--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Buddy Holly had something very different…" description: "\"Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Bo D..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg" --- # Buddy Holly had something very different from the other… ![“Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Bo Diddley. He came across as so ordinary, as such a nerd. You know, he was a big guy, and he carried a gun. He was anything but a nerd.” quote by Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg) > “Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Bo Diddley. He came across as so ordinary, as such a nerd. You know, he was a big guy, and he carried a gun. He was anything but a nerd.” [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Buddy Holly stood out for his unassuming, nerd‑like demeanor despite his physical size and the violent image of a gun, contrasting with flamboyant peers. **In simple terms:** He seemed ordinary and nerdy, yet was physically big and carried a gun, unlike other rock stars. Key Takeaway Don’t judge based on appearance alone. Themes authenticity image contrast Mood reflective analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - music journalism - biographical writing - documentary film - lecture on music history Key Concepts rock history persona cultural expectations Questions to Reflect On - How does appearance affect our perception of talent? - What role does myth play in shaping a star’s legacy? A Different Perspective His image may have been amplified by myth‑making, obscuring his true personality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Berry Elvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berry-elvis-3331230/) [Big guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-guy/) [Bo Diddley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bo-diddley-318877/) [Buddy Holly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddy-holly/) [Chuck berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chuck-berry/) [Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Holly Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holly-different-4375325/) [Ordinary Nerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-nerd-4375326/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [Over the years, I've come to realize that writing 'I Ain't Living Long Like This' was an exercise in combined musical influence, mostly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/over-the-years-i-ve-come-to-realize-that-writing-i-ain-t-living-long/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [The first rock stars were incredibly theatrical. Little Richard and Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley - they were theater artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/the-first-rock-stars-were-incredibly-theatrical-little-richard-and/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [You could put Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley on one side of the stage, and James Brown on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-wyman/you-could-put-jerry-lee-lewis-little-richard-chuck-berry-and-bo/) [Bill Wyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-wyman/) > [Isn't my music the last of the real rhythm and blues? Isn't it great? It's because of my musicians, we were weaned on Muddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/isn-t-my-music-the-last-of-the-real-rhythm-and-blues-isn-t-it-great/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [Those are the things that are in me, even going farther back, to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. I dont consciously pull from them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-campbell/those-are-the-things-that-are-in-me-even-going-farther-back-to-chuck/) [Mike Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-campbell/) > [I remember hearing Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Big Bill Broonzy, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley and not really knowing anything about the geography…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-remember-hearing-sonny-terry-and-brownie-mcghee-big-bill-broonzy/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I said if you want to be Keith Richards, you've got to listen to Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. Then I thought, "What did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-said-if-you-want-to-be-keith-richards-you-ve-got-to-listen-to-bo/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [One summer I remember, I got exposed to Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly and Buddy Holly was a very very big, made a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/one-summer-i-remember-i-got-exposed-to-chuck-berry-and-buddy-holly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I mean, I haven't been completely lacking in some enjoyment of Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly. But I just didn't pay attention to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/i-mean-i-haven-t-been-completely-lacking-in-some-enjoyment-of-chuck/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [Listen- my relationship with radio on a personal level is nothing but a one way love-a-thon... I love radio, I grew up on radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-finkelstein/listen-my-relationship-with-radio-on-a-personal-level-is-nothing-but/) [Bernie Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-finkelstein/) > [I plug into a lot of old rock & roll. Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis - I love all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/i-plug-into-a-lot-of-old-rock-roll-chuck-berry-buddy-holly-little/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [After Chuck Berry died, it seemed web sites popped up like mushrooms to show where he'd taken the guitar introduction to 'Johnny B. Goode'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/after-chuck-berry-died-it-seemed-web-sites-popped-up-like-mushrooms/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [There's so much around, you don't know what to listen to. All I've got at home is Bo Diddley, some Stones and Beatles stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-barrett/there-s-so-much-around-you-don-t-know-what-to-listen-to-all-i-ve-got/) [Syd Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-barrett/) > [How can you rank BYU No. 1? Who'd they play - Bo Diddley Tech?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-gumbel/how-can-you-rank-byu-no-1-who-d-they-play-bo-diddley-tech/) [Bryant Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-gumbel/) > [Little Walter and Muddy Waters were incredible. And Bo Diddley was doing some great stuff, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/columbus-short/little-walter-and-muddy-waters-were-incredible-and-bo-diddley-was/) [Columbus Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/columbus-short/) ## More by Greil Marcus > [As I write, Johnny Rotten's first moments in "Anarchy in the U.K." - a rolling earthquake of a laugh, a buried shout, then hoary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/as-i-write-johnny-rotten-s-first-moments-in-anarchy-in-the-u-k-a/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [Elvis' early music has drama because as he sang he was escaping limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/elvis-early-music-has-drama-because-as-he-sang-he-was-escaping-limits/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [You're going to react to a painting in a way that the painting demands you react.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/you-re-going-to-react-to-a-painting-in-a-way-that-the-painting/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [No failure in America, whether of love or money, is ever simple; it is always a kind of betrayal, of a mass of shadowy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/no-failure-in-america-whether-of-love-or-money-is-ever-simple-it-is/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [ “\[Listening to a song\] one could experience a freedom from one's physical body, and from one's social body - the mask you wore to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/listening-to-a-song-one-could-experience-a-freedom-from-one-s/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [Records that were the sound of somebody - more often than not, a she - speaking with a voice that had never been heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/records-that-were-the-sound-of-somebody-more-often-than-not-a-she/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [I never could understand - it was impossible for me to get