Buddy Holly Case

Among so many overused clichés, “all good things must come to an end” summarizes the life lived by many famous rock n’ roll musicians over the years. Whether they meet their life’s end from drug abuse or unforeseen circumstances, it is undoubtedly a tragic loss for all rock n’ roll lovers alike. Starting out with the video of “The Meaning of American Pie”, I found myself starting to get strangely emotional throughout the possible explanations. Buddy Holly died at the ripe young age of 22, leaving behind a pregnant wife and a successful career. After learning that in only one and a half years, Buddy managed to become an amazing singer/songwriter and serve as influence to many outstanding artists, I was absolutely shocked.

I was even more shocked to learn the meaning behind “American Pie” and how Buddy Holly too, influenced it. “American Pie” was always a song I took for granted and never questioned the meaning of before this class. I just assumed it was written by some slightly crazy rock n’ roll artist and never found myself wondering anything past that. The fact that the song was, in essence, a tribute to Buddy Holly’s greatness and tragic death clearly illustrated exactly how much he was appreciated and recognized in rock n’ roll history.

Buddy Holly also has played an influence on my life that I was never aware of. When I was younger my dad used to play “That’ll Be the Day” in the car when we would go on long drives. I always liked it as a young girl because the beat was simple, the lyrics were repeated, and it was happily upbeat. I never knew who sang it, and at the time it never really concerned me. I just knew I liked it. Years later, after hearing it in class, many childhood memories came rushing back into my head.

In no way am I trying to say that I was most upset about his death because Buddy Holly was the best artist we have learned about so far in class; firstly, because I am not a reliable