Abbott and Costello’s most famous routine. Whether you are a baseball fan or not…it is enjoyable. I wanted to know who wrote the routine or what inspired it.
Some have said “Who’s on First” was based on the names of actual minor leaguers and cup-of-coffee big leaguers such as Honus J. Hoehe (Who), Allie Watt (What) and Isaiah Donough (I Dunno)… but that sounds a little too good to be true.
Most historians believe that it was derived from various early skits performed in burlesque houses including one called “The Baker Scene” (which played on multiple meanings of the word “loaf,” from bread to laziness) and another routine named “Who Dyed” (about a man named “Who”). Various comics and comedy teams over the years expanded on the bit and varied it from show to show. Eventually, somehow, the subject of baseball got involved.
Over the years, usually in obituaries, various comedy writers (including Michael Musto, John Grant, and Irving Gordon) have been credited with the final form of “Who’s On First?” but determining full ownership has proven to be impossible.
Ultimately, one thing is for sure… Abbott and Costello made it their own.
Steven Spielberg called this cartoon short “the Citizen Kane of animated shorts.” It was written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones.
This is my favorite cartoon short. The short story is told without dialog…just singing in parts.
If you want to teach someone about Greed… watch this short. Instead of appreciating what he had…he wasn’t happy unless he could make money off of the frog.
The story is great. A 1955 construction worker is on a demolition site and pries open a box from 1892 found in the cornerstone of the building. Out of the box comes an old frog that climbs to the lid. The frog looks up at the construction worker and suddenly pulls up a top hat and coattails and starts singing “Hello my Honey, Hello my Baby…” and continues with the song.
The worker then starts dreaming of a theater marque with the picture of the frog…”He Sings”, “Talks”, and “Dances” with a picture of the frog.
He rents a theater and presents his frog to the audience. Right before the crowd settles in with the curtain down…the Frog starts singing and dancing away but stops the instant the curtain rises. The audience boos and throws vegetables.
That is his dilemma. The frog will only sing for this one guy. Not for paying crowds, not talent agents, ONLY HIM. Slowly he is driven mad, not so much by the frog but by his own failed plans with the frog. Failing to recognize the special gift he has, he sees the building going up and sticks the frog back into the cornerstone. Years pass, and when the laser demolition-man is vaporizing the building with his 21st-century technology, what does he find? Our friend the singing frog. The space suited construction worker from 2056 starts dreaming of the money he can make from the frog… And so the cycle continues.
“Let’s All Go To The Lobby” is an animated short from the 1950’s that was played before movies and during drive-in intermissions.
This advertisement is beyond catchy. It’s hard to get it out of your head. Plus, who doesn’t want to see singing popcorn, candy, and a drink? I KNOW I DO!
I see this occasionally at the theater when they are showing an older movie.
In 1957 Chicago-based Filmack Studios released the trailer animated by the producer of Popeye, Dave Fleischer, as part of a series of similar Technicolor shorts to promote the newly installed concession stands in theaters across the country.
Filmack has continued selling copies in the decades since its production. The company estimates that 80% of independent theaters have screened the film at various points.
In 2000, “Let’s All Go to the Lobby” was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
So everyone… Let’s Go Out To The Lobby!!!!
Let’s All Go To The Lobby
Let’s all go to the lobby Let’s all go to the lobby Let’s all go to the lobby And get ourselves a treat
Delicious things to eat The popcorn can’t be beat The sparkling drinks are just dandy The chocolate bars and nut candy So let’s all go to the lobby And get ourselves a treat Let’s all go to the lobby And get ourselves a treat
No one has a voice like Little Richard. His voice would have worked in any generation. He has one of the most primal aggressive voices I’ve ever heard. He sings these rockers great but he also can sing ballads.
Little Richard recorded this song in 1956 and it was released in 1958. The song peaked at #10 in the charts and #4 in the R&B Charts in 1958… as well as #8 in the UK.
The song is ranked #94 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Good Golly, Miss Molly was written by John Marascalco and Robert “Bumps” Blackwell.
From Songfacts
The title was taken from the pet phrase of one of Little Richard’s favorite DJ’s, Jimmy Pennick. Musically, the song was inspired by the sax player Jackie Brenston, famous for singing lead and playing with Ike Turner on the song “Rocket 88.”
