What else is there to say about Buddy Holly? He was one of the first “teen idols” to shake the nation back in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll—a face known nationwide, and groundbreaking guitar work that was more so. Hailing from Lubbock, Texas, Holly gained popularity from his seamless blend of Western and Rhythm & Blues, culminating in the Rockabilly sound that he, and artists like Elvis Presley, would help popularize. In fact, Buddy Holly started out playing country music in his hometown, only making the shift into rock ‘n’ roll after opening for an Elvis Presley show in 1955.
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In 1956, he began recording music as Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes, soon to become The Crickets. He also pursued a lengthy solo career, and was featured as a musical guest on The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand, where he performed two of his most popular songs, “Oh, Boy!” and “Peggy Sue”. Sadly, while traveling by plane to Moorhead, Minnesota for a show in 1959, the plane crashed, taking his life at 22, along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper—widely considered “the day the music died,” a phrase coined by Don McLean on his song “American Pie.”
Buddy Holly’s contributions to rock ‘n’ roll rest not only in his personal endeavors but in the stories of those who knew him as well. His career included mostly his own compositions, but he also helped with other artists’ recordings, thus incorporating them into his own legacy. Here are 2 songs Buddy Holly wrote for other artists.
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1. “Stay Close To Me,” Lou Giordano (1959)
Written by Phil Everly, Buddy Holly, Lou Giordano
Lou Giordano’s career was short-lived but looked back on fondly, not simply because of Buddy Holly’s involvement. Giordano was signed to Decca, Holly’s record label, in 1959, when Holly was looking to expand his horizons with his production. He approached Giordano, where they recorded two songs together, “Don’t Cha Know” and “Stay Close To Me.”
Giordano’s daughter reflected on her father’s bond with Buddy Holly with Showbiz Cheat Sheet in 2023, sixty-four years after the infamous plane crash. As Lou was close with Holly and his family, he was the first person to inform Holly’s wife that he had died. These songs were released just two months later, making them one of Holly’s earliest posthumous releases.
Buddy Holly wrote “Stay Close To Me” on Lou’s behalf, fitting the lovesick ballad archetype of the era. Giordano would then hop on lead vocals. Clocking in at a little under two minutes, Giordano’s lush voice is carried by guitar and eclectic percussive elements, making for an easy listen.
Stay close to me Give me your heart Then you will see That we’ll never part
Days will come and go Stronger you’ll find our love will grow
Stay close to me Tell me your life When you’re with me True love you’ll find
While Holly’s voice is not heard in “Stay Close To Me,” it can be found in “Don’t Cha Know.” Holly and Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers did backing vocals, in replacement of falsettos from female vocalists. Their voices were also disguised so as not to breach their own record contracts.
While a lesser-known name in the musical landscape of the late-1950s, Lou Giordano’s work is intrinsic to Buddy Holly’s story and offers a glimpse into what could have come of both artists’ careers.
“Take Your Time,” Carolyn Hester (1957)
Written by Buddy Holly, Norman Petty, Carolyn Hester
Carolyn Hester is known for her close ties to artists like Bob Dylan, and her involvement in the 1960s folk-rock movement in New York City. Beforehand, though, she collaborated with Norman Petty on her 1958 record, Scarlet Ribbons, where she met Buddy Holly during the recording process. As they were both signed under Decca, they frequently crossed paths, and their musical connections overlapped. Jerry Allison, who drummed for Holly, played brushes on Scarlet Ribbons, for instance.
The two artists had a mutual appreciation for each other and honed similar influences. Hester told The Austin Chronicle in 2008, “Buddy was playing his first concert in London in a movie theatre. When showtime came, the lights dimmed and the audience could hear an organ playing as an old pipe organ rose up from below the stage. Buddy was sitting on the organ and singing ‘Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,’ which was on my Coral album. He was there when I was recording it so I never knew. … He influenced me, surely, so for me to know he’d done anything I did just knocked me out.”
While Holly didn’t contribute to any of her albums due to each of their busy schedules, he did contribute to a small collection of songs which “Take Your Time” was included in. The song came into fruition after Hester was asked to record some Christmas songs for Coral/Decca. Holly wrote the song, with Norman Petty assisting in parts. A year later in 1958, Holly would record his own version to close his self titled album.
“Take Your Time” is short but sweet, showcasing Hester’s whimsical vocal performance. It shows early signs of folk in the instrumentation, while also featuring a short guitar solo, therefore laying the groundwork for both folk and rock n’ roll. As is consistent with Holly’s music, the song ruminates on love, awaiting it patiently.
Take your time, I can wait
For all the love I know will be mine
If you take your time
Take your time, though its late
Heart strings will sing like a string of twine
If you take your time
Dylan once cited Hester as a living incarnation of Buddy Holly’s legacy in his book Chronicles: Volume One, stating ‘Buddy was royalty, and I felt like she was my connection to it.’ So even during his short time in the industry, his spirit evidently reached hundreds of aspiring musicians through the pupils he formed relationships with.
Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
