Song of the Week – Crying, Waiting, Hoping, Buddy Holly; Come On, Let’s Go, Ritchie Valens; Chantilly Lace, The Big Bopper

Ignored           Obscured            Restored

Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, near Clear Lake, Iowa – “the day the music died” as it later became known, thanks to Don McLean’s “American Pie.”

Rather than rehash the details of the accident (I’m sure you’ll be hearing them all weekend) let’s simply celebrate the music made by those artists!

I have dozens of favorite Holly songs but you’ve heard them all a million times before.  So I’ll treat you to something that, perhaps, you haven’t discovered yet – the demo version of “Crying, Waiting, Hoping.

In December 1958, exactly two months before the crash, Holly got his hands on a new Ampex tape recorder.  He used it to record a series of demos in his New York City apartment between December 3rd and December 17th, and again between January 1st and January 19th, before heading off to begin the fateful Winter Dance Party tour.  This version of “CWH” is from the “Apartment Tapes,” captured on December 17th.  It even has Holly’s famous hiccup!

Mexican American singer/songwriter Ritchie Valens had several hits including Donna (#2) and the ever-present “La Bamba” (#22).  But “Come On, Let’s Go” is the one that really rocks.

The Big Bopper is known for only one song – “Chantilly Lace.”  (At least that’s the only one I’ve ever heard!)

On a personal note, “Chantilly Lace” was a bath time favorite when my kids were small children.

Enjoy… until next week.

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