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Buddy Holly Most Famous Song
On The Acoustic

buddy holly most famous song

Welcome to my Buddy Holly most famous song page you'll find the lyrics to this song, a free pdf chords and lyrics sheet along with tutorial demos and a link to purchase full lessons in .mp4 format.  


 Buddy Holly Most Famous Song
Chords, Lyrics, Demo, Tutorial

buddy holly's most famous song

That'll Be The Day was released in 1957 by Buddy Holly with his new band at the time called The Crickets. The song went to #3 on Billboard.

The track first appeared on the album The Chirping Crickets.

  • Drop D Tuning: No
  • Capo: No
  • Rhythm:  steady dn up dn up 
  • Picking: Yes
  • Chords:  A-E-D-B7

That'll Be The Day Little Known Facts

Did you know that the title "That'll Be the Day" was inspired by a catchphrase used by John Wayne in the 1956 film "The Searchers." The phrase "That'll be the day" became synonymous with something that is unlikely or won't happen, but Buddy Holly turned it around into a hopeful and determined song.

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Buddy Holly and his band, The Crickets, first recorded "That'll Be the Day" in 1956 at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. This original version had a slower tempo and slightly different lyrics.

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The more famous version of "That'll Be the Day" that we know today was recorded on February 25, 1957, at Decca Records studio in New York City. This version had a faster tempo and a more polished sound.

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Buddy Holly was initially signed to Decca Records, but the label did not believe "That'll Be the Day" had commercial potential and did not release it. Undeterred, Buddy Holly and The Crickets re-recorded the song with producer Norman Petty and released it on the Brunswick label, becoming a massive hit.

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"That'll Be the Day" was released in May 1957 and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as the R&B and country charts.

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 The song features a distinctive and influential guitar solo played by Buddy Holly, which became an essential part of his signature sound.

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"That'll Be the Day" has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Linda Ronstadt, The Everly Brothers, and The Quarrymen (the band that later became The Beatles).

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Sadly, Buddy Holly's life was tragically cut short in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, but his music and influence continue to be celebrated to this day. "That'll Be the Day" remains one of his most enduring and beloved songs.

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In 2012, the Library of Congress selected the original recording of "That'll Be the Day" for preservation in the National Recording Registry, recognizing its cultural, artistic, and historical significance.

"That'll Be the Day" is a timeless classic that helped shape the rock and roll genre and continues to be cherished by music lovers worldwide and certainly deserves the title of Buddy Holly most famous song.

That'll Be The Day Lyrics

Well, that'll be the day
When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day
When you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave
You know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day - when I die

Well, you gave me all your loving
And your turtle doving
All your hugs and kisses
And your money too
You know you love me, baby
Still you tell me maybe
That someday well I'll be through

Well, that'll be the day
When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day
When you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave
You know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day - when I die

Well, that'll be the day
When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day
When you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave
You know it's a lie
Cause that'll be the day - when I die, well

When Cupid shot his dart
He shot it at your heart
So if we ever part
Then I'll leave you
You sit and hold me
And you tell me boldly
That someday - well, I'll be through

Well, that'll be the day
When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day
When you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave
You know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day - when I die

Well, that'll be the day, oh-oh
That'll be the day, oh-oh - That'll be the day, oh-oh
That'll be the day

Download the free That'll Be The Day lyrics below.

Chords & Lyrics

 

That'll Be The Day Guitar Tips

This is one those songs that will require some picking and rhythm mixed into the playing if you're doing this as a solo. There are only four chords needed and those D, A, B7 and an E. The rhythm is a steady up and down until you get to a drum roll where you can do some quick shuffle strumming.

There is a lead break in this song as the details are included in the full lesson tutorial from the link on this page. As you'll see, you'll want to keep some rhythm going along with the picking break.


A Little Background On The Song That'll Be The Day

famous songs by buddy holly

Buddy Holly's most famous song is arguably "That'll Be the Day," which was released in 1957 and became a #1 hit in the United States. The song was written by Buddy Holly and his bandmates Jerry Allison and Norman Petty, and it features Holly's distinctive rock and roll sound with its catchy guitar riff and upbeat tempo.

"That'll Be the Day" helped to establish Buddy Holly as a major force in the early rock and roll scene, and it remains one of his most enduring and beloved songs. Holly went on to have several other hits over the course of his career, including "Peggy Sue," "Everyday," and "Oh Boy!," but "That'll Be the Day" is widely regarded as his signature song.

Thank you for stopping by my Buddy Holly most famous song page and I hope the info here was helpful and useful.


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That'll Be The Day - 1957

famous songs from buddy holly

"That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty. It was recorded by Buddy Holly and the Crickets in 1957 and became a hit, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Buddy Holly, born Charles Hardin Holley, was an American singer-songwriter and a central figure in the emergence of rock and roll in the 1950s. Holly formed his band, The Crickets, in 1957 with Jerry Allison on drums and Joe B. Mauldin on bass.

Norman Petty, a musician and record producer, was instrumental in shaping the sound of rock and roll in the 1950s. He worked with many artists, including Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and recorded their first hit song, "That'll Be the Day," at his studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

The song's title was inspired by a line from the John Wayne film, "The Searchers." Holly and Allison wrote the song in 1956 and recorded a demo version in Petty's studio. The song was originally released on the Decca label, but after Holly signed with Coral Records, it was re-recorded and released on that label.

"That'll Be the Day" features Holly's distinctive vocals and the Crickets' tight harmonies, along with a catchy guitar riff that has become synonymous with early rock and roll. The song's success helped to establish Holly and the Crickets as one of the leading acts of the 1950's.


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