When Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959, his growing success as an american pioneer of Rock and Roll in the late 50s would be cut devastatingly short, but he left behind for us a beautiful collection of hits that he released with his band, The Crickets.
Released in 1958 , in his absolute prime, Maybe Baby was a popular hit in the United States and the UK. In the song he asks whether one day he will have the woman he likes. Like a lot of love songs of the time, the solemn element of the romantic lyrics seems to melt into the swaying Rockabilly melody, disguising any pain in a happy-go-lucky feeling.
The rise and fall of chords in the verse is such a pleasant sound. I would rewind to hear the opening constantly when listening for the first time as an eleven-year-old; the sound is just so euphoric. The twangy, youthful sound of Holly’s voice and electric guitar matches perfectly with the angelic backing vocals of The Crickets. The hold and release of words makes Holly’s tone so full of character and entertaining to listen to.
It’s a sweet yet sombre couple of minutes, curiously deliberating the future, but so satisfying a sound that we are motivated to just feel carefree. Sit down, drift off and see where it takes you.
The Waxing Lyrical 