 LP Cover
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Love is strange Good rockin' tonight Blue Monday Have you ever been lonely Slippin' and slidin' (fast version)
You're the one |
LP originally released: January 20, 1969
LP: Coral, USA (1969) - CRL 757504
LP: MCA Records, England - MUPS 371
LP: Coral, Germany - MAPS 1034
CD released October 19, 1993
CD: Castle Communications - CLACD 307 (LC 6448)
EAN: 5017615630725
Holly is a magic word in music . . . and the first name, Buddy, just naturally comes to mind at its mention. Buddy's fame is more than a legend, even, for he has become 'The Way' for a great number of performers today. So rather than go into a lot of facts you probably already know, let's say a few words concerning the songs done here.
Love Is Strange was very successful in the Fifties. Great numbers of people liked it and bought it . . . and so did Buddy. However, you've never heard it the way it's performed here. The original track by Buddy was about one minute long and it seemed a little too short. So, while listening to it on his Ampex in his New York apartment (sometime in late 1958 or early 1959), he decided to try a few ideas with it: a guitar section from another part of the tape was added, then the first part repeated, adding instruments to give it a soft, silky sound to match the mood he was in at the time.
The present album would not have been possible had it not been for a helping hand from quite a few people: Coral Records has helped us greatly in preserving Buddy's vibrant musical memory . . . Mr. and Mrs. Holley have brought their tapes and dubs to us . . . and many hours have been spent with us by some real greats in the music world : George Tomsco, playing guitar with the same drive and freshness that was Buddy's . . . Jimmy Gilmer helping with ideas and playing guitar . . . Doug Roberts playing drums (with even more drive than Buddy's drummer in those days) . . . and Stan Lark, spending many hours sleeping over his bass! All was done with great devotion and a striving for perfection, just like Buddy Holly had always done. Perhaps this sounds effortless - and it should - for that's the mark of "being right" when it sounds easy. However, every selection required very special treatment: the original tapes had to be transferred to a multi-track recorder through special equipment, then each instrument re-tuned to match that selection. The boys wore earphones in order to stay right with the tempo of the recording - which did vary at times! As you can readily see, all this required more than careful attention - but here you have the successful result, passed on to you with joy and enthusiasm.
Good Rockin' Tonight and Blue Monday were home-type recordings and difficult to work with, but since you realize the source, we know you'll understand and appreciate them. Have You Ever Been Lonely was a favourite of Mrs. Holley's at the time, so Buddy recorded it for her. We could have clipped off part of the tape, but didn't. Hear Buddy call to his mother at the end of the selection - he wanted her to hear what he had done with it. When we were adding to this recording, Mr. and Mrs. Holley were in the control room, and when Buddy's voice cried out "Mother!" on the tape, without even thinking Mrs. Holley answered, "What?. . . . It's a priceless memento to her now - and we hope, to you too.
You're The One has been out in another album, but not this recording of it - all addition is new and different. Dearest was called something else, in error, on another LP, but new things have been added to this recording. Smokey Joe's Cafe is really great the way Buddy sings it; we tried to make the additional sounds match what we thought Buddy was thinking of at the time he recorded it with just his guitar. Ain't Got No Home was recorded when Buddy was having fun trying to sound like "Frogman" Henry; the quality is not tops here, but the performance is fresh and exciting. Holly Hop is a jam tune Buddy probably heard his mother whistle, and is played with much gusto; George Tomsco practiced long hours trying to match the feel and melody played here by Buddy, and it comes off very well. What a combination Buddy and George, together, would have been for the music fans!
A lot of time slipped by before this album could be released, because of problems - both legal and technical - to be solved. Far more sophisticated equipment is now available, of course, and was used. And it's with a feeling of great happiness and respect that we now bring you this treasured remembrance to the talent of the one and forever the only Holly ... named Buddy - the Giant!
