It's So Easy! (The Crickets song)

"It's So Easy!" is a rock-and-roll song written by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty. It was originally released as a single in 1958 by the Crickets on Brunswick Records but failed to chart. It was the final release by the Crickets when Holly was still in the band.

A cover version recorded by Linda Ronstadt from her album Simple Dreams was released on September 20, 1977 and was a Top Five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Crickets version Background The song was recorded by Buddy Holly and the Crickets from June to August 1958 at Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, New Mexico.

Holly lip-synched to recordings of "It's So Easy!" and his song "Heartbeat" on the television program American Bandstand on October 28, 1958.

The Crickets recorded "It's So Easy!" for Brunswick Records, which released it as a 45-rpm single in 1958 but it did not chart. The B-side was "Lonesome Tears". Tommy Allsup played the lead guitar parts on both recordings.

Linda Ronstadt version

Background Linda Ronstadt recorded "It's So Easy" in 1977 for her album Simple Dreams, produced by Peter Asher. Her recording was released as a single by Asylum Records in the autumn of that year. It hit the Billboard Top Five on the Hot 100 simultaneously with her recording of "Blue Bayou". It also reached No. 9 in Canada and No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart. Ronstadt's version was used in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

Personnel Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, backing vocals Don Grolnick – clavinet Dan Dugmore – acoustic guitar Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar, backing vocals Kenny Edwards – bass guitar, backing vocals Rick Marotta – drums Peter Asher – backing vocals

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (1977–1978)PeakpositionArgentina (Cash Box)10Belgium (Flanders)Linda Ronstandt - It's So Easy Hitparade.ch4Belgium (Wallonia)12Denmark6Germany47Netherlands13New Zealand11South Africa (Springbok Radio)4Switzerland 6

Year-end charts Chart (1977)RankCanada 107 Chart (1978)RankCanada 178Switzerland 26U.S. Billboard Hot 10090

References

Sources Amburn, Ellis (1996). Buddy Holly: A Biography. St. Martin's Press. . Bustard, Anne (2005). Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly. Simon & Schuster. . Dawson, Jim; Leigh, Spencer (1996). Memories of Buddy Holly. Big Nickel Publications. . Gerron, Peggy Sue (2008). Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue? Togi Entertainment. . Goldrosen, John (1975). Buddy Holly: His Life and Music. Popular Press. . Goldrosen, John; Beecher, John (1996). Remembering Buddy: The Definitive Biography. New York: Da Capo Press. . Gribbin, John (2009). Not Fade Away: The Life and Music of Buddy Holly. London: Icon Books. .

External links