It is said not to be the case that The Crickets chose their name while listening to a playback of "I'm Gonna Love You Too" ; rather, the name was chosen while going through an encyclopedia of names. Other names had been considered including The Scoundrels and The Spiders. Holly's manager (Norman Petty) and owner of the Norman Petty Studio in Clovis ,NM, decided to keep the chirping in the record, but this is in no way tied to the origin of the band's name. In real life, they chose the name due to huge number of crickets in Texas that particular time of year. It should be worth noting that they almost chose the name The Beetles (it is said that John Lennon later named his band in homage to Holly and The Crickets).
Rhythm guitarist Sullivan wasn't comfortable with the amount of traveling and to a lesser extent, he didn't fit in with Jerry and Joe B. For the same reason, Jerry and Joe were not ready to leave small town Lubbock for big city NY. The big move was the real reason why The Crickets initially broke up, but Holly was not daunted by the breakup; he chose a new back-up band for the Winter Dance Party Tour. The new band consisted of Tommy Allsup, Waylon Jennings and Carl Bunch on drums. Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were booked on the tour with Holly and his new band. Dion and newcomer Frankie Sardo also performed on this particular tour. But after about 4 months, Jerry and Joe B began to have second thoughts about the breakup of the band. They had planned to fly to Moorehead, MN, and surprise their friend. Destiny stepped in and the music world suffered its first tragic accident February 3, 1959.
The Crickets (Jerry and Joe) continued to record on their own with guitarist Sonny Curtis and vocalist Earl Sinks. The album Remnants was released in 1973 with band members Allison, Curtis, Albert Lee, Ric Grech, Steve Krikorian (later known as Tonio K.), Carol Montgomery, and Nick VanMaarth.
In the film The Buddy Holly Story, the story of the band was altered drastically and includes many inaccuracies. Due to The Crickets selling the rights to another studio, their film counterparts' names were changed for legal reasons. In addition, there are only two Crickets -- a bass player clearly being Mauldin and a drummer modeled on Allison, and the character of Sullivan and his quitting the band is omitted entirely. The real Crickets were outraged on being portrayed as racists, as well as the latter scene in which they appear at Holly's door wanting to reunite. In reality, they had discussed with Holly, shortly before his death, about going on a reunion tour.
The Crickets released The Crickets and Their Buddies in 2004, featuring classics from all parts of their career, with performances by several prominent artists, including Eric Clapton, Rodney Crowell, Waylon Jennings, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, Graham Nash, and Bobby Vee.
On 28 October 2008, The Crickets were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN. On 14 April 2012, The Crickets were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
On February 6, 2016, "The Crickets & Buddies" performed in Clear Lake, Iowa, at the Surf Ballroom, the site of Holly's last performance. Members of previous line-ups appeared, including Sonny Curtis, Glen D. Hardin, Albert Lee, Tommy Allsup, Gordon Payne and others. After the show, Allison announced that it was the group's final performance.
It's Too Late
The Crickets Lyrics
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It's too late, my baby?s gone
Wish I had told her, she was my only one
But it's too late, she's gone
It's a weak man that cries
So I guess I'd best dry my eyes
Guess I will miss her more than any one
But it's too late, she's gone
She's gone, my my baby's gone
She's gone, yes, she's gone
Where can my baby be
I wonder does she know
When she left me, it hurt me so
I need your lovin', please don't make me weep
And tell me, it's not too late
The Crickets' song "It's Too Late" is a sorrowful ballad about lost love. The lyrics express regret and a sense of helplessness for not being able to salvage a relationship that has already ended. The singer regrets not telling his lover that she was his only one before she left him. He knows that it is too late to undo the damage and bring her back. He acknowledges that crying is a sign of weakness and tries to hold back his tears. However, he cannot help but miss her profoundly. He wonders where she is and if she knows the pain he is going through. He pleads for her to come back, asking for her love and begging her not to make him weep. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer asking his lover to tell him that it's not too late.
The song's theme of lost love and regret struck a chord with many listeners when it was released in 1958. The simple and straightforward lyrics were complemented by an upbeat melody and the distinctive twangy guitar sound that became a hallmark of rock and roll. The song became a hit, reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Line by Line Meaning
It's too late, she's gone
Regretful thoughts after it's too late, now that she's left
It's too late, my baby?s gone
Realization that it's too late, she left him
Wish I had told her, she was my only one
Desire to have expressed his feelings to her when he had the chance
But it's too late, she's gone
Reiterating his regret that it's too late to salvage the relationship
It's a weak man that cries
Societal pressures on men to not show their emotions openly, especially crying
So I guess I'd best dry my eyes
Abiding by the societal norm and suppressing his emotions
Guess I will miss her more than any one
Understanding that he will miss her more than anything else
But it's too late, she's gone
Reiterating the regretful situation
She's gone, yes, she's gone
Reiterating that she's no longer with him
She's gone, my my baby's gone
Highlighting the significant loss he feels
She's gone, yes, she's gone
Continuing to emphasize her departure
Where can my baby be
Wondering where she might be now that she's gone
I wonder does she know
Questioning if she knows how much he loved her
When she left me, it hurt me so
Expressing the pain her leaving caused him
I need your lovin', please don't make me weep
Underscoring his desire for her love and affection
And tell me, it's not too late
Hoping against all odds that it's not too late to reconcile
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: JOHN STERLING, ERIC VICTOR BURDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind