I recently
read a biography of Buddy Holly, and it was predictably heartbreaking - low on
funds after a managerial dispute, forced to leave his pregnant wife, and embark
on a treacherous tour of the snowbound Mid West, on a series of ill-suited
buses, Holly sought a private plane trip. A tragic end, leaving a glorious
legacy from a brief but fertile recording career, that influenced the Beatles,
Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
"Peggy
Sue" from 1957 remains his most famous song - a rock 'n roll classic.
It was
written mainly by Holly and initially named Cindy Lou after his niece, but the drummer
Jerry Allison pleaded for it to be a tribute to his girlfriend Peggy Sue Gerron.
It was the least he could do, as Allison
had replaced the tame latin tempo, with a fierce snare drum beat, originating
from a warm up exercise. The producer Norman Petty took his customary song-writing
credit, which has always been debatable, but did lend his expertise to the
arranging and the echo chamber recording of the drums.
The drums are
the focus, setting a rapid pace, that the guitar and standup bass barely match.
Holly supplies a great guitar solo in the centre. The lyrics are simple and repetitive,
an affectionate love song "Oh how my heart yearns for you".
Of course the
other highlight is Holly's distinctive vocals - hiccupping (Uh-oh Peggy), swooping
up and down, almost childish at points, and the forceful "pretty pretty pretty Peggy Sue" it
is a delight.
"Peggy
Sue" was credited to just Buddy Holly, rather than the previous Crickets,
and a top 10 single in both the US and UK. Allison and Peggy Sue married in 1958,
and Buddy composed the sweet "Peggy Sue Got Married".
But fame and
fortune were fleeting for the early rock 'n roll stars, forcing him on his
fateful tour. His is one of the greatest losses to music, and it is tantalising
to imagine his subsequent career and relationship with his disciples, the
Beatles.
Hear Now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUesbTObC9A and a rare TV appearance, at least worth
watching for the introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQiIMuOKIzY
Hear Next -
There are a mass of Buddy Holly "best of" compilation CDs.
