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.
Tell Me Why
Eddie Cochran Lyrics
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Tell me why the stars do shine?
Tell me why the ocean's blue?
And I will tell you just why I love you
Because God made the ivy twine
Because God made the stars to shine
Because God made the ocean blue
The song "Tell Me Why" by Eddie Cochran is a love song that attempts to explain why the singer loves someone. The lyrics ask four different questions: why the ivy twines, why the stars shine, why the ocean is blue, and ultimately, why the singer loves the person they're singing to. The answer to each question is "Because God made it that way." The final line of the song, "Because God made you, that's why I love you," is the key to understanding the entire song. The singer loves this person because they were created by God, and therefore, they are a part of the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
The song is both simple and profound. It's a celebration of the natural world, and an acknowledgement of the divine force that created it. It's also a reminder that love is a natural part of the world, just like the stars, the ocean, and the ivy. By connecting his love for this person to the natural world, the singer is suggesting that their love is part of something bigger than just the two of them.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me why the ivy twines?
Enlighten me on the reason that the ivy winds itself around objects.
Tell me why the stars do shine?
Can you provide an explanation for the reason that stars emit light?
Tell me why the ocean's blue?
I’m curious as to what causes the ocean to appear blue in color?
And I will tell you just why I love you
As soon as you tell me the answers to my inquiries, I will tell you the exact reason why I have strong affection towards you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: COCHRAN EDDIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind