Somethin' Else

Album: The Best Of Eddie Cochran (1959)
Charted: 22 58
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Eddie Cochran has the hots for a girl, but can't get her attention. He also covets a new convertible, and figures the two would go together - that would be somethin' else.

    In the end, he doesn't get the car but does get the girl, to his great surprise. That's really somethin' else.
  • Eddie's brother, Bob Cochran, wrote "Somethin' Else" with Sharon Sheeley, who became Eddie's girlfriend. There weren't many female songwriters at the time, but Sheeley's first effort, "Poor Little Fool," became a #1 hit for Ricky Nelson. She met Eddie when she asked him to record one of her songs.
  • On April 17, 1960, Eddie Cochran was killed in a car accident at age 21. Sheeley and Gene Vincent were also in the car and injured in the crash, but Cochran went through the windshield.

    Sheeley continued to write songs for artists like Brenda Lee and Irma Thomas. She died in 2002 at age 62.

Comments: 9

  • Steve from Buena Park, CaEvery lyrics site gets the words to 'Somethin Else' wrong, at least as sung on the record. This is the proper lyric in stanza 3, line 4: "I'll buy that car tonight before it gets sold."
  • Bill from UsaViktor, the drums are much more like "Keep-A-Knockin."
  • Viktor from Vänersborg, SwedenThis song has the same drum beat as Little Richard's "Rip it Up", Sharon did this to impress on Eddie who was a big fan of Little Richard.
  • Jon from Great Yarmouth, United KingdomCripes Jeff, I'm staggered that ANYBODY remembered The Move version!! Especially as I'm not sure if The Move were particularly well known in the States.I actually bought this EP and still have it. Must be around '66 '67. The Move sort of evolved into ELO. Roy Wood I believe had the original idea for the band but Jeff Lynne took it on and the rest is history. Good trivia question there, What links Roy Orbison with 60s vocalist Roy Wood The Move?
  • Tom from Pittsburgh, PaI saw Keith Richards open an Xpensive Winos show with this once.

    I'd like to hear that UFO version.
  • Mike from Victoria, B.c., CanadaBritish hard rock group UFO also recorded a cover of "Somethin' Else" on their 1982 album 'Mechanix'.
  • Swansong200 from Calhoun, GaActually Wade, Zeppelin oftened played this from 1970-1971 as an encore, back to back with c'mon everybody or summertime blues.
  • Jeff from San Jose, CaThe Move recorded a live EP called Something Else by the Move which included this song. The New York Dolls have also performed this song. Recently (circa 2005) there was a version performed by Little Richard and Tanya Tucker as a duet.
  • Wade from Katy, TxLed Zeppelin performed this song live once. You can hear their version on the BBC Sessions CD.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.