About the Song
“Peggy Sue” became one of Buddy Holly and The Crickets’ most iconic songs, but its creation was rooted in a mix of love, heartbreak, and a bit of serendipity. After the success of their hit “That’ll Be the Day” in 1957, the band decided to write a song for Buddy’s niece, Cindy Lou. They originally penned a track called “Cindy Lou,” but everything changed when the band’s drummer, Jerry Allison, showed up to rehearsal heartbroken after his girlfriend, Peggy Sue Gerron, had dumped him.
In a quick twist, the band rewrote the lyrics of “Cindy Lou” to appeal to Peggy Sue and hopefully win her back. With a catchy, galloping rhythm driven by Allison’s powerful tom-tom hits, the song was transformed into “Peggy Sue”, a heartfelt plea for reconciliation. Buddy Holly’s lyrics spoke directly to Peggy Sue: “If you knew Peggy Sue, then you’d know why I feel blue… Well, I love you girl, and I need you, Peggy Sue!”
Despite the heartfelt effort, the song didn’t have the desired effect on Peggy Sue when it was performed live with her in attendance. She later admitted in her autobiography, Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?, that she was embarrassed by the attention. However, Allison eventually won her back, and they married in 1958.
In celebration of their reunion, Holly wrote a follow-up song, “Peggy Sue Got Married.” This track, recorded in December 1958, captured the same loose, stripped-down strumming style of the original. Tragically, Holly died in a plane crash just two months later, and “Peggy Sue Got Married” remained unreleased until after his passing. It was later issued as a posthumous single.
While “Peggy Sue Got Married” never achieved the same iconic status, the original “Peggy Sue” lived on, influencing generations of musicians. Notably, Bobby Vee, who was asked to fill in for Holly at a concert after the 1959 crash, went on to cover the song in 1962, joining The Crickets for an album collaboration. In the UK, Buddy Holly’s influence was also felt strongly by artists like Cliff Richard and The Shadows, who often included “Peggy Sue”
The legacy of “Peggy Sue” endures, not just as one of Buddy Holly’s biggest hits, but as a testament to the timeless nature of love and heartbreak, and the lasting impact of a song born out of personal emotions.
Lyrics
If you knew Peggy Sue
Then you’d know why I feel blue
Without Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal
Yes, I love you, Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Oh, how my heart yearns for you
Oh, Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal
Yes, I love you, Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, Peggy Sue
Oh, Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal
And I need you, Peggy Sue
I love you, Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh, Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Well, I love you, gal
I want you, Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy Sue
Oh, Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal
Yes, I need you, Peggy Sue
I love you, Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you, gal
And I want you, Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal
And I want you, Peggy SueAdvertisement
