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Edward Raymond Cochran... October 3, 1938 Albert Lea (Minnesota - USA) - April 17, 1960 Chippenham (Wiltshire - UK)
Many years have passed since I, as a child, would go hide in the living room, carefully turn on the stereo, making sure no one could catch me, close the door, and magically find myself in a world that seemed to be mine... exclusively mine.
The speakers would start to transmit that splendid (listened to through today's eyes) crackle, causing a restless frenzy under my skin, a prelude to that surge of pure adrenaline that was about to arrive, each time magically with renewed energy. I will never forget the whirlwind of emotions that overwhelmed me when the bass started pulsing with "C'mon Everybody". I was caught by the convulsions of my crazed muscles and would completely surrender to that pagan vortex, feeling almost like I was inside a spinning washing machine. Other times, I would sink into the soft embrace of the couch cushions, and with the cover in hand, I would try to imagine Eddie's expressions as he sang "Summertime Blues" or "Somethin' Else", imagine his "moves," his movements... captivated by his slightly mischievous voice.
Eddie Cochran was one of the greatest rock 'n' roll performers (as well as one of my childhood heroes)... in less than five years as a songwriter, a practice not yet very common among the stars of the time, and performer, he codified the subgenre of rockabilly which over the course of a couple of decades contributed to the birth of garage rock at first and punk later... honored in between by seminal hard bands like Blue Cheer, sacred monsters like The Who (see and hear to believe) or pop icons like Olivia Newton John. Maybe he didn't have Elvis's appeal, Jerry Lee Lewis's fire, Little Richard's schizophrenia, or his best friend Buddy Holly's poetics; or maybe he just didn't need them, he played in a field all his own, having cut his teeth playing country with his cousin Hank (under the name Cochran Brothers) and the meeting with producer Jerry Capehart opened the doors of fame to Eddie, first in cinema and then in music, with a contract for Liberty Records.
In 1957, he took part in the first world tour of a rock 'n' roll show, remembered mainly for Little Richard's departure from the stage in Australia to embrace faith and religion. On February 3, 1959, a plane crash took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Big Bopper, throwing Eddie into despair that led him into the recording studio for the heart-wrenching tribute that is "Three Stars", a piece written by DJ Tommy Dee... where his deep voice, broken by emotion and tears, can be heard multiple times. Liberty did not release it, judging the master as insufficient quality (another example of "corporate ignorance"). But at the beginning of 1960, he gathered around him the surviving Crickets of Buddy Holly and recorded the splendid "Three Steps To Heaven", a tribute to the art of his deceased friend with a performance that seems like a slap to the best Elvis. But the fate (sadly) prophetic, hidden in the title's lines, was lurking. Eddie, having finished the recording sessions, left for the United Kingdom (where he was a true superstar) to join his other great friend, Gene Vincent, on tour. On the evening of February 3, 1960, the taxi driver taking them to London's airport lost control and crashed into a roadside lamppost. The driver, Vincent, and Sharon Sheeley, Eddie's girlfriend (also co-author of many of his songs), came out unscathed, while he, gravely wounded in the head, passed away a few hours later at St. Martin’s Hospital in Bath.
In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, years later than the one I reserved for him among my deepest emotions... never stopping to thank my father for passing on his love for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, and especially Edward Raymond Cochran; always pretending not to notice that I had put my clumsy hands on his precious and magical black flying plastic discs.
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 Skinny Jim (02:11)
Well, I know a guy who's bone & skin
Women, they've been ravin' 'bout skinny Jim
Skinny Jim, man, skinny Jim
Yes yes yes, all the gals love him, skinny Jim
Well, I went to a party & skinny Jim
(2nd line imperceptible)
Skinny Jim, man, skinny Jim
Yes yes yes, all the gals love him, skinny Jim
Well, Jim got charm, he got class
All the women love him oh yeah yeah yeah
Skinny Jim, man, skinny Jim
Yes yes yes, all the gals love him, skinny Jim
(scat singing + title, x4)
Yes yes yes, all the gals love him, skinny Jim
(instrumental)
(repeat verses 2 & 3)
(scat singing + title, x4)
Yes yes yes, all the gals love him, skinny Jim
04 Sittin' in the Balcony (02:00)
I'm just a-sittin' in the balcony
Just a watchin' the movie
Or maybe it's a symphony, I wanna know
I don't care about the symphonies
Just the cymbals & the timpanis
Just a-sittin' in the balcony on the very last row
I'll hold your hand & I'll kiss you too
The feature's over, but we're not through
Just a-sittin' the balcony
Holdin' hands in the balcony
Just a-sittin' in the balcony on the very last row
(instrumental)
We may stop lovin' to watch Bugs Bunny
But he can't take the place of my honey
Just a-sittin' in the balcony
Just a-smoochin' in the balcony
Just a-sittin' in the balcony on the very last row
Just a-huggin' & a-kissin' my baby on the very last row
05 Drive-In Show (02:02)
doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo (4 times)
come on, baby, to a drive-in show
i know just the very place to go
i'll be over, pick you up at 8
this will be our very first date
when we're parkin' in the drive-in show
we'll be sittin' in the moonlight row
i'll bet my peanuts to a candy bar
you'll be cuter than a movie star
when it's over and we're headin' back
we'll stop in for just a little snack
six hot dogs oughtta be just right
after such a wonderful night
08 Summertime Blues (02:00)
I'm gonna raise a fuss
I'm gonna raise a holler
About workin' all summer
Just-a trying to earn a dollar
Every time I call my baby
Try to get a date
My boss says "No dice, son
You gotta work late"
Sometimes I wonder
What I'm-a gonna do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues
Well my mama and papa told me
"Son, you gotta make some money