Like most of Little Richard’s songs, this contains a lot of innuendo (“sure like to ball”) but most people were too busy listening to the music to notice, or didn’t get the reference. At the time, the most common meaning for “balling” was dancing; only later did it became a popular euphemism for oral sex. The term later took on a new meaning when it came describe a lavish and extravagant lifestyle, with these guys flashing their cash known as “ballers.”
This song was a huge influence on many musicians in the early years of rock and roll. Speaking with Songfacts, Roger Reale, who was in the group Rue Morgue with Mick Ronson, said: “It’s revolutionary, rebellious and celebratory all in one, starting with that rolling piano intro, before moving into a totally unique vocal performance. I had never heard such a direct, crazed, almost otherworldly vocal before in my life.”
Little Richard’s publisher sued Creedence Clearwater Revival over their song “Travelin’ Band,” which they claimed lifted from “Molly.” A settlement was reached with Creedence giving up some of their royalties.
Good Golly, Miss Molly
Good golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball. Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’, can’t hear your momma call.
From the early, early mornin’ till the early, early night When I caught Miss Molly rockin’ at the house of blue light. Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.
Momma, poppa told me: “Son, you better watch your step.” If I knew poppa’s momma’s, have to watch my poppa myself. Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’, can’t hear your momma call.
Good golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball. Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’, can’t hear your momma call.
I am going to the corner, gonna buy a diamond ring. Would you pardon me kiss me ting-a-ling-a-ling. Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you’re rockin’ and a rollin’ can’t hear your momma call.
There have been many versions of this great story. This is the version that I like the most. The great Alastair Sim plays Ebenezer Scrooge and he is the reason I like this so much. When I think of the Scrooge… I think of him.
The movie is in black and white which turns some people off but it makes it that much better to me. The effects they use are obviously not CGI but they get the point across well and serve the story. I like the scene where the ghost of Jacob Marley is warning Ebenezer of being greedy…the two were not on the set at the same time…it looked really good for being 1951…or anytime for that matter.
So get some eggnog or hot butter rum and sit back and watch this great movie.
From IMDB…spoilers
Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) is a greedy businessman who thinks only of making money. For him, Christmas is, in his own words, a humbug. It has been seven years since his friend and partner, Jacob Marley (Sir Michael Hordern), died and on Christmas Eve. Marley’s ghost tells him he is to be visited during the night by three spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Michael Dolan) revisits some of the main events in Scrooge’s life to date, including his unhappy childhood, his happy apprenticeship to Mr. Fezziwig (Roddy Hughes), who cared for his employees, and the end of his engagement to a pretty young woman due to a growing love of money. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Francis De Wolff) shows him how joyously is nephew Fred (Brian Worth) and his clerk, Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns), celebrate Christmas with those they love. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Czeslaw Konarski) shows him what he will leave behind after he is gone. Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning, a new man intent on doing good and celebrating the season with all of those around him.
This song is not only my favorite Christmas Carol… I think it’s up there with the best songs ever written. I hope everyone has a great Christmas/Holiday.
There are over 26,000 different versions of “Silent Night” on Spotify, meaning you could listen to a different rendition of the carol every night for 72 years.
Halfway through December 1818, the church organ in St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, 11 miles north of Salzburg in what is now Austria, broke (a popular version of the story claims that mice had eaten out the bellows). The curate, 26-year-old Josef Mohr, realized it couldn’t be repaired in time to provide music on Christmas Eve. He told his troubles to his friend, a headmaster and amateur composer named Franz Gruber, while giving him as a present a poem he had written two years earlier. Gruber was so taken by the rhythm of the poem that he set it to music, and on Christmas Eve there was music after all. Mohr played his guitar while the pair sang the song. It was the first public performance of “Stille Nacht” or as we know it “Silent Night.”
It is believed that Silent Night has been translated into over 300 languages around the world, and it is one of the most popular carols of all time.
From Songfacts
Bing Crosby’s version became his best-seller of the 1930s.
