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.
Thinkin' About You
Eddie Cochran Lyrics
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Wonderin' if you miss me too
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Hopin' that you love me too
I went to see a movie, I was feelin' blue
When I looked at my ticket, I bought seats for two
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Wonderin' if you miss me too
Hopin' that you love me too
I was gettin' hungry, some popcorn would do
When the girl asked me how many, I quickly answered two
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Wonderin' if you miss me too
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Hopin' that you love me too
I left the movies early, still feelin' blue
But when I went to bed, I still had on my shoes
'Cause I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Wonderin' if you miss me too
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
Hopin' that you love me too
In Eddie Cochran's song "Thinkin' About You", the singer voices his thoughts and feelings for a person he misses and loves. He wonders whether this person thinks about him, too, and whether they share the same feelings. The lyrics portray the vulnerability and desperation of the singer, who feels blue even when trying to distract himself from his thoughts. The image of the ticket bought for two and the answer given for two popcorns indicate the singer's attempts to hold on to hope that the person he loves will come back to him. However, the final line "But when I went to bed, I still had on my shoes" suggests that the singer's longing only brings him restlessness and inability to escape the thoughts that torment him.
The song captures the sentiments of unrequited love and the longing for someone who may not return the same feelings. It portrays the singer's candid, raw emotions with his hesitancy to reveal them to the person he yearns for, and his desperate need for reciprocity. The repetition of the phrases "thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you" and "hopin' that you love me too" add to the emotional weight of the song and emphasize the internal turmoil of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I been thinkin' about you, wonderin' about you
I have been pondering about you and contemplating the possibility of us reuniting
Wonderin' if you miss me too
I am curious if you have been thinking about me as well
Hopin' that you love me too
I am wishing and hoping that you still have feelings for me
I went to see a movie, I was feelin' blue
I went to the cinema because I was feeling sad and down
When I looked at my ticket, I bought seats for two
I only realized after purchasing my ticket that I had bought seats for two, perhaps out of habit or hope
I was gettin' hungry, some popcorn would do
As time passed, I started feeling hungry and thought that popcorn would suffice
When the girl asked me how many, I quickly answered two
When the attendant asked me how many popcorns I wanted, without hesitation, I replied with the number two
I left the movies early, still feelin' blue
Despite leaving the cinema early, I was still feeling sad and down
But when I went to bed, I still had on my shoes
Even after going home and going to bed, I was unable to shake off my thoughts and remained restless
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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