and tell me that you're never leaving

On this day in 1959, the aircraft carrying Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, and Ritchie Valens crashed shortly after departing Clear Lake, Iowa. It’s another tragedy that has been turned into a rock and roll legend, immortalized and embellished through countless retellings over the years since. Rather than go over that well-tilled ground, I figured I’d just let their wonderful songs do the talking and sidestep the possibility of making a tired Don MacLean reference.

(Honestly, I used to love “American Pie.” My parents gave me an embarrassing childhood nickname -- which I’ll be damned if I repeat here -- derived from the song, but after hearing it, and the various fan interpretations of the lyrics, for the zillionth time, the salt has very much lost its savor.)

When I was reviewing the tracks for this post, my wife walked into the room and lamented that they just don’t make songs like these anymore. She’s absolutely right, and it’s a damn shame.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets – Rave On (from Greatest Hits, 1999)

Ritchie Valens – Come On, Let’s Go (from The Best of Ritchie Valens, 1996)

The Big Bopper – Chantilly Lace (from Hellooo Baby: The Best of the Big Bopper: 1957-1959, 1989)

Special bonus track: Have you ever wondered what was being said on the other end of the Big Bopper’s telephone conversation in “Chantilly Lace?” Let Jayne Mansfield, another fatal victim of a vehicular crash, fill in the blanks with her 1965 answer song, “That Makes It!"

Finally, here’s a clip of Buddy Holly performing “Peggy Sue” on the Ed Sullivan Show. In his little Q&A session with Holly, Ed comes off like a suspicious father getting the measure of his daughter’s new boyfriend. I love those kind of unscripted moments: