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.
Three Steps To Heaven
Eddie Cochran Lyrics
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Just listen and you will plainly see (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
And as life travels on
And things do go wrong
Just follow steps one, two and three (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
Step one, you find a girl you love
Step two, she falls in love with you
Yeah, that sure seems like heaven to me (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
The formula for heaven's very simple (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
Just follow the rules and you will see
And as life travels on and things do go wrong
Just follow steps one, two and three (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
Step one, you find a girl you love
Step two, she falls in love with you
Step three, you kiss and hold her tightly
Yeah, that sure seems like heaven to me (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
Just follow steps one, two and three
Eddie Cochran's song "Three Steps to Heaven" is a romantic ballad that outlines a simple formula for achieving happiness in life. It suggests that the key to happiness is finding love and holding on to it tightly. The song is an optimistic and reassuring take on love and relationships.
The first line of the chorus, "Now there are three steps to heaven," suggests that heaven is not an unattainable place, but rather a state of mind that can be reached by following three simple steps. The second line, "Just listen and you will plainly see," is a call to the listener to pay attention to what follows, as the steps are laid out.
The three steps themselves are easy to understand. In step one, the singer advises the listener to find a girl they love. In step two, they suggest that the girl falls in love with you. In step three, they suggest kissing and holding the girl tightly. These steps are repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of each one.
The song suggests that love is not a complicated emotion, but rather a simple and powerful one. By following these three steps, anyone can reach a state of happiness, which is compared to heaven. The song's lyrics are heartfelt and emotionally resonant, making it a timeless classic that has inspired generations of listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Now there are three steps to heaven (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
The concept of reaching heaven is broken down into three steps and is going to be explained in the upcoming lyrics
Just listen and you will plainly see (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
If you pay close attention and follow the steps mentioned, you can achieve the state of heavenly bliss
And as life travels on
And things do go wrong
Just follow steps one, two and three (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
Amidst the difficulties that may arise in life, following the three steps will pave the way for a pleasant and fulfilling life
Step one, you find a girl you love
Step two, she falls in love with you
Step three, you kiss and hold her tightly
Yeah, that sure seems like heaven to me (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
The three steps mentioned here pertain to finding and loving a partner, gaining their love in return, and finally experiencing the joy of intimacy. These steps, for the artist, signify happiness in heaven
The formula for heaven's very simple (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
The steps to achieve a state of heavenly happiness are not complicated, and can be easily followed
Just follow the rules and you will see
And as life travels on and things do go wrong
Just follow steps one, two and three (three steps to heaven, three steps to heaven)
By following the three steps to happiness, one can breeze through life's upheavals and challenges
Just follow steps one, two and three
Reiteration of the importance of following the three aforementioned steps
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB COCHRAN, EDDIE COCHRAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind