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Recorded in 1969

Not Fade Away

Written by Buddy HollyNorman PettyUnreleased

Last updated on March 26, 2025


Timeline This song was recorded in 1969

Related session

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

Other songs written by Buddy Holly

From Wikipedia:

“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 likely to have been a formality) and first recorded by Holly and his band, the Crickets.

Original song

Holly and the Crickets recorded the song in Clovis, New Mexico, on May 27, 1957, the same day the song “Everyday” was recorded. The rhythmic pattern of “Not Fade Away” is a variant of the Bo Diddley beat, with the second stress occurring on the second rather than third beat of the first measure, which was an update of the “hambone” rhythm, or patted juba from West Africa. Jerry Allison, the drummer for the Crickets, pounded out the beat on a cardboard box. Allison, Holly’s best friend, wrote some of the lyrics, though his name never appeared in the songwriting credits. Joe Mauldin played the double bass on this recording. It is likely that the backing vocalists were Holly, Allison, and Niki Sullivan, but this is not known for certain.

“Not Fade Away” was originally released as the B-side of the hit single “Oh, Boy!” and was included on the album The “Chirping” Crickets (1957). The Crickets’ recording never charted as a single. In 2004, this song was ranked number 107 on Rolling Stone‘s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. […]


On January 29, 1969, during the “Get Back” sessions at Apple Studios, The Beatles performed a loose medley that included “Hey Little Girl,” “Cannonball,” “Not Fade Away,” and “Bo Diddley.”


Bootlegs


Cover versions played during the "Get Back" sessions

"Not Fade Away" was covered during The Beatles' "Get Back" sessions in January 1969. Here is the complete list of covers recorded by Paul McCartney, either alone or with other Beatles, during these sessions:

Paul McCartney writing

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