Jiles Perry (J.P.) Richardson, Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), c… Read Full Bio ↴Jiles Perry (J.P.) Richardson, Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), called Jape by friends but commonly known as The Big Bopper, was a disc jockey who parlayed a big voice and exuberant personality into a career as an early rock and roll star. He is best known for his hit song "Chantilly Lace".
Richardson was born in Sabine Pass, Texas, the oldest son of Jiles Perry, Sr. and Elise (Stalsby) Richardson. His father was an oil field worker and driller. He had two younger brothers, Cecil and James. Within a short time the family moved to Beaumont, Texas. He graduated from Beaumont High School in 1947 and was a member of the "Royal Purple" football team, wearing number "85" as a defensive lineman.
Richardson later studied law at Lamar College, and was a member of the band and chorus. During this time he worked part time at KTRM radio, where in 1949 he was hired full-time and left school. On April 18, 1952, Richardson married Adrianne Joy Fryou from Montegut, Louisiana; in December 1953 their daughter, Debra Joy, was born. Earlier that year Richardson was promoted to Supervisor of Announcers at KTRM. In March 1955 he was drafted into the United States Army. His basic training was at Fort Ord, California after which Richardson spent two years as a radar instructor at Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon his discharge at the rank of Corporal in March 1957, Richardson returned to KTRM radio, where he held down the "Dishwashers' Serenade" shift from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
One of the station's sponsors wanted Richardson for a new time slot and suggested a gimmick for the show. Richardson noticed all the college kids doing a dance called The Bop, so he decided to become known as "The Big Bopper". He kicked off a new radio show from 3 to 6 p.m., and soon The Big Bopper became the station's program director.
In May of 1957, he broke the record for continuous on-the-air broadcasting by eight minutes. He went a total of five days, two hours and eight minutes, playing 1,821 records and taking showers during five-minute newscasts. During the marathon, he lost 35 pounds (16 kg). KTRM paid Richardson $746.50 for his overtime and he quickly hit the sack for 20 hours.
According to the Internet Accuracy Project website, Richardson is credited with coining the term "rock video".
Around this time, Richardson -- who played guitar -- started writing more songs. George Jones later recorded Richardson's "White Lightning", which became Jones' first #1 country hit in 1959 (#73 on the pop charts). Richardson also wrote "Running Bear" for Johnny Preston, his friend from Port Arthur, Texas. Inspiration for the song came from Richardson's childhood memory of the Sabine river, where he heard stories about Indian tribes. Jape sang background on "Running Bear", but it wasn't released until September 1959, after his death. Within several months it went to #1.
The man who launched Richardson as a recording artist was Harold "Pappy" Dailey from Houston. Dailey was promotion director for Mercury and Starday records and signed Richardson to Mercury. Richardson's first single, "Beggar To A King", had a country flavor, but failed to gain any chart action. He soon cut "Chantilly Lace" as "The Big Bopper" for Pappy Dailey's D label. Mercury bought the recording and released it during the summer of 1958. It reached #6 on the pop charts and spent 22 weeks on the national Top 40. It also inspired an answer record by Jayne Mansfield titled "That Makes It". In "Chantilly Lace", Richardson pretends to have a flirting phone call with his girlfriend; the Mansfield record suggests what his girlfriend might have been saying at the other end of the line.
With the success of "Chantilly Lace," Richardson took some time off from KTRM radio and joined Buddy Holly and The Crickets, Ritchie Valens and Dion & the Belmonts for a "Winter Dance Party" tour. On February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly chartered a Beechcraft Bonanza to take him and his new Crickets band (Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings) to Fargo, North Dakota. Richardson came down with the flu and didn't feel comfortable on the bus, so Jennings gave his plane seat to Richardson. Valens had never flown on a small plane and requested Allsup's seat. They flipped a coin, and Valens called heads and won the toss.
In the early morning of February 3, after a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, the small four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza took off from the Mason City airport during a blinding snow storm and crashed into Albert Juhl’s corn field several miles after takeoff at 1:05 a.m. The crash killed Holly, Valens, Richardson and the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson. This event would become known as "The Day the Music Died".
Richardson, 28 when he died, left behind his wife, Adrianne, and 4-year-old daughter Debra Joy; a son, Jay Perry Richardson, was born in April of 1959. At the time of his death, Richardson had been building a recording studio in his home in Beaumont, Texas, and was also planning to invest in the ownership of a radio station. In addition, he had written 20 new songs with plans to record by himself and with other artists. Richardson was a well-loved figure who was known to care deeply about his family.
Son Jay P. Richardson took up a musical career inspired by his late father and is known professionally as "The Big Bopper, Jr." He has performed at venues around the world. Notably, he has toured on the "Winter Dance Party" tour with Buddy Holly impersonator John Mueller on some of the very same stages as his father.
In film, The Big Bopper has been portrayed by Gailard Sartain in The Buddy Holly Story and Stephen Lee in La Bamba.
Monument at Crash Site, September 16, 2003. In 1988, Ken Paquette, a Wisconsin fan of the ’50s era, erected a stainless steel monument depicting a steel guitar and a set of three records bearing the names of each of the three performers. It is located on private farmland, about one quarter mile west of the intersection of 315th Street and Gull Avenue, approximately eight miles north of Clear Lake, this is where the plane crash was situated. He also created a similar stainless steel monument to the three musicians near the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That memorial was unveiled on July 17, 2003.
J.P. Richardson's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
The Big Bopper is fondly remembered not only for his distinctive singing and songwriting, but also as a humorist who combined the best elements of country, R&B and rock'n'roll.
Richardson was born in Sabine Pass, Texas, the oldest son of Jiles Perry, Sr. and Elise (Stalsby) Richardson. His father was an oil field worker and driller. He had two younger brothers, Cecil and James. Within a short time the family moved to Beaumont, Texas. He graduated from Beaumont High School in 1947 and was a member of the "Royal Purple" football team, wearing number "85" as a defensive lineman.
Richardson later studied law at Lamar College, and was a member of the band and chorus. During this time he worked part time at KTRM radio, where in 1949 he was hired full-time and left school. On April 18, 1952, Richardson married Adrianne Joy Fryou from Montegut, Louisiana; in December 1953 their daughter, Debra Joy, was born. Earlier that year Richardson was promoted to Supervisor of Announcers at KTRM. In March 1955 he was drafted into the United States Army. His basic training was at Fort Ord, California after which Richardson spent two years as a radar instructor at Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon his discharge at the rank of Corporal in March 1957, Richardson returned to KTRM radio, where he held down the "Dishwashers' Serenade" shift from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
One of the station's sponsors wanted Richardson for a new time slot and suggested a gimmick for the show. Richardson noticed all the college kids doing a dance called The Bop, so he decided to become known as "The Big Bopper". He kicked off a new radio show from 3 to 6 p.m., and soon The Big Bopper became the station's program director.
In May of 1957, he broke the record for continuous on-the-air broadcasting by eight minutes. He went a total of five days, two hours and eight minutes, playing 1,821 records and taking showers during five-minute newscasts. During the marathon, he lost 35 pounds (16 kg). KTRM paid Richardson $746.50 for his overtime and he quickly hit the sack for 20 hours.
According to the Internet Accuracy Project website, Richardson is credited with coining the term "rock video".
Around this time, Richardson -- who played guitar -- started writing more songs. George Jones later recorded Richardson's "White Lightning", which became Jones' first #1 country hit in 1959 (#73 on the pop charts). Richardson also wrote "Running Bear" for Johnny Preston, his friend from Port Arthur, Texas. Inspiration for the song came from Richardson's childhood memory of the Sabine river, where he heard stories about Indian tribes. Jape sang background on "Running Bear", but it wasn't released until September 1959, after his death. Within several months it went to #1.
