This is a Holly song that you don’t hear much and has been a favorite of mine. The sessions didn’t go the way that Buddy would have liked. His songs had more of a country feel than Holly would have liked.
I really like the rockabilly guitar played by Sonny Curtis. It was recorded at Bradley’s Barn in Nashville Tn in January 26, 1956.
This was Buddy Holly’s first single in April 1956, “Blue Days, Black Nights” was not a Buddy Holly composition; it was written by Ben Hall. The song was the B side to Love Me.
Due to a misspelling on Holly’s recording contract, his name was changed from Holley to Holly. This release is the first to use this spelling, He would go with that spelling the rest of his career.
Blue Days Black Nights
Blue days, black nights
Blue tears keep on fallin’, for you dear
Now you’re gone
Blue days, black nights
My heart keeps on calling for you dear
And you alone
Memories of you make me sorry
I gave you reason to doubt me
But now you’re gone and I am left here all alone
With blue memories, I think of you
Blue days, black nights
I didn’t realize I would miss you
The way I do
And now somehow I know I will pay
For the times I have made you blue
Haven’t heard this one before. I’d say honestly just a so-so song but I do like the guitar sound a lot… he defintiely progressed a good amount in a short time, which makes you wonder what the 60s would have held for him had he lived.
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The guitar is why I like it. I do like the chorus and believe they could have done more with it.
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I love the guitar also. The title is so poetic!
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p.s. I would like to see this song slowed down to torch level and see what it sounded like.
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That would be interesting. I’m going to see if there are many cover versions of it.
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Blue Days, Black Nights is also a line in ELO’s “Telephone Line”. Must be a reference.
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Yea I didn’t make that connection until I found the ELO song while researching this
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Great track which I can’t remember having heard before. As you allude to the guitar work is excellent. Thanks Bad.
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Bring back the 2-minute single!!!
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Yea man! Buddy Holly and the Ramones!
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I nearly always prefer 2 minutes over 3….and 3 over 4 etc. In pop anyway.
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Bradley’s Barn did not exist until the 60s after Owen Bradley sold his first studio to Columbia. This was recorded in his original studio. According to Bradley, it was Decca that was pushing a country sound.
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Well every article called it that…I don’t know what it was called before but that is what everyone points to…five different articles that was stated.
Maybe they went off the newer name
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In 1956 this was his original studio. It was later called the Quonset Hut. He needed more room so he bought an old army Quonset Hut like they had on Gomer Pyle. It was added after 1956. This was a building not a barn. Bradley’s barn was a real barn.
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