Flashback Friday: Weezer’s ‘Happy Days’ Themed Music Video Drives ‘Buddy Holly’ Popularity

It's the song that almost didn't make it on the album, ends up being a smash. B101.7's Flashback Friday Spotlight is on the 1994 Weezer song, 'Buddy Holly.'

Call it a good gut feeling in the end or persistence from producer Ric Ocasek. The story goes, the song was originally much slower and sung, "Oo-wee-oo you look just like Ginger Rogers/Oh, oh, I move just like Fred Astaire." The update line in a faster song, "Oo-wee-oo you look just like Buddy Holly/Oh, oh, and you're Mary Tyler More." Still, singer, guitarist and song writer, Rivers Cuomo didn't think the song was good fit for the album, Weezer. It did make the cut, and ends up being an airplay breakthrough hit!

You would think with lines like, "I don't care what they say about us anyway, I don't care bout that," that the song is about lovers fighting against the world. A note on Song Facts says otherwise, claiming that Rivers thinks it's "largely misinterpreted - it is not romantic, but is about defending a platonic female friend."

Looking back on how the song took off, the music video most certainly played a role. How fitting to merge song named after a pop music icon of the 50s with a hugely popular TV show based on the 50s. That show would the sit-com 'Happy Days,' airing during the 70s and 80s. The clever video created buzz and scored 4 MTV Video Music Awards in 1995, including a well deserved Breakthrough Video trophy.

Here's the video for our spotlight song this week for Flashback Friday with B101.7!

Weezer 'Buddy Holly'

Listen to B101.7 Friday at 5 for when I feature the spotlight song on the radio! Saturday night catch a whole night of flashbacks during the B101.7 Saturday Night Party, starting at 8pm.

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