The man who launched Richardson as a recording artist was Harold "Pappy" Dailey from Houston. Dailey was promotion director for Mercury and Starday records and signed Richardson to Mercury. Richardson's first single, "Beggar To A King", had a country flavor, but failed to gain any chart action. He soon cut "Chantilly Lace" as "The Big Bopper" for Pappy Dailey's D label. Mercury bought the recording and released it during the summer of 1958. It reached #6 on the pop charts and spent 22 weeks on the national Top 40. It also inspired an answer record by Jayne Mansfield titled "That Makes It". In "Chantilly Lace", Richardson pretends to have a flirting phone call with his girlfriend; the Mansfield record suggests what his girlfriend might have been saying at the other end of the line.
With the success of "Chantilly Lace," Richardson took some time off from KTRM radio and joined Buddy Holly and The Crickets, Ritchie Valens and Dion & the Belmonts for a "Winter Dance Party" tour. On February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly chartered a Beechcraft Bonanza to take him and his new Crickets band (Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings) to Fargo, North Dakota. Richardson came down with the flu and didn't feel comfortable on the bus, so Jennings gave his plane seat to Richardson. Valens had never flown on a small plane and requested Allsup's seat. They flipped a coin, and Valens called heads and won the toss.
In the early morning of February 3, after a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, the small four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza took off from the Mason City airport during a blinding snow storm and crashed into Albert Juhl’s corn field several miles after takeoff at 1:05 a.m. The crash killed Holly, Valens, Richardson and the 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson. This event would become known as "The Day the Music Died".
Richardson, 28 when he died, left behind his wife, Adrianne, and 4-year-old daughter Debra Joy; a son, Jay Perry Richardson, was born in April of 1959. At the time of his death, Richardson had been building a recording studio in his home in Beaumont, Texas, and was also planning to invest in the ownership of a radio station. In addition, he had written 20 new songs with plans to record by himself and with other artists. Richardson was a well-loved figure who was known to care deeply about his family.
Son Jay P. Richardson took up a musical career inspired by his late father and is known professionally as "The Big Bopper, Jr." He has performed at venues around the world. Notably, he has toured on the "Winter Dance Party" tour with Buddy Holly impersonator John Mueller on some of the very same stages as his father.
In film, The Big Bopper has been portrayed by Gailard Sartain in The Buddy Holly Story and Stephen Lee in La Bamba.
Monument at Crash Site, September 16, 2003. In 1988, Ken Paquette, a Wisconsin fan of the ’50s era, erected a stainless steel monument depicting a steel guitar and a set of three records bearing the names of each of the three performers. It is located on private farmland, about one quarter mile west of the intersection of 315th Street and Gull Avenue, approximately eight miles north of Clear Lake, this is where the plane crash was situated. He also created a similar stainless steel monument to the three musicians near the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That memorial was unveiled on July 17, 2003.
J.P. Richardson's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
The Big Bopper is fondly remembered not only for his distinctive singing and songwriting, but also as a humorist who combined the best elements of country, R&B and rock'n'roll.