If you wanna use the car
To go ridin' next Sunday"
Well, I didn't go to work
Told the boss I was sick
"You can't use the car
'Cuz you didn't work a lick"
Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues
I'm gonna take two weeks
Gonna have a fine vacation
I'm gonna take my problem
To the United Nations
Well, I called my congressman
And he said, quote:
"I'd like to help you, son
But you're too young to vote"
Sometimes I wonder what I'm-a gonna do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues
09 C'mon Everybody (01:56)
Ah well, c'mon everybody and let's get together tonight
I got some money in my jeans and I'm really gonna spend it right
Well I've been a-doin' my homework all week long
And now the house is empty and the folks are gone
Ooo C'mon everybody
Ah well my baby's number one but I'm gonna dance with three or four
And the house'll be a-shakin' from my bare feet slappin' on the floor
Well, when you hear that music you can't sit still
If your brother won't rock then your sister will
Ooo C'mon everybody
Well we'll really have a party but we gotta put a guard outside
If my folks come a-home I'm afraid they're gonna have my hide
They'll be no more movies for a week or two
No more runnin' round with the usual crew
Who cares C'mon everybody
C'mon everybody
C'mon everybody
10 Nervous Breakdown (02:20)
CHORUS:
I'm a-havin' a nervous breakdown
A mental shakedown
See my hands, how they shiver
See my knees, how they quiver
My whole body's in a jitter
I'm a-havin' a nervous breakdown
Well, I went to see my doctor just the other day
& I've got to tell you what the man had to say
Well, he said, "Hey, boy, you just gotta slow down
You can't keep a-traipsin' all over town
After givin' you a physical check
I've come to the conclusion you're a total wreck"
(chorus)
I've made up my mind I'd better change my ways
My shattered nerves have seen better days
No more girls for a week or 2
No more runnin' 'round with the usual crew
No more movies or stayin' out late
My baby have to find herself another date
(chorus)
13 Weekend (01:51)
(La la la la la la la la) (female backing throughout song)
Friday night, everything's right for the weekend
Crazy clothes, anything goes on a weekend
John called Ann & Jim got Sue
& I made a date with little ol' you
Off we went to make a big tent on the weekend
Boy, it's great just a-stayin' out late on a weekend
Know a spot & like it a lot on a weekend
Took a road to Lookout Hill
The view up there is sure a thrill
What a night to hold you tight on a weekend
There we were just sittin' cool & cozy
Just about to steal a little kiss
The police with a flashlight bright & nosy
Sayin', "Holdin' neck o'er there, what is all this?"
Car top down, just ridin' around on a weekend
Took a chance on crashin' a dance on a weekend
We were almost inside the place
When somebody slammed the door in my face
"Hey, you guys have gotta wear ties on a weekend!"
No harm done, just a-havin' some fun on a weekend
That was all, we had a big ball on the weekend
(repeat la la la's & fade)
14 Somethin' Else (02:05)
a look a-there, here she comes
there comes that girl again
wanted to date her since i don't know when
but she don't notice me when i pass
she goes with all the guys from outa my class
but that can't stop me from a-thinkin' to myself
she's sure fine lookin' man, she's something else
hey, look a-there, across the street
there's a car made just for me
to own that car would be a luxury
but right now I can't afford the gas
a brand new convertible is outa my class
but that can't stop me from a-thinkin' to myself
that car's fine lookin' man, it's something else
hey, look ahere, just wait and see
worked hard and saved my dough
i'll buy that car that i been wanting so
get me that girl and we'll go ridin' around
we'll look real sharp with the flight top down
i keep right on a-dreamin' and a-thinkin' to myself
when it all comes true man, wow, that's something else
look a-there, what's all this
never thought i'd do this before
but here i am a-knockin' on her door
my car's out front and it's all mine
just a forty-one ford, not a fifty-nine
i got that girl an' i'm a-thinkin' to myself
she's sure fine lookin' man, wow, she's something else
18 Cherished Memories (01:54)
You're going away - away from me
But here in my heart is the memory of
The way we danced the way we kissed
The way we fell in love
Oh the little secrets that we shared
When I was sad the way you cared
You let me know you understand
The way you hold my hand
Cherised Memories the things a fellow cant forget
Cherised Memories Im leaving but I love you yet..
Now you say that we must part
And even though it breaks my heart
Theres one thing you cant take from me
Thats my Cherised Memories
19 Three Steps to Heaven (02:24)
Now there are Three Steps To Heaven
Just listen and you will plainly see
And as life travels on
And things do go wrong
Just follow steps one, two and three
Step one - you find a girl to love
Step two - she falls in love with you
Step three - you kiss and hold her tightly
Yeah! that sure seems like heaven to me
The formula for Heaven's very simple
Just follow the rules and you will see
And as life travels on
And things do go wrong
Just follow steps one,two and three
Step one - you find a girl to love
Step two - she falls in love with you
Step three- you kiss and hold her tightly
Yeah! that sure seems like heaven to me
Just follow steps one,two and three
20 Cut Across Shorty (01:48)
now a country boy called shorty
and a city boy named dan
had to prove who could run the fastest
to win miss lucy's hand
now dan had all the money
and he also had the looks
but shorty must have had something, boys
that can't be found in books
well, a-cut across shorty, shorty cut across
that's what miss lucy said
cut across shorty, shorty cut across
it's you i wanna wed
now dan had been in training
a week before the race
he made up his mind
ol' shorty would end in second place
and dan with his long legs a-flyin'
left shorty far behind
and shorty heard him holler out
miss lucy, you'll soon be mine
but shorty wasn't worried
there was a smile upon his face
he knew that he was a-goin' to win
'cause lucy had fixed the race
and just like that old story
about the turtle and the hair
when dan crossed over the finish line
he found shorty waiting there
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