It's So Easy by Buddy Holly

Album: The Buddy Holly Story (1958)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

Running a compact 2:05, "It's So Easy" is slice of early rock and roll as the genre was just getting started. The message is simple, and repeated over and over: "It's so easy to fall in love." The chorus, which both opens and closes the song, is just that line repeated twice, with a pre-chorus where Holly expresses his unabashed affection: "Where you're concerned, my heart has learned."

The song is also notable for the catchy backing vocals that repeat Holly's lines, "seems so easy" and "doggone easy." Simple but effective, it's a song that was still playing many decades after Holly's 1959 death.
This was written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and recorded at Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico from June-August 1958. Petty was Holly's producer and manager. >>>
Suggestion credit:
David - Lubbock, TX
This was the last single Holly recorded with The Crickets. In the last few months of his life, he moved to New York and began recording with more elaborate production techniques, including string sections.
Holly was known for his innovative guitar riffs, but he didn't play lead on this one - a session guitarist named Tommy Allsup did. Allsup played in Holly's band on his last tour.
Many of Holly's fans consider this one of his best songs, but it was never a chart hit.
Linda Ronstadt had a hit with her 1977 cover, taking it to #5 in the US. Ronstadt was red hot at the time, and had a knack for taking lesser-known songs from yesteryear and turning them into hits - "You're No Good" is one example. "It's So Easy" was never a hit for Holly and was only vaguely familiar to most listeners. Packed tight with vocals, it was well-suited for Ronstadt, who could sing just about anything at that point and turn it into a hit. She preferred songs with more lyrical depth, though. When singing "It's So Easy," she would sometimes change the lyric, singing:

It's so easy to have a hit
All you have to do is recycle it
On October 28, 1958, Buddy Holly lip-synched this and "Heartbeat" the TV show American Bandstand. It was his last national TV appearance before his death. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
Buddy Holly was a major influence on The Beatles, and in 2011, Paul McCartney recorded this song for the tribute album Rave On Buddy Holly, which was issued to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Holly's birth.

Comments: 13

Pearson Hamm from GeorgiaI love this song buddy holly is one of my favorite rock stars
1959 was a great year for rock
He was so young and so talented
Rick from Los AngelesThe song was in fact released as a single on Brunswick in September of 1958.
Rick from New England UsaI have to say I am surprised there was no mention of Its So Easy covered by Hot Tuna in 1976. One of the most rocking versions I have ever heard and seen live. I also have seen Walons & Linda's versions live too. Have a listen and you will hear.
http://youtu.be/VUN5LsmzLuQ
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 15th 1959, Johnny and the Moondogs* auditioned for 'TV Star Search', a British talent program...
The group performed two Buddy Holly songs; "Think It Over" and "It's So Easy"...
The group missed the next step of the competition due to the lack of money for a hotel room...
* Three members of Johnny and the Moondogs were John Lennon. Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyAs already stated above on October 28th 1958, Buddy Holly lip-synced "Heartbeat" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
Exactly two months later on December 28th, 1958 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #99; it remained on the chart for three more weeks, its 2nd week at position #96, then #87, and on its last week at #82...
Its last day on the Top 100 was January 25th, 1959; and nine days later Buddy would die that that tragic plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa...
Twenty days after his death "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" entered the Top 100 at #82 on February 23rdth, 1959; and five weeks later on March 30th, 1959 it peaked at #13 {for 1 week} and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100...
The record's B-side, "Raining in My Heart", also made the Top 100, it stayed on the chart for 2 weeks, peaking at #88...
R.I.P. Charles Hardin Holley {1936 - 1959}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 4th, 1977 "It's So Easy" by Linda Ronstadt peaked at #5 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart (stayed at #5 for 3 weeks); it had entered the chart on October 8th at position #77 and remained on the Top 100 for 18 weeks...
It reached #9 in Canada and #11 in the United Kingdom...
Was one of four tracks from her 1977 album "Simple Dreams" to make the Hot Top 100 Singles chart; the other three were, "Blue Bayou" (#3), "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" (#31), and "Tumbling Dice" (#32)...
May God bless and watch over Ms. Ronstadt...
Mobiusdick from Worcester, MaWaylon Jennings was playing bass with Buddy Holly as one of the Crickets when the original Crickets were having contract issues with Decca. Waylon gave up his seat to J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) and guitarist Tommy Allsup flipped a coin with Richie Valens for the remaining seat because Valens had never flown on a small plane before. Waylon was always haunted until the day he died by the last thing he said to Buddy Holly, even though it was said in a jocund manner. Buddy told Waylon that he hoped the bus engine froze up in the snow storm, and Waylon said tongue-in-cheek, "Yeah, well I hope your plane crashes." The rest is history and the plane crash to South Dakota took the lives of three people at the tops of their careers: Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) and Richie Valens, along with pilot Roger Peterson.
MobiusDick
Mobiusdick from Worcester, MaI think that Jerry Allison, drummer for Buddy Holly & The Crickets co-wrote this song with Buddy Holly and his manager Norman Petty. I am virtually certain of it, but would love if someone could check through legal channels.
MobiusDick
Viktor from VÃ¤nersborg, SwedenI actually like Waylon Jenning's cover of this more than the original, and I'm a huge Holly fan.
Sandra from Gardnerville, NvSorry, Everyone, but I have to say this. Hell, Linda Ronstadt was one of the few artists us "women-folk" could use in order work in the disco era. I did it. I certainly admired her. Thank you, Linda.
Lester from New York City, NyAlways wondered where Holly's career would have taken him if not for the accident, as I wonder about Jimi Hendrix's career.
Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumBuddy Holly, a great talent of the 50's. A stupid
accident ended his brilliant career.
Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScI agree. This is one of buddy Holly's best songs. Linda ronstat's cover is great too.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

WoodstockCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Joni Mitchell wrote "Woodstock" - the most popular song about the festival - but didn't attend the event because she was booked on The Dick Cavett Show.

What's Love Got To Do With ItTina Turner

Tina Turner hated "What's Love Got To Do With It" but when her manager convinced her to record it anyway, it became her big comeback hit.

Happy BirthdayStevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder wrote his own version of "Happy Birthday" in an attempt to get Martin Luther King's birthday declared a national holiday.

The Right ProfileThe Clash

After a devastating car accident, the actor Montgomery Clift had to be filmed from "The Right Profile" to look good - that provided the name of The Clash song.