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.
Pretty Girl
Eddie Cochran Lyrics
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when you say frog this poor boy leaps
pretty girl, oh, pretty girl
well i got a lot of money and i need a little honey
pretty girl, don't you be so tame, well, pretty girl
you drive me insane, aah, pretty girl
well you're mighty short an' lean in a pair of dirty jeans
pretty girl
The lyrics to Eddie Cochran's song "Pretty Girl" present a narrative of a man who is completely smitten with a woman he deems beautiful. He seems to be infatuated with her, as he repeatedly refers to her as a "pretty girl." The first few lines seem to be his attempt to persuade her to be with him, as he asks her to let him hold her, and indicates that he wants her permanently. He even says that he will "leap" if she agrees.
As the song progresses, he reveals that he is financially stable and is in search of someone to share his fortunes with - subtly asserting his position as a provider. In between some of his lines, he repeats "pretty girl," indicating that he is just as enamored with her physical appearance as he is with the idea of being with her. He then urges her not to be "so tame," which may be interpreted as him asking her to let loose and not hold back from him, emotionally or otherwise. He further admits that she drives him "insane," cementing the idea that he is completely taken with her. The last line seems to be an admiration of her despite her "dirty jeans" and short stature. Overall, "Pretty Girl" can be interpreted as a song about a man who is infatuated with a woman purely for her physical beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
c'mon let me hold you, want you for keeps
I want to hold you tight and be with you forever
when you say frog this poor boy leaps
I'll do anything you want me to do
pretty girl, oh, pretty girl
You are so beautiful
well i got a lot of money and i need a little honey
I have a lot of money and I need someone to spend it on
pretty girl, don't you be so tame, well, pretty girl
Don't be shy or reserved, my pretty girl
you drive me insane, aah, pretty girl
You make me crazy with desire, my pretty girl
well you're mighty short an' lean in a pair of dirty jeans
You may not be perfect, but I still find you attractive
Contributed by Lincoln N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.