Oh Boy

When you dive into *Oh Boy!* by The Crickets, you encounter a structure that plays with the A-A-B-A format, where each section is based on a 12-bar blues pattern, with a bridge extending to 8. The recording of this piece took place in Norman Petty's studios in Clovis, New Mexico, between June 29 and July 1, 1957. It was a period of intense creative activity, as other now well-known songs like *Listen To Me* and *Peggy Sue* were also recorded there. In *Oh Boy!*, the lead vocals and rhythm guitar were handled by Buddy Holly, while The Crickets provided the backing vocals. The bass was played by Joe Mauldin and the drums by Jerry Allison.

This song had an interesting journey. It was chosen to open the album *The "Chirping" Crickets* and was also released as a single, with *Not Fade Away* as the B-side. It received a good reception, reaching number 10 in the United States and number 3 in the United Kingdom in early 1958. Later, in 1975, it was reissued alongside *Everyday*. The songwriting is attributed to Sonny West and Bill Tilghman, with Norman Petty also listed as a co-writer.