This was written in 1958 by guitarist/songwriter Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966.

This was originally recorded by The Crickets in 1959. Many think of Buddy Holly and The Crickets as a group, though the record companies never referred to them by that name. Buddy Holly had been making demo recordings with local musician friends since 1954. Sonny Curtis, Jerry Allison, and Larry Welborn participated in these sessions. Two years later Buddy was recording then known informally as Buddy and the Two Tones (Holly with Sonny Curtis and Don Guess). By 1957 The Crickets had become Buddy Holly, drummer Jerry Allison, bassist Joe B. Mauldin, and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan. Sullivan dropped out after a little more than one year to resume his education. The Crickets, now a trio, continued to make stage and TV appearances.

In 1958, Holly moved to New York to be more involved with the publishing and recording businesses. Allison and Mauldin chose not to move and returned to Lubbock, Tx. Holly now recorded under his own name with the studio musicians Tommy Allsup and Carl Bunch. Allison and Mauldin looked forward to rejoining Holly after he returned from a winter tour through the northern Midwest. In the meantime, Mauldin, Allison, and Sonny Curtis began recording new songs as The Crickets, with vocals by Earl Sinks. While they were recording, it was announced that Holly had died in a plane crash while on tour. This is one of the songs they recorded when that news came in.

The Bobby Fuller version is the most remembered and successful recording of the song, but has been covered live or in studio by classic rockers that include Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, the Grateful Dead and the Ramones, the Clash, Hank Williams Jr., Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Green Day.

Bobby Fuller died at the age 23, and the cause behind his death remains unexplained for 50 years. He was found dead of asphyxiation in the front seat of his mother’s car on July 18, 1966. The debate still rages whether the rising star committed suicide, died accidentally or was murdered.

In the early hours of July 18, Fuller received a phone call and left his Hollywood apartment in his mother’s blue Oldsmobile. Later that day Fuller’s body was found sprawled on the front seat of the car, a gas can nearby. His body was doused with gasoline. The car had been in the parking lot outside the apartment for 30 minutes before his mother discovered the body.

Bruises covered Fuller’s arms and body, prompting speculation that he had been beaten or dragged. Early news reports attributed Fuller’s death to suicide by asphyxiation from the gas fumes. Los Angeles police apparently agreed; Fuller’s associates weren’t immediately questioned and cops on the scene disposed of the gas can without dusting for fingerprints.

The autopsy found no evidence that Fuller was beaten; the report stated that gas vapors and the summer heat probably caused hemorrhages on the body. The medical examiner checked both the “accidental” and “suicide” boxes on the report with a question mark next to each. But why would Fuller, at the cusp of stardom, kill himself?

Three months later the official cause of death was changed to “accidental asphyxiation.” But other questions were never fully answered. If the car had only been in the lot for 30 minutes before it was discovered, how had Fuller’s body reached an advanced state of rigor mortis? Had Fuller died somewhere else with his body then driven to the parking lot? A variety of wild theories followed: Fuller died accidentally after taking LSD at a party; Del-Fi Records owner Bob Keane had Fuller killed to cash in on a large insurance policy he had taken out on the singer; and even that Charles Manson had a hand in Fuller’s death. In 2015 a new theory was offered: Morris Levy, the Roulette Records owner known for his strong-arm tactics and Mafia ties, was involved in Fuller’s death. In 1966, Keane signed a deal with Roulette to distribute Fuller’s music. None of these theories has been proven.

Aside from his tragic end, whatever the cause, Bobby Fuller had started a promising career and has left us to wonder, as in all cases such as this, what more could he have produced?

The Bobby Fuller Four version of this song was ranked No. 175 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, and the same year was named one of the 500 “Songs that Shaped Rock” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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