Crying, Waiting, Hoping
Encyclopedia
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping" is a song by Buddy Holly
. It was released in 1959 as B-side to "Peggy Sue Got Married
". There are actually three versions of Holly's recording in circulation: the 1959 commercial release, the 1964 reissue with different orchestration, and Holly's original, private home recording.
, Manhattan
(many other sourced say apartment 3B). After Holly's death on February 3, 1959, his home recordings of his last six compositions were turned over to record producer Jack Hansen. Hansen hired studio musicians and a backup vocal group, the Ray Charles Singers, to augment Holly's vocal and guitar. The idea was to match the established sound of Buddy Holly and the Crickets as closely as possible.
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping" is technically the most successful of the six overdubs; it turned out so well that it was originally intended as the "A" side of a 45-rpm single. Holly wrote and recorded the song with pauses ("Cryin'... waitin'... hopin'... you'll come back"). Hansen ingeniously turned the solo into call-and-response verses, so the backup singers fill in the pauses with an "echo" of each word. (For a German reissue of this song, the producer took the "echo" idea literally, and played the Hansen recording in an echo chamber.)
Hansen's studio version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was recorded on June 30, 1959 at Coral Records' Studio A, along with "Peggy Sue Got Married". Both sides were released as Buddy Holly's first posthumous single. (The remaining four tunes on Holly's tape were re-recorded by Hansen and company in 1960. All six were issued on an album, "The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2.")
Holly's manager, Norman Petty
, recorded his own versions of the last six Holly originals in 1964, using his own studio facilities and backup group, The Fireballs
. Petty's versions differ from Hansen's versions in that there are no background vocals, and the melodies have new surf-guitar arrangements added to them.
The original, undubbed tape from 1958 has not seen widespread release but has circulated among collectors.
-scene, the song was recorded by others, including The Beatles
, with George Harrison
doing the vocal and replicating studio guitarist Donald Arnone's instrumental bridge, note for note. The Beatles version has not officially been released, but has circulated among collectors on several grey-area releases.
In 1987, Marshall Crenshaw
portrayed Buddy Holly in the film La Bamba
, he is featured singing the song on what is supposed to be February 2, 1959, Buddy's final show before dying in the plane crash in the early hours of February 3, "The Day the Music Died
". Crenshaw's version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was produced by Garry Tallent
and is featured on the original motion picture soundtrack.
American singer-songwriter Cat Power
has covered this song.
Chris Isaak
contributed a cover version for the 2011 album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly.
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
. It was released in 1959 as B-side to "Peggy Sue Got Married
Peggy Sue Got Married (song)
"Peggy Sue Got Married" is a song written and sung by Buddy Holly. It was released in 1959 as a 45-rpm single with "Crying, Waiting, Hoping". It refers to his song hit "Peggy Sue". It was one of the first sequels of the rock era...
". There are actually three versions of Holly's recording in circulation: the 1959 commercial release, the 1964 reissue with different orchestration, and Holly's original, private home recording.
Recordings
The song was first recorded on December 14, 1958 by Holly (only himself with guitar) in apartment 4H of "The Brevoort", Fifth AvenueFifth Avenue (Manhattan)
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...
, Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
(many other sourced say apartment 3B). After Holly's death on February 3, 1959, his home recordings of his last six compositions were turned over to record producer Jack Hansen. Hansen hired studio musicians and a backup vocal group, the Ray Charles Singers, to augment Holly's vocal and guitar. The idea was to match the established sound of Buddy Holly and the Crickets as closely as possible.
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping" is technically the most successful of the six overdubs; it turned out so well that it was originally intended as the "A" side of a 45-rpm single. Holly wrote and recorded the song with pauses ("Cryin'... waitin'... hopin'... you'll come back"). Hansen ingeniously turned the solo into call-and-response verses, so the backup singers fill in the pauses with an "echo" of each word. (For a German reissue of this song, the producer took the "echo" idea literally, and played the Hansen recording in an echo chamber.)
Hansen's studio version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was recorded on June 30, 1959 at Coral Records' Studio A, along with "Peggy Sue Got Married". Both sides were released as Buddy Holly's first posthumous single. (The remaining four tunes on Holly's tape were re-recorded by Hansen and company in 1960. All six were issued on an album, "The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2.")
Holly's manager, Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
, recorded his own versions of the last six Holly originals in 1964, using his own studio facilities and backup group, The Fireballs
The Fireballs
The Fireballs, sometimes billed as Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, is an American rock and roll group, particularly popular at the end of the 1950s and in the early 1960s...
. Petty's versions differ from Hansen's versions in that there are no background vocals, and the melodies have new surf-guitar arrangements added to them.
The original, undubbed tape from 1958 has not seen widespread release but has circulated among collectors.
Covers
Because "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was popular in England's MerseybeatBeat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
-scene, the song was recorded by others, including The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, with George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
doing the vocal and replicating studio guitarist Donald Arnone's instrumental bridge, note for note. The Beatles version has not officially been released, but has circulated among collectors on several grey-area releases.
In 1987, Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
portrayed Buddy Holly in the film La Bamba
La Bamba (film)
La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez. The picture features Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano...
, he is featured singing the song on what is supposed to be February 2, 1959, Buddy's final show before dying in the plane crash in the early hours of February 3, "The Day the Music Died
The Day the Music Died
On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll pioneers: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song...
". Crenshaw's version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was produced by Garry Tallent
Garry Tallent
Garry Wayne Tallent , sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being the longtime bass player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....
and is featured on the original motion picture soundtrack.
American singer-songwriter Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
has covered this song.
Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Isaak is an American rock musician and occasional actor.-Early life:Isaak was born in Stockton, California, the son of Dorothy , a potato chip factory worker, and Joe Isaak, a forklift driver. Isaak's mother is Italian American, originating from Genoa...
contributed a cover version for the 2011 album Listen to Me: Buddy Holly.
External links
- http://perso.orange.fr/buddyholly/page4_2.htm Buddy Holly—The Complete work
- http://www.buddyhollyonline.com/apttapes.html
- http://www.buddyhollylives.info/2131110/home.html – The Cover Song List