Music licensing company PPL announced in December 2010 that this carol tops the list of Britain’s “most recorded Christmas song of all time.” Said Mike Dalby, Lead Reporting Analyst at PPL: “Silent Night is a beautiful carol which encapsulates the feeling of Christmas entirely. Everyone from punk band The Dickies right through to Sinead O’Connor has recorded it, which exemplifies just how much it resonates with all different types of artists.”
According to PPL, Sinead O’Connor’s 1991 recording was the most popular version of the carol in Britain.
When the organ builder finally did show up to repair the St. Nicholas organ, he was given a copy of the “Silent Night” composition and brought it home. From there, traveling folk singers got a hold of it and began incorporating the carol into their repertoire. It didn’t make its way to America until 1839.
As the song gained traction throughout Europe, Franz Gruber composed several different orchestral arrangements. He donated all profits from the carol to local charities for children and the elderly, and eventually died penniless.
According to Steve Sullivan’s Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, Crosby, a devout Catholic, refused to record the religious song, arguing it would be “like cashing in on the church or the Bible.” Crosby met with Father Richard Ranaghan, a priest trying to raise money for overseas missions, and decided to donate the royalties to the cause. But Ranaghan died in a car accident later that year, so the money went to several charities throughout the US and abroad.
This song lends itself to interpretation because the first four bars are all on the same chord. Jim Brickman explains: “There’s room to treat it dynamically in a different way: in the tempo, in the sounds and silences, in the time signature.”
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night.
All is calm, all is bright.
‘Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night.
All is calm, all is bright.
‘Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
No one crosses genres like Johnny Cash. I’ve seen rockers, heavy metal, and country fans like Johnny.
After Cash returned home from the Air Force and signed with Sun Records, he gave Sam Phillips the song “Hey Porter.” Phillips asked for a ballad for the B-side, so Cash went home and quickly wrote “Cry! Cry! Cry!” literally overnight. It became his first big hit.
“Cry! Cry! Cry!” was released and sold over 100,000 copies. The song was originally released in 1955 and reached #14 in the charts at the time. This song was the B side to Hey Porter.
Elvis Costello did a fantastic cover of this song in 1982 as the B side to I’m Your Toy.
Cry! Cry! Cry!
Everybody knows where you go when the sun goes down. I think you only live to see the lights uptown. I wasted my time when I would try, try, try. ‘Cause when the lights have lost their glow, you’ll cry, cry, cry.
Soon your sugar-daddies will all be gone. You’ll wake up some cold day and find you’re alone. You’ll call for me but I’m gonna tell you: “Bye, bye, bye, “ When I turn around and walk away, you’ll cry, cry, cry,
You’re gonna cry, cry, cry and you’ll cry alone, When everyone’s forgotten and you’re left on your own. You’re gonna cry, cry, cry.
I lie awake at night to wait ’til you come in You stay a little while and then you’re gone again Every question that I ask, I get a lie, lie, lie For every lie you tell, you’re gonna cry, cry, cry
When your fickle love gets old, no one will care for you. Then you’ll come back to me for a little love that’s true. I’ll tell you no and then you’ll ask me why, why, why? When I remind you of all of this, you’ll cry, cry, cry.
You’re gonna cry, cry, cry and you’ll want me then, It’ll hurt when you think of the fool you’ve been. You’re gonna cry, cry, cry.
Chuck Berry was THE first guitar hero in Rock and Roll. He was also rock’s first poet. This song evolved out of “Ida Red,” a hillbilly song by Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys from the early ’50s. Berry heard that song on the Country radio station KMOX in St. Louis but didn’t know who recorded it.
Not only is the music great with the steady beat… but those lyrics. The motor cooled down the heat went down, And that’s when I heard that highway sound, the Cadillac a-sittin’ like a ton of lead, a hundred and ten half a mile ahead, the Cadillac lookin’ like it’s sittin’ still, and I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill
You can see what is happening in the song in your head with no problem… no MTV story video needed. He was one of the best descriptive lyricist rock and roll has ever had.
The song made it to #5 in the Billboard Pop Chart in 1955.
