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The Rolling Stones in the press: “The Stones Can’t Miss!”
NOT FADE AWAY: BUDDY HOLLY’S ROCK & ROLL BEAT Recorded in May 1957, Buddy Holly’s Not Fade Away buzzed with energy straight out of Norman Petty Studios in Clovis. Backed as the B-side to Oh, Boy!, it rocked the Bo Diddley beat—catchy, hypnotic, and impossible not to tap along to. Holly blended rock & roll with Cuban rhythms and African-American chants, crafting a track that still feels fresh. Enduring love never sounded so irresistibly groovy and fun.
Can’t see the Rolling Stones missing out with their latest Decca release—a quivering, pounding rhythmic opus titled “Not Fade Away.” It’s a solo voice showcase, but the backing beat is quite fantastic, with hand-claps and wailing harmonica adding to the effect.
That fascinating plaintive quality peculiar to all Norman Petty–Buddy Holly numbers is prominent, despite the raucous treatment. I would have preferred that the ending, unlike the title, did not fade away—but this minor detail won’t prevent the boys from enjoying a big hit.
Pungent, strident guitar work—ably assisted by Gene Pitney’s tinkling piano—are showcased in Phil Spector’s composition, “Little By Little.” The melody is insignificant, but the sound’s sensational!
More about The Rolling Stones’ release of Not Fade Away (1964)
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Buddy Holly recorded Not Fade Away on May 27, 1957, at Norman Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico. Released in October 1957 as the B-side to his hit single Oh, Boy!, the song showcased a unique rhythm inspired by the influential Bo Diddley beat, which itself drew from African American religious chants and the Cuban habanera dance. This infectious, hypnotic rhythm perfectly captured the song’s theme of enduring love, blending rock and roll with deeper rhythmic traditions.
The Rolling Stones later made Not Fade Away their own in 1964, with an arrangement so distinct that their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, considered it more of a Stones track than a cover. The band’s version injected raw energy and a bluesy edge, propelling it to number 3 on the UK charts. It also earned a prominent place in the Stones’ U.S. discography, opening side one of their debut American album, The Rolling Stones, England’s Newest Hit Makers released in April 1964. This track not only marked one of the Stones’ first big hits but also showcased their ability to reinterpret classics, paving the way for their rise as one of the most iconic bands in rock history.
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