that'll be the day

Buddy Holly had his first and biggest hit with this rockabilly classic inspired by John Wayne.  'That'll Be the Day' takes its title from the catchphrase used by Wayne in 'The Searchers', which Holly saw with his bandmates Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison.  Later, when they were hanging out, Holly said he wished they could write a hit song and Allison replied, "That'll be the day!"  

The original version of the song was produced by Owen Bradley at Bradley’s Barn in Nashville on July 22, 1956 with Buddy Holly on vocals and guitar, Sonny Curtis on guitar, Don Guess on bass, and Jerry Allison on drums.  Decca Records refused to release it and Holly recorded another version on February 25, 1957 at Norman Petty Recording Studio in Clovis, New Mexico.  This new version had Buddy Holly on lead guitar and vocals; Larry Welborn on bass; Jerry Allison on drums; and Niki Sullivan, June Clark, Gary Tollett, and Ramona Tollett on background vocals.  Producer Norman Petty gave himself a writing credit and had the song issued on Brunswick Records under the name of the Crickets to get around the clause in Holly's contract with Decca that prohibited him from re-recording any of his songs for another label.  As it turns out, Brunswick Records was a subsidiary of Decca Records.  Once the song became a hit, Decca re-signed him to another subsidiary Coral Records, leaving him simultaneously signed to two different labels:  Brunswick for the Crickets and Coral for his solo recordings.  

'That'll Be the Day' went to the top of the charts in the US and the UK and went to number two on the US R&B chart.  


  


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVGM86XIilw




Well that'll be the day when you say goodbye 
Yeah, yes that'll be the day when you make me cry 
You say you're gonna leave me, you know it's a lie 
'Cause that'll be the day when I die 
Well, you gave me all your lovin' 
And all your turtle dovin' 
All your hugs and kisses 
And your money too, well 
You know you love me, baby 
Still you tell me maybe 
That somebody, well I'll be through 
Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye 
Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry 
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 
'Cause that'll be the day when I die 
Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye 
Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry 
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 
'Cause that'll be the day when I die 
Well, when cupid shot his dart 
He shot it at your heart 
So if we'll ever part 
And I'll leave you 
You say and hold me 
And you tell me boldly 
That some day well I'll be through 
Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye 
Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry 
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 
'Cause that'll be the day when I die 
Well, that'll be the day 
Well, that'll be the day 
Well, that'll be the day 
Well, that'll be the day




brunswick version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7iD1PKhtHI



decca version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roje3bVZ27k