Sleepwalk
The Big Bopper Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Sleepwalk' by these artists:
9mm Parabellum Bullet 冬枯れの街路樹を置き去りに そ知らぬ顔して季節が静かに移ろう どこにも行くあてなどなくて 寝惚けた頭を抱えて …
Adam Again I wanted something...I wanted something big, It was somethi…
Airdash Let's talk about you and I Hey you let's talk…
Angel Du$t I was walking with the weight of guilt and shame And…
Ash Lune Hate when you leave It’s like you’re sleep talking When you’…
Blood Ruby He works, he sleeps He knows his history He reads, he drea…
Boyscott Wake up from the light of a broken screen a cut…
Buke and Gase / So Percussion Where you are go to sleep and wake up naked if i…
Buster Sledge If every single moment Stretched on for all time…
Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams Feel these arms Steel arms, now we are blind Hide my eyes …
Cliff Richard & The Shadows Last night I heard you Opening doors and rattling chains,…
Counterfit All pictures aside now, slide into closed eyes. Time kept c…
Dolphant It’s been going for so long, every day, every time, mallow…
Ember Oceans Turn the lights off Leave the television on overnight I need…
Enth sleepwalk in my mind Look up at the sky deep mist..I…
Farina/Wolf Instead of dreaming I Sleepwalk Cause I lost you And now …
Forrest Day (Bad thoughts give me bad dreams Then my bad dreams let…
Give Up To Failure If you ever choose you don't want me Hollow my eyes Lay…
Good one I was down to try it out Can you see me…
Hilang Child I said we were friends All because when I lay cold in…
hitorie 逃がしてくれって声を枯らした あたしの願いなど叶うでしょうか 目を合わせて喋れないんだ 喜怒哀楽のどれでさえ 愛してく…
In Dreams I don't want to cry out loud My throat's too tired…
Jadis I walk in close my eyes I glide through these walls Make…
Jeff Beck Sleep walk Seems like the other day My baby went away He …
Joe Strummer Matchbooks of lonely places I'll never find Clocks on wall s…
John Cooper Clarke I can wriggle out of arrangements You can't pin me down I…
Judy Prod a bitch I wanna eat sum Prada on her when…
Keegan Konsor I have bad dreams and the things that they tell…
Kumm I live in a house where everything's near So I don't…
Liquid Divine We sleep, we dream, we wonder We live, we die, we…
Midge Ure Sleepwalk. Rolling and falling, I'm choking and calling, N…
Midge Ure / Ultravox Sleepwalk. Rolling and falling, I'm choking and calling,…
Mike Knowledge If it is handled properly, it is always new Ayy, a…
Mogli the Iceburg If I close my eyes and then I die before…
MoT 머리 위로 검은 하늘 구름 뒤로 조각난 달 거리 위로 흐르던 너의 목소리…
mothica Sleepwalk Instead of dreaming I sleepwalk 'Cause I lost you …
Nelward U see me sleepwalk Down the corridor of your seam pocket Eve…
Opus Däi Wake up sunrise, dreams washed away, bruises remain, but tha…
ORCHESTRA J. DAYS I don't know where I've been I don't know what I've…
Pardon Us Stopped for a minute, only for a minute Rested my eyes,…
Pere Ubu It ain't me I walk the line brother It ain't me On the…
Push Push I see you half on the fence about whether you've got…
Radiophobic Say it again Say this will not end Till the rest of…
Rozz Williams Feel these arms Steel arms, now we are blind Hide my eyes …
Santo & Johnny Instead of dreaming I Sleepwalk Cause I lost you And now wha…
Santo and Johnnie Instead of dreaming I Sleepwalk Cause I lost you And now …
Seeb & Andreas Moe I was just hoping to be under your spell again That…
Sentient I saw eternity the other night Bright fires, scar white in…
Shoecraft Sink or swim is the only way I learn If I…
Simone Kopmajer Oh-yeah Hmm I sleepwalk, instead of dreaming I sleep walk, …
Skywind Suddenly You Step Out Across The Edge And Spread Your Wing…
Sleepwalk - Brain Attack The soundtrack to instant karma Cosmic Ret Coral Castles an…
Soulstice See, all stories are eventually told At the center of my…
The Brian Setzer Orchestra (Instrumental)…
The Golden Palominos I think I've been asleep I saw lights on the road Clouds…
The Horrors Hey now what did you tell her, Sleepwalking across town. She…
The Parity Complex It doesn′t matter Just like we've never Been out of prison O…
The Shires I, I'm gonna love you 'til I die Until the stars…
The Supremes (Don Wolf/Santo Farina/Johnny Farina/AnnFarina) Sleep walk …
Tribe Friday Let me break it down here for you: I was afraid 'Fraid…
Ultravox Sleepwalk. Rolling and falling, I'm choking and calling, N…
various artists Instead of dreaming I Sleepwalk Cause I lost you And now wha…
Worthikids Sleepwalk, daydream No tension on the strings Landlocked, sa…
yuri-095 I wanna take my head and cut it open extra…
Zior Park Sleepwalk sleepwalk sleepwalking Sleepwalk sleepwalk sleepwa…
ヒトリエ 逃がしてくれって声を枯らした あたしの願いなど叶うでしょうか 目を合わせて喋れないんだ 喜怒哀楽のどれでさえ 愛してく…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Big Bopper:
Ain't That A Shame You made me cry When you said, "goodbye" Ain′t that a shame…
Beggar to a King You changed a beggar into a king. I had sunk as…
Big Bopper's Wedding And the man keeps sayin´ ´Do you take this woman to…
Big Boppers Wedding And the man keeps sayin′ 'Do you take this woman To…
Chantilli Lace Hello, baby Yeah, this is the Big Bopper speakin' Ha ha ha…
Crazy Blues the door slammed, you walked awayhis arm around you, i…
It's The Truth Ruth Said the little red rooster to the little red hen Man,…
Let's twist again Come on everybody clap your hands Now you're looking good I'…
Litte Red Riding Hood Let me in, honey This is the Big Bopper knockin' Hello, a-L…
Little Red Riding Hood Who's that I see walkin' in these woods? Why it's Little…
Old Maid Well, I"ll tell you a story Of a burglar man: He went to…
Purple People Eater Meets the Witch Doctor While walkin' through the woods not far from town I got…
Strange Kisses I took a chance, went to the dance. Just lookin', lookin'…
That's What I'm Talking About That′s love That's love That′s love That's what I'm talking …
The Purple People Eater Meets the Witchdoctor While walkin′ through the woods not far from town I got…
White Lightnin' Well in North Carolina, way back in the hills Me and…
White Lightning Well in North Carolina, way back in the hills, Lived my…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Denisse B
Sleep walk
Instead of dreaming
I sleep walk
'Cause I lost you
And now what am I to do
What to do
Can't believe that we're through
I don't care how much you tell me
Sleep talk
'Cause I miss you
I sleep talk
While the memory of you
Lingers like a song
Darling, I was so wrong
But I'll be right someday
The night
Fills my lonely place
I see your face
Spinning through my brain
I know
I miss you so
I still love you
And it drives me insane
Sleep walk
Every night
I just sleep walk
And when you
Walk inside the door
I will sleep walk no more
Sleep walk
Every night
I just sleep walk
And when you
Walk inside the door
I will sleep walk no more
(Solo)
The night
Fills my lonely place
I see your face
Spinning through my brain
I know
I miss you so
I still love you
And it drives me insane
Sleep walk
Every night
I just sleep walk
And when you
Walk inside the door
I will sleep walk no more
I will sleep walk no more
I will sleep walk no more
René Heinrichs
My brother's companion died this morning not an hour ago. I played it in honor for her. May she find her rest without any pain from life and cancer.
Mark Reyes
My condolences, dude. May she R.I.P.
Elgus 114
+René Heinrichs ....she loved this tune ? she's in heaven then, no doubt ...
michael quinn
she's resting now. with no pain may she rest in peace
TruthSurge
This is how you do empty space. What a change from the white noise that is most of today's stuff. hahah that augmented chord around 3:45. These guys could really play.
Nycholas17
Can't believe how I forgot all about this song for the last 25 years.... then all of a sudden.... BAM!!!!!!..... an overwhelmingly cool song. Where's my woman? Time to dance.....
Angel Song
I love this!! Soothing..beautiful..and hypnotic..yes..its time to dance!!
Jacob Jamar
My sister played this as she walked down the aisle during her wedding
Matt Bazan
thats what i wanna do as well!
Daniel Arce
Jacob Jamar SAME in 2015