while holding someone else
Guilty concience, guilty concience
Reiterating that the person has a guilty conscience
Honey don't your concience bother you
The artist is again questioning why the person's conscience doesn't bother them
Contributed by Grace A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.