50 Years After The Music Died... Don't Forget The Big Bopper
As many have noted, February 3, 2009, marks 50 years since the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper.
Holly's music is most remembered, covered, and imitated. Valens' "La Bomba" remains a wedding reception staple. Both have inspired movie biopics. But what of the Big Bopper?
J.P. Richardson, Jr. was a DJ, radio exec, showman, and hit songwriter. He dropped out law school to become a full-time radio DJ at a Beaumont, Texas radio station, adopting the DJ handle “the Big Bopper” and ultimately becoming the station’s program director. In 1957, he set the record for nonstop live-on-air spinning: five days, two hours and eight minutes. The dude had mad skills.
As a songwriter, Richardson’s first hit was “White Lighting,” taken to #4 on the country charts by George Jones and covered by many since.
“Chantilly Lace” is the Big Bopper’s biggest hit, no less magnificent than any Holly or Valens classic. A naughty R&B yack, each verse is a conversation between the baritone Bopper and his girlfriend on the phone, with the listener only privy to the Bopper side. This cognitive negotiation always picks up the tail of the song’s chorus, “Baby, you know what I like,” then, repeating the same chord structure, sums up a hetro, teenage boy’s hopes and dreams.
Chantilly lace and a pretty face
And a pony tail hanging down
That wiggle in the walk and giggle in the talk
Makes the world go round
There ain't nothing in the world like a big eyed girl
That makes me act so funny, make me spend my money
Make me feel real loose like a long necked goose
Like a girl, oh baby that's what I like
The Big Bopper lip-syncing on American Bandstand
The Fall covering “White Lightning”
-- Patrick
water damage huntingtonbeach on February 14, 2012 at 08:52 AM
When ever we've come to stop by right here a little over a working week ago, my brother has been so insistent on the subject of developing comment on Bill's idea actually being put up. I nonetheless was adamant that we ought to keep our lips shut temporarly and simply never make a comment but when he made an effort to create another comment that gives criticsms about how exactly others responded on his statement, I guess he was dead improper in it.
online job on August 12, 2011 at 03:23 AM
That is one of the best tracks ever! I love him!
helicopter tours hawaii on July 18, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Sounds very interesting! I will check this out!
patrick on February 06, 2009 at 08:59 AM
James, thank you very much for the gentle and informative riff on my misspelling of "La Bamba." I like it so much that I'm not going to correct my gaffe. Cheers.
Will on February 05, 2009 at 02:03 PM
For some reason the Fall's version leaves me cold. I just doesn't translate the hills culture very well.
Will on February 05, 2009 at 02:03 PM
For some reason the Fall's version leaves me cold. I just doesn't translate the hills culture very well.
Will on February 05, 2009 at 02:03 PM
For some reason the Fall's version leaves me cold. I just doesn't translate the hills culture very well.
Will on February 05, 2009 at 02:02 PM
For some reason the Fall's version leaves me cold. I just doesn't translate the hills culture very well.
James on February 05, 2009 at 01:22 PM
Actually, "La Bomba" (the bomb) is the title of a Tonio K. takeoff on "La Bamba". It's among many songs on a Rhino CD, "The Best of La Bamba", which includes a mariachi perormance that shows the origins of the tune. The liner notes describe the song's Vera Cruz origin... the "otra cosita" that one needs to dance "la bamba" may be sheer physical endurance, as it's the last of a set of several (I'm trying to remember just how many; ten? twelve?) songs. Indeed, the last verse of the mariachi version says something about "I ask you for compassion (or maybe "pity" is the better translation), let La Bamba stop!"
Corey Frisbee on February 05, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Sounds like he made a good decision.
http://frisbeepainting.com
http://frisbeepainting.blogspot.com/