Not Fade Away (song)

Not Fade Away (song)

"Not Fade Away" is a song credited to Buddy Holly (originally under his first and middle names, Charles Hardin) and Norman Petty (although Petty's co-writing credit is most likely a formality) and first recorded by Holly's band The Crickets in Clovis, New Mexico, on May 27, 1957 (which was the same day the song "Everyday" was recorded). The song's rhythm pattern is a variant of the Bo Diddley beat (specifically Bo Diddley's eponymous hit)(with the second stress occurring on the second, rather than third beat of the first measure) which itself was an update of the so-called "hambone" rhythm, or "patted juba" from Western Africa; Crickets drummer Jerry Allison pounded out the beat on a cardboard box. Allison, Holly's best friend, also claims to have written part of the lyrics, though his name never appeared in the songwriting credits. The other performer on the song was Joe Mauldin on bass guitar. The backing vocalists on the recording are most likely Holly, Allison, and Niki Sullivan, although this is not known for certain.

Along with the familiar Take 2 of "Not Fade Away", there exists a Take 1 whose first verse is missing; it has been released with the first part of Take 1 spliced onto it. Originally released as the B-side to the hit "Oh, Boy!", "Not Fade Away" was also included on the album The "Chirping" Crickets.

It was not the last song Buddy Holly ever performed, however, the night before his fatal plane crash. Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" was, according to those attending a 50th anniversary symposium in Clear Lake. In a panel discussion with Tommy Allsup, Carl Bunch, and Bob Hale (the M.C. at that last show), all three agreed that the final song played at the Feb. 2, 1959, show was "Brown Eyed Handsome Man". All of the acts performed it together.

In 2004, this song was ranked number 107 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". However, The Crickets' recording never charted as a single.