"That'll Be the Day" by The Crickets

It was today in 1957 that the single "That'll Be the Day" by The Crickets was released. It was not the first single featuring Buddy Holly ever released. He had already released two singles, "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Modern Day Don Juan" under his own name, Buddy Holly, on Decca. In fact, it was because he was still under contract to Decca that "That'll Be the Day"was released under the name "The Crickets" rather than "Buddy Holly"--"That'll Be the Day" was released on the Brunswick label.  While "That'll Be the Day" was not Buddy Holly's first single, it was very important nonetheless. It was not only the first single by Buddy Holly and The Crickets to chart. It was their first single to reach number one on the Billboard singles chart. Neither of Buddy Holly's first two singles had charted.

As to the song itself, "That'll Be the Day" was written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison (the drummer for The Crickets). It took its title from a line used by John Wayne as Ethan Edwards repeatedly in the movie The Searchers, "That'll be the day." Here it must be noted that The Searchers would not only inspire the song "That'll Be the Day" by The Crickets. The film's title would would also serve as the inspiration for the name of British Invasion era Liverpudlian band The Searchers.

Here, then, is "That'll Be the Day" by The Crickets