Bye, Bye, N3794N

I was was fourteen. I was attending junior high school at little town in SW Oklahoma called Tipton. At lunch in the Cafeteria some of the girls were huddle together at a table crying.

Buddy Holly had died.

My first question was Buddy who?

OK, so I was a farm boy that lived w-a-y out in the boondocks.

So I only knew indirectly who Holly and Valens were but I did know and like the Big Bopper's songs. Rather one song, Chantilly lace.

Chantilly lace and a pretty face

And a pony tail hanging down

That wiggle in the walk and giggle in the talk

Lord makes world go 'round

Her name was Patsy and she fit the bill, so that was the song you see that ...well.. that's why I knew it.

But by the end of the day and going home on the school bus I got a full education about who Buddy Holly was and why I was such an ignorant dolt. Of course I had heard his songs, mainly on TV.

Now as for Ritchie Valens. La Bamba was playing all over the place then as well.

The next week Patsy had a "fan magazine" with pictures of the trio and of the plane crash.

I was appropriately sorrowed in her presence.

That was 50 years ago this week. I've kept my truck radio tuned to KOMA-FM all week in honor of the landmark date. I have had Clear Lake, Iowa on my agenda for a destination for years, but never stopped there. Clear Lake is where they piled up the plane in a frozen corn field.

In this last 50 years all of these people, their songs, their stories, and everything around them has become almost mythical. There was a railroad underpass between Snyder and Frederick Oklahoma for example that had in bold black letters BUDDY HOLLY LIVES! It was painted over by the highway department several times over the years, but it was soon repainted the same as before BUDDY HOLLY LIVES! Due to a highway realignment the underpass is way out in a field now. But I'll bet that Holly graffiti is still painted on it.

Don McLean started his song American Pie with the death of Buddy holly and the Bopper, and Valens. Legend has become that the plane that they died in was named the American Pie. That would nice, creates a really good symmetry. But actually it wasn't. It was named, or rather numbered, N3794N. But dang that song is good. Although most of the lyrics are probable not about Holly and the guys I like to think they are.

A long, long time ago...I can still remember

How that music used to make me smile.

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And, maybe, they'd be happy for a while.

But february made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver.

Bad news on the doorstep;

I couldn't take one more step.

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride,

But something touched me deep inside

The day the music died.

So bye-bye, miss american pie.

Drove my chevy to the levee,

But the levee was dry.

And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

Singin', "this'll be the day that I die."

"this will be the day that I die."

Thank You Buddy Holly for getting this stuff started.

Thanks a bunch.