Buddy Holly by Weezer

By: Ron Powers

The 1990s saw bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam forging the grunge rock genre with a heavy, dark, and moody vibe that was undeniably powerful and meaningful to the world. Amidst this moody testosterone, a band emerged that brought a much-needed dose of quirky charm to rock and roll: Weezer. Drawing inspiration from 1980s metal and 50s/60s sugary pop songs, Weezer delivered upbeat and catchy tunes that could simultaneously pack a punch. Their unique style soon earned the label of "nerd rock," with their 1994 hit “Buddy Holly” being their first major success.

“Buddy Holly,” named after the late 1950s musician, was released on what would have been Holly’s 58th birthday. The song performed exceptionally well on the Billboard charts, and its iconic music video was even included as a bonus file in Microsoft's release of Windows 95. Interestingly, Weezer's lead singer Rivers Cuomo initially planned to save “Buddy Holly” for their second album, but their producer, Ric Ocasek (lead singer of The Cars), convinced them to include it on their debut, The Blue Album. This advice proved wise, given the song’s iconic status and the enormous success it brought Weezer.

The song begins with the memorable lyrics, "What's with these homies, dissing my girl? / Why do they gotta front?" Underneath, Rivers Cuomo strums saturated power chords on his Gibson Les Paul, while bassist Matt Sharp follows the chord progression and drummer Patrick Wilson maintains a steady beat. Additionally, guitarist Brian Bell adds synth-like guitar notes reminiscent of the theme from Clint Eastwood's “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”. These elements blend to create a charm unique to Weezer, establishing them as one of the best bands of the 1990s.

As the song moves into the pre-chorus, the band shifts to a new chord progression and a lead guitar part that quickens the pace and builds tension. The ride cymbal replaces the closed hi-hat, adding extra energy. The pre-chorus culminates in a swelling drum pound that leads to an explosive introduction to the chorus.

In the chorus, the vocal melody's pace quickens and swings with the drum beat and guitar rhythm, compelling your head to bop. The lyrics, "Ooh-wee-hoo, I look just like Buddy Holly / Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore," tap into the pop culture zeitgeist and create instant familiarity. Under the vocal melody, gnarly distorted guitars, rumbling bass, and a raw snappy drum sound combine to create a magic that is beyond dissection. If you’ve ever been to a Weezer show, you know exactly what I mean.

This fall Weezer will be hitting the road for a tour with The Flaming Lips and Dinosaur Jr. The name of the tour is Voyage to the Blue Planet and Weezer will be performing their first album (The Blue Album) in full. You can find tickets for the tour at Weezer's website. If you’d like to listen to Buddy Holly or any of Weezer’s other great music, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or sold. If you’d like to learn more about Weezer you can find information on Wikipedia, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.