From Songfacts
Berry had never recorded, but when he went to Chicago to see Muddy Waters perform, he stayed in town to pitch himself to Leonard Chess of Chess Records, who asked him to come back the next week with some original songs. Berry returned with his bandmates Johnnie Johnson (piano) and Eddie Hardy (drums), and a demo reel with four songs, including “Ida Mae.” That’s the one Leonard Chess liked best, but he asked Berry to change so there wouldn’t be any confusion with “Ida Red” and to fend off any copyright claims. Berry changed the lyrics, turning it into a song about fast cars – one of his favorite topics. It was the first song the band recorded, and it proved a challenge: they recorded 36 takes.
This song tells the story of a girl who keeps cheating on her man. Various cars appear in the lyrics; Berry sings about chasing Maybellene in his V8 Ford while she drag races a man in a Cadillac with her Coupe de Ville.
There are a few different stories floating around about how the song got its name. Berry has said that Maybellene was the name of a cow in child’s nursery rhyme, but Johnnie Johnson recalled that there was a box of Maybellene mascara in the office, which gave Leonard Chess the idea for the title.
Chess Records gave the disc jockey Alan Freed a cowriting credit on this song (and also some cash) in exchange for playing it on the radio. Deals like this led to the Payola scandals, which led to rules prohibiting record companies from paying DJs to play their songs. Marshall Chess, the son of Chess founder Leonard Chess, recalled to The Independent newspaper May 27, 2008: “He [Freed] played the hell out of Chuck’s first record, ‘Maybellene’, because of that. My father says he made the deal, and by the time he got to Pittsburgh, which was half a day’s drive away, my uncle back at home was screaming, ‘What’s happening? We’re getting all these calls for thousands of records!'”
Deals like this were perfectly legal and fairly common at the time, but when the government took action in 1959, Freed refused to admit to taking Payola, insisting he was acting as a consultant to the music industry. Holding steadfast to this position, the radio and TV stations he worked for fired him, and his career never recovered. In contrast, Dick Clark admitted to taking cash and gifts, and simply stopped doing so when it was declared illegal. He was able to grow his media empire considerably after the scandal.
Berry was 29 years old when he recorded this song, but he knew that his audience was teenagers, so he wrote the song to appeal to that crowd – the ones fascinated with cars and experiencing young love. Berry also took care to sing it as clearly as possible so it would have more crossover appeal with a white audience. His strategy worked: the song went to #1 on the R&B chart and also made #5 on the Pop chart.
Chuck Berry was a rock and roll original, but he didn’t consider this a rock song. Said Berry: “‘Maybellene’ was very much a country song, with country lyrics. Maybe a little faster but basically it was country.”
Soon after this was released, Elvis Presley started performing it at some of his live appearances. Many other artists also recognized its propulsive appeal and covered the song. British acts – notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones – often recorded Berry’s songs, but the UK act that grabbed this one was Gerry and the Pacemakers, who included it on their 1963 debut album How Do You Like It?
Other artists to cover the song include George Jones, The Searchers, Jerry Lee Lewis and Foghat.
The B-Side of the single was a slow blues song called “Wee Wee Hours.”
One-third of the composing credit went to Russ Fratto for the sole purpose of making sure that Berry got more royalties than Alan Freed (Fratto was a local DJ who was a close friend of Berry’s). He agreed to give Berry his share. In those days, it was common to give Freed a composer credit in exchange for airplay on his show. Freed would get royalties, and the song would become a hit.
A version by Johnny Rivers reached #12 in the US in 1964.
Later in 1955, Fats Domino released his own song with a three-syllable girl in the title: “I Can’t Go On (Rosalie).”
Berry died in 2017, the same year Fats Domino passed away. Jon Batiste and Gary Clark, Jr. paid tribute at the Grammy Awards in 2018 by performing “Maybellene” and “Ain’t That A Shame.”
Maybellene
Maybellene, why can’t you be true Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true You’ve started back doin’ the things you used to do
As I was motivatin’ over the hill I saw Mabellene in a Coup de Ville A Cadillac arollin’ on the open road Nothin’ will outrun my V8 Ford The Cadillac doin’ about ninety-five She’s bumper to bumper, rollin’ side by side Maybellene Why can’t you be true Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true You’ve started back doin’ the things you used to do
The Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford The Ford got hot and wouldn’t do no more It then got cloudy and started to rain I tooted my horn for a passin’ lane The rainwater blowin’ all under my hood I know that I was doin’ my motor good Maybellene Why can’t you be true Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true You’ve started back doin’ the things you used to do
Oh, Maybellene Why can’t you be true Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true You’ve started back doin’ the things you used to do
The motor cooled down the heat went down And that’s when I heard that highway sound The Cadillac a sittin’ like a ton of lead A hundred and ten half a mile ahead The Cadillac lookin’ like it’s sittin’ still And I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill Maybellene Why can’t you be true Oh Maybellene, why can’t you be true You’ve started back doin’ the things you used to do
The lines “We both fell sound asleep / Wake up, little Suzie, and weep / The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock / And we’re in trouble deep” were suggestive enough to cause the song to be banned by several radio stations. Although it’s pretty clear the Suzie and her date were at the movies but that didn’t matter.
As with the case of other songs being banned…it only made it more appealing to teenagers at the time. The song peaked at #1 in Billboard and #2 in the UK in 1957.
This was written by the husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who wrote most of The Everly Brothers songs in the ’50s. Their songs were also recorded by Bob Dylan, Elvis, and Buddy Holly.
From Songfacts
This is about a young couple who fall asleep at the drive-in, realize they are out past curfew, and make up a story to tell Susie’s parents.
Some Boston radio stations banned this because of the lyrics, which imply that the young couple spent the night together. At the time, staying out late with a girl was a little controversial.
For The Everly Brothers, this was the first of four US #1 hits. It also went to #1 on the Country & Western charts.
At an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show while campaigning for President in year 2000, George W. Bush was asked by Oprah what his favorite song was. He said: “Wake Up Little Susie – by Buddy Holly.”
Simon & Garfunkel played this at their 1981 concert in Central Park. The live recording was released as a single the next year and hit #27 in the US.
Chet Atkins played guitar on this. Atkins, who died of cancer in 2001, was a Nashville musician who created a distinctive sound using a three-fingered picking technique.
This was a labor of love for the songwriting duo. “We persevered with ‘Wake Up Little Susie’ for many hours,” Boudleaux recalled to Country Music People. “I started writing one night, kept trying to get my ideas down, but it just wouldn’t happen. Finally I woke Felice, who took one listen to what I had so far achieved and came up with the final touches that I couldn’t get. The Everlys liked the song, but like me had problems with getting it right in the studio. They worked a whole three-hour session on that one song and had to give up, they just couldn’t get it right. We all trooped back to the studio the next day and got it down first take. That’s the way it happens sometimes.”
Wake Up Little Susie
Wake up, little Susie, wake up Wake up, little Susie, wake up we’ve both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock, and we’re in trouble deep Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama Whatta we gonna tell your pa Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say ?ooh-la-la? Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie, well
I told your mama that you’d be in by ten Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
Wake up, little Susie, wake up Wake up, little Susie, wake up The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama Whatta we gonna tell your pa Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la” Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie Wake up little Susie
First time I heard this song was in the brilliant comedy Animal House by the fictional group Otis Day and the Knights. The movie was such a big hit that many people thought Otis Day And The Knights were a real group, so they went on tour. They did very well, selling out many of the places they played and released an album in 1989 called Shout. Otis Day’s real name is DeWayne Jessie.
This song was recorded in its first take during the studio session. Shout was never a big chart success (#47), but it sold over a million copies and became a rock and R&B classic. The Isley Brothers bought their mother a house in New Jersey with the proceeds from this. She was living in Cincinnati.
After Shout got some attention, RCA records signed the Isleys to a record deal despite concerns that people would not understand what they were singing.
From Songfacts
The Isleys wrote this on the spur of the moment at a Washington, DC, concert in mid-1959. As they performed Jackie Wilson’s “Lonely Teardrops,” Ronald Isley ad-libbed, “WELLLLLLLLLLL… you know you make me want to SHOUT” and Rudy and O’Kelly joined in on the improvisation. The audience went wild and afterwards, RCA executive Howard Bloom suggested putting it out as their first RCA single. >>
This evolved out of the call-and-response style The Isleys grew up singing in church. The organist from their church, Professor Herman Stephens, played on the song.
The Isley Brothers did not consider this a song at first. It was just a “thing” they would do onstage and the crowd would go nuts. They knew they were onto something when Jackie Wilson, who they were opening for, started using the stop-and-go style in his show.
This song has its own dance. When The Isleys sing the “little bit softer now” part, you go a little lower, then gradually rise up for the “little bit louder now part.” For the rest of the song, you just jump around and go crazy. It’s an easy dance, which makes it popular at weddings, proms, and other events where many rhythmically-challenged people end up on the dance floor.
The 1978 movie Animal House featured this in a famous scene where the frat brothers danced to it. The movie starred John Belushi and became a classic, helping revive interest in the song as well as the dance associated with it. In 2003, the group MxPx recorded a new version for the 25th anniversary DVD release of the movie.
In the UK, this is the song that introduced the singing sensation Lulu. The Scottish singer came to London at age 15 and recorded a version of the song with her group Lulu & The Luvvers that made it to #7 on the UK charts. Early on, Lulu often performed in Blues clubs where the song was a great fit. She soon became a very successful actress as well, appearing in the film To Sir With Love and scoring a #1 US hit with the title track.
Lulu, just 13 at the time, was introduced to the song by the Scottish rocker Alex Harvey, who she saw perform it in a Glasgow club called The Scene. Lulu added it to her act with The Luvvers, and it became their first hit when Lulu sang it at an audition for Decca records. She had a terrible cold when she recorded it, which gave her a rougher sound that suited the song.
The Isleys developed this on tours of black theaters in the late ’50s. They were usually low on the bill with other R&B acts.
The B-side of the single was “Shout Part 2,” an even wilder version.
The Isley Brothers next 4 singles tanked. They did not have another hit until “Twist And Shout” in 1962.
A cover version by Joey Dee And The Starlighters was a US Top 10 hit in 1962.
Shout
Well
You know you make me wanna (Shout!) Kick my heels up and (Shout!) Throw my hands up and (Shout!) Throw my head back and (Shout!) Come on now (Shout!)
Don’t forget to say you will Don’t forget to say, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (Say you will) Say it right now baby (Say you will) Come on, come on (Say you will) Say it, will-a you (Say you will) Come on now!
(Say) say that you love me (Say) say that you need me (Say) say that you want me (Say) you wanna please me (Say) come on now (Say) come on now (Say) come on now
(Say) I still remember (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop-wop-wop-wop) When you used to be nine years old (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop-wop-wop-wop) Yeah yeah! I was a fool for you, from the bottom of my soul, yeah! (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop-wop-wop-wop) Now that you’ve grown, up (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop-wop-wop-wop) Enough to know, yeah yeah (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop-wop-wop-wop) You wanna leave me, you wanna, let me go (Shooby-doo-wop-do-wop)
I want you to know I said I want you to know right now, yeah! You been good to me baby Better than I been to myself, hey! hey! And if you ever leave me I don’t want nobody else, hey! hey! I said I want you to know-ho-ho-hey! I said I want you to know right now, hey! hey!
You know you make me wanna (Shout-woo) hey-yeah (Shout-woo) yeah-yeah-yeah (Shout-woo) all-right (Shout-woo) all-right (Shout-woo) come on now! (Shout) come on now! (Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah (Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah (good sound) (Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah (good sound) (Shout) yeah, yeah, yeah (good sound) (Shout) all-alright (good sound) (Shout) it’s all-alright (good sound) (Shout) all-alright (good sound) (Shout) all-alright (aah)
Now wait a minute! I feel alright! (Yeah yeah, yeah yeah!) Now that I got my woman I feel alright! Every time I think about you You been so good to me You know you make me wanna (Shout-woo) lift my heels up and (Shout-woo) throw my head back and (Shout-woo) kick my heels up and (Shout-woo) come on now (Shout-woo) take it easy (Shout-woo) take it easy (Shout-woo) take it easy (higher) (Shout) a little bit softer now (woo) (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now (Shout) a little bit softer now
(Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now (Shout) a little bit louder now
(Shout) Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Shout now! Jump up and shout now (woo) Jump up and shout now (woo) Jump up and shout now (woo) Jump up and shout now (woo) Jump up and shout now (woo)
Everybody shout now Everybody shout now Everybody, shout, shout Shout, shout, shout
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
This beautiful song was written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty.. recorded with the Ray Ellis orchestra on October 21, 1958. Holly wrote “True Love Ways” for his wife, Maria Elena Holly, as a wedding gift.
True Love Ways was not released until March 1960, after Buddy Holly’s tragic death, when it was included on the album, The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2, on the Coral label. The song’s melody was inspired by one of Buddy’s favorite black gospel hymns, “I’ll Be Alright,” which was recorded by The Angelic Gospel Singers.
The song peaked at #25 in the UK in 1960…it also recharted in the UK at #10 in 2018.
From Songfacts
This was co-written by Buddy and Norman Petty and recorded in October 1958. Petty was Buddy Holly’s first producer and owned the studio in Clovis, New Mexico where all of Buddy’s first recordings were made (Lubbock did not have a recording studio at the time).
This and “It Doesn’t Matter Any More” were Buddy’s first recordings to use orchestral string arrangements, which accentuated his vocal mannerisms. The strings were arranged by Dick Jacobs.
Notable covers include versions by Mickey Gilley, Peter & Gordon, and The Royal Philharmonic.
This wasn’t released until after Holly’s death in 1959. After he died in a plane crash, the album The Buddy Holly Story was released, which contained many of his early hits. This album came out a few months later and included many of his lesser-known or never released songs.
True Love Ways
Just you know why
Why you and I
Will bye and bye
Know true love ways
Sometimes we’ll sigh
Sometimes we’ll cry
And we’ll know why
Just you and I
Know true love ways
Throughout the days
Our true love ways
Will bring us joys to share
With those who really care
Sometimes we’ll sigh
Sometimes we’ll cry
And we’ll know why
Just you and I
Know true love ways
Throughout the days
Our true love ways
Will bring us joys to share
With those who really care
Sometimes we’ll sigh
Sometimes we’ll cry
And we’ll know why
Just you and I
Know true love ways
This song was first recorded at the Bradley Film and Recording Studios, 804 16th Ave. South, Nashville, Tennessee. It was written by Sonny Curtis who later joined the Crickets after Buddy died. It was the first song of his ever recorded.
The song was the B side to That’ll Be The Day. It was credited to Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes…that was the group that recorded with Buddy Holly in Nashville on July 22, 1956, for Decca Records. The group name used was Buddy and the Two Tones (Buddy Holly with Sonny Curtis, guitar and Don Guess, bass). The recordings were supported by session musicians.
Buddy would record it later on with the Crickets.
Rock Around With Ollie Vee
We-ell, we’re gonna rock To the rhythm and the blues tonight Rock ’cause ev’rything’s gonna be all right ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock to the rhythm and the blues
Well I got a little gal I call, Ollie Vee Ollie Vee comes from Memphis, Memphis Tennessee And tonight, we’re gonna Rock-a-rock around with Ollie Vee, Olli-olli Vee
Ollie Vee says she’s gonna treat me right tonight I’m gonna wear my blue suede shoes tonight And tonight, we’re gonna Rock-a-rock around with Ollie Vee, Olli-olli Vee
We-ell, we’re gonna rock To the rhythm and the blues tonight Rock ’cause ev’rything’s gonna be all right ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock to the rhythm and the blues, go!
We-ell, we’re gonna rock To the rhythm and the blues tonight Rock ’cause ev’rything’s gonna be all right ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock to the rhythm and the blues
I’m gonna shout and a holla and a giggle tonight I’m gonna shake it just a little in the middle of the night ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock-a-rock around with Ollie Vee, Olli-olli-Vee
Well I think Mr. Cop’s on the beat tonight He’s tryin’ to put a stop to me tonight ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock-a-rock around with Ollie Vee, Oll-olli-olli
We-ell, we’re gonna rock To the rhythm and the blues tonight Rock ’cause ev’rything’s gonna be all right ‘Cause tonight, we’re gonna Rock to the rhythm and the blues
We-ell, we’re gonna rock To the rhythm and the blues tonight Rock ’cause ev’rything’s gonna be all right ‘Cause tonight, well, we’re gonna Rock to the rhythm and the blues
This weekend I will be concentrating on Mr. Holly…hope you will like it.
