Words of Love

"Words of Love"
45 rpm record released by Coral Records, 1957
Single by Buddy Holly
B-side"Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues"
ReleasedJune 20, 1957
RecordedApril 8, 1957
StudioNorman Petty Recording Studios (Clovis, New Mexico)
Genre
Length1:56
LabelCoral 61852
SongwriterBuddy Holly
ProducerNorman Petty
Buddy Holly singles chronology
"Modern Don Juan"
(1956)		 "Words of Love"
(1957)		 "That'll Be the Day"
(1957)

"Words of Love" is a song written by Buddy Holly and released as a single in 1957 on Coral Records.

Original version

Holly recorded the song on April 8, 1957, at Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, New Mexico.[4] Holly harmonized with himself, by combining tape recordings of each part. The song was not a notable hit for Holly, although it is regarded as one of his important recordings and is available in most standard Holly collections.[5]

A compilation album, Words of Love, released by PolyGram in the UK in 1993, reached number 1 and was certified as a gold record.[6]

The Diamonds version

"Words of Love", released by the Diamonds as a 45 rpm single (Mercury 71128X45) in 1957, with a label crediting "Buddy Holley" as the songwriter

A doo-wop version by the Diamonds, released by Mercury Records on May 20, 1957, reached number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1957, making the song Holly's first hit, though as a composer not performer. The Diamonds also performed the song live on the ABC television show Circus Time on June 27, 1957, and included it on the 1962 Mercury LP album Pop Hits (MGW 12178).

The Beatles' version

"Words of Love"
B-side label of 1965 Indian single
Song by the Beatles
from the album Beatles for Sale
ReleasedDecember 4, 1964
RecordedOctober 18, 1964
StudioEMI, London
GenrePop
Length2:12 (mono)
2:02 (stereo)
LabelParlophone
SongwriterBuddy Holly
ProducerGeorge Martin
Music video
"Words of Love" on YouTube

The Beatles recorded a cover version of the song on October 18, 1964, for the UK album Beatles for Sale. It first appeared in the US on the album Beatles VI. It was also on a 7-inch extended play, Beatles for Sale No. 2, released by Parlophone/EMI in 1965. John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were fans of Holly, sang in harmony with George Harrison,[7] holding to the vocal and instrumental sound of Holly's original as well as they could. Before their big break, the group had performed the song live between 1958 and 1962, with Lennon and Harrison singing. For the official release, though, Lennon and McCartney shared vocal duties.[8] The song only took two takes, along with a vocal overdub. The mono mix is longer than the stereo mix.

Personnel

Personnel according to Ian MacDonald[9]

Other cover versions

References

  1. ↑ Sergio Ariza. "A Legacy That Won't Fade Away". Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  2. ↑ Don McLean. "Buddy Holly, Rock Music Genius". CNN. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  3. ↑ Segretto, Mike (2022). "Rock and Roll: The First Eight Years". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute: A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 13–14. ISBN 9781493064601.
  4. ↑ Vnuk, Paul (September 2025). "Norman Petty Recording Studios". Recording. pp. 22–31.
  5. ↑ "Song artist 253 – Buddy Holly". Tsort.info. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Album artist 488 – Buddy Holly". Tsort.info. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  7. ↑ ""Words Of Love" by The Beatles. The in-depth story behind the songs of the Beatles. Recording History. Songwriting History. Song Structure and Style". Beatlesebooks.com. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "Words Of Love". The Beatles Bible. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  9. ↑ MacDonald, Ian (2005). Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties (2nd rev. ed.). London: Pimlico (Rand). pp. 140–141. ISBN 1-84413-828-3.
  10. ↑ "Pat DiNizio/Buddy Holly – Pat DiNizio". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Rave on Buddy Holly – Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  12. ↑ Albert Lee. Second Hand Songs.
  13. ↑ The Pete Best Band. Second Hand Songs.
  14. ↑ Bobby Vee. Down the Line. Second Hand Songs.
  15. ↑ Jeff Lynne. "Words of Love". Listen to Me. Second Hand Songs.

Sources

  • Bustard, Anne (2005). Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4223-9302-4.
  • Dawson, Jim; Leigh, Spencer (1996). Memories of Buddy Holly. Big Nickel Publications. ISBN 978-0-936433-20-2.
  • Goldrosen, John; Beecher, John (1996). Remembering Buddy: The Definitive Biography. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80715-7.
  • Goldrosen, John (1975). Buddy Holly: His Life and Music. Popular Press. ISBN 0-85947-018-0
  • Laing, Dave (1971–2010). Buddy Holly. Icons of Pop Music. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-22168-4. OCLC 611172616.
  • Mann, Alan (1996). The A-Z of Buddy Holly. Aurum Press (2nd edition). ISBN 1-85410-433-0 or 978–1854104335.
  • Norman, Phillip (1996) Rave On: The Biography of Buddy Holly. Simon & Schuster Publishing. ISBN 0684800829.
  • Peer, Elizabeth and Ralph II (1972). Buddy Holly: A Biography in Words, Photographs and Music Australia: Peer International. ASIN B000W24DZO.
  • Peters, Richard (1990). The Legend That Is Buddy Holly. Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN 0-285-63005-9 or 978–0285630055.
  • Rabin, Stanton (2009). OH BOY! The Life and Music of Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer Buddy Holly. Van Winkle Publishing (Kindle). ASIN B0010QBLLG.
  • Tobler, John (1979). The Buddy Holly Story. Beaufort Books.
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