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Buddy Holly Peggy Sue
On The Acoustic

Welcome to my Buddy Holly Peggy Sue 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 Peggy Sue
Chords, Lyrics, Demo, Tutorial

Peggy Sue is a classic rock and roll song that was recorded by Buddy Holly and his band, the Crickets, in 1957. The song was written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty and was named after Allison's girlfriend at the time.

According to Allison, the song was inspired by a similar song called "Cindy Lou" by Buddy Holly's friend, Eddie Cochran. Cochran had written the song about a girl he knew, and Holly and Allison decided to write their own song about Allison's girlfriend, Peggy Sue.

The song was recorded at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, on July 29, 1957. The recording session took only two takes, with the first take being used as the master. The song features Holly on lead vocals and guitar, Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar, Joe Mauldin on bass, and Jerry Allison on drums.

It was reported that when Allison's girlfriend first heard the song at the Sacramento Auditorium for the first time she was totally embarrassed and could have died on the spot.

The Buddy Holly Peggy Sue release date was on September 20, 1957, and quickly became a hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Top 100 chart. The song is known for its catchy melody, distinctive guitar riff, and simple lyrics about a girl named Peggy Sue.

The success of "Peggy Sue" helped to establish Buddy Holly as a major force in the early rock and roll scene. He went on to record many more hit songs, including "That'll Be the Day," "Oh Boy!," and "Not Fade Away," before his tragic death in a plane crash in 1959.

Buddy Holly wrote a sequel to the song and called it Peggy Sue Got Married, which was included in the 1986 film of the same name starring Kathleen Turner.

Download the free Buddy Holly Peggy Sue lyrics below.

Drop D Tuning - No
Capo - No
Rhythm - a steady down up down up down up all the way through the song
Picking - just a few rhythm chops
Chords - A, D, E, F

Little Known Facts About Peggy Sue

Did you know that "Peggy Sue" was written by Buddy Holly, along with Jerry Allison and Norman Petty. The song was named after Jerry Allison's girlfriend at the time, Peggy Sue Gerron.

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Buddy Holly and the Crickets recorded "Peggy Sue" on July 29, 1957, at the Petty Recording Studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

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The original working title for the song was "Cindy Lou," but it was changed to "Peggy Sue" as a tribute to Jerry Allison's girlfriend. The name change was made just before the recording session.

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During an earlier recording session, the song was attempted with a slower tempo. However, producer Norman Petty suggested the upbeat, faster tempo that we now associate with the song.

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The song's iconic instrumental break features the distinctive use of tom-tom drums played by Jerry Allison, giving "Peggy Sue" its distinct rhythm.

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"Peggy Sue" was released as a single in September 1957 and became one of Buddy Holly's biggest hits. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top 100 chart.

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The success of "Peggy Sue" inspired two sequels: "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "Peggy Sue's Last Night," both of which were also written by Buddy Holly.

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"Peggy Sue" has been covered by numerous artists over the years and has appeared in various films and TV shows, contributing to its lasting cultural impact.

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The Beatles were admirers of Buddy Holly, and when they were known as The Quarrymen, they performed "Peggy Sue" as part of their early repertoire.

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"Peggy Sue" remains one of Buddy Holly's signature songs and a beloved classic in the history of rock and roll.

Were Peggy Sue Songs Ever Performed On Ed Sullivan?

Peggy Sue was performed by Buddy Holly and the Crickets on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 26, 1958. This performance is considered significant because it was one of the first times that rock and roll music was featured on a national television show.

The Crickets' appearance on the show helped to introduce their music to a wider audience and contributed to the popularity of the song and the band. The performance is available to watch online and is often cited as a classic moment in the history of rock and roll.

See the video clip below.

Buddy Holly Peggy Sue Lyrics

If you knew - Peggy Sue
Then you'd know why I feel blue
Without Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal yes, I love you Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue - Peggy Sue
Oh, how my heart yearns for you
Oh Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Oh well I love you, gal yes I love you Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, Peggy Sue
Oh Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal and I need you, Peggy Sue

I love you, Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Well, I love you, gal and I want you, Peggy Sue

Break

Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue,
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, Peggy Sue
Oh Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal yes, I need you, Peggy Sue

I love you, Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy - my Peggy Sue
Well, I love you, gal and I want you, Peggy Sue

Oh well, I love you gal and I want you Peggy Sue

Chords & Lyrics

Peggy Sue Guitar Tips

If you know this song at all you'll know there is one thing that sets this song apart from almost all other songs and that is the drumming and hence steady rhythm beat. It reminds me of a song called Wipeout when the drummer goes into that drumming section.

Well this song is that drumming section but all the way through. It's a great right arm workout song as the strumming doesn't give you much of a break even in the lead section. The chords are A, D and E but in my version I threw in a D7 in the break.

There isn't really much of a lead break in this song as it just jumps between the chord for the most part with the exception of a Dsus thrown in. I'm sure there are probably some version out there with a modified lead section. But for one guitar, rhythm is really all you need to be concerned with doing.

Thanks for stopping by this Buddy Holly Peggy Sue page and I hope the info here was useful and helpful.

There Is No Buddy Holly Official Website