This was written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and recorded at Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico from June-August 1958. Petty was Holly’s producer and manager.
On October 28, 1958, Buddy Holly lip-synched this and Heartbeat the TV show American Bandstand. It was his last national TV appearance before his death. This song was the last song he ever did with the Crickets. The song did not chart…
Linda Ronstate did a great version of this song in 1977.
From Songfacts
This was the last single Holly recorded with The Crickets. In the last few months of his life, he moved to New York and began recording with more elaborate production techniques, including string sections.
Holly was known for his innovative guitar riffs, but he didn’t play lead on this one. A session guitarist named Tommy Allsup did. Allsup played in Holly’s band on his last tour.
Many of Holly’s fans consider this one of his best songs, but it was never a chart hit.
Buddy Holly was a major influence on The Beatles, and in 2011, Paul McCartney recorded this song for the tribute album Rave On Buddy Holly, which was issued to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Holly’s birth.
It’s So Easy
It’s so easy to fall in love. It’s so easy to fall in love.
People tell me love’s for fools. So, here I go, breaking all the rules. It seems so easy (Seems so easy, seems so easy) Oh so doggone easy (Doggone easy, doggone easy) It seems so easy (Seems so easy, seems so easy, seems so easy) Where you’re concerned, my heart has learned.
It’s so easy to fall in love. It’s so easy to fall in love.
(It’s so easy to fall in love) (It’s so easy to fall in love)
Look into your heart and see, What your love book has set apart for me. It seems so easy (Seems so easy, seems so easy) Oh so doggone easy (Doggone easy, doggone easy) It seems so easy (Seems so easy, seems so easy, seems so easy) Where you’re concerned, my heart has learned.
It’s so easy to fall in love. It’s so easy to fall in love.
Well it’s so easy (It’s so easy, it’s so easy) So doggone easy (Doggone easy, doggone easy) It seems so easy (Seems so easy, seems so easy, seems so easy) Well where you’re concerned, my heart has learned.
It’s so easy to fall in love. It’s so easy to fall in love.
Peggy Sue Got Married was the sequel to Holly’s hit Peggy Sue. The original hit was named after the girlfriend of Crickets drummer Jerry Allison.
Buddy Holly recorded this alone, on acoustic guitar, in his New York City apartment, along with “Crying, Waiting, Hoping,” “That’s What They Say,” “What to Do,” “Learning the Game” and “That Makes it Tough” which would be his last songs. After his tragic death, these recordings would be overdubbed to become the Holly songs we know today.
A little more than five months after Holly’s death, Coral Records on July 20, 1959 released “Peggy Sue Got Married.” It appeared as a B-side to Buddy Holly’s “Crying, Waiting, Hoping.”
Below is the demo of the song and the released version which Buddy would never hear.
The real Peggy Sue… Peggy Sue Gerron passed away at 78 years old in 2018.
From Songfacts
In this song, Holly finds out that the girl from his 1957 hit “Peggy Sue” has gotten married. It was one of the first sequels of the Rock Era.
This song provided the title for the 1986 movie Peggy Sue Got Married, starring Kathleen Turner and Nicolas Cage. In the movie, Holly’s demo version with just his voice and acoustic guitar was used.
When producer Jack Hansen augmented Holly’s demo of this tune and made a hit out of it, it was the first instance of an entirely ‘new’ unheard song being completed and released after a star’s death. Later instances of songs of deceased acts being revived and “completed” include tunes by The Beatles, the Carpenters, The Doors, Lynyrd Skynrd, Bob Marley, Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Biggie Smalls, Tupac and Hank Williams.
Demo
Released Version
Peggy Sue Got Married
Please don’t tell No, no, no Don’t say that I told you so I just heard a rumor from a friend
I don’t say That it’s true I’ll just leave that up to you If you don’t believe I’ll understand (understand)
You recall a girl that’s been in nearly every song This is what I heard of course the story could be wrong
She’s the one I’ve been told Now she’s wearing a band of gold Peggy Sue got married not long ago
You recall a girl that’s been in nearly every song This is what I heard of course the story could be wrong
She’s the one I’ve been told Now she’s wearing a band of gold Peggy Sue got married not long ago Peggy Sue got married not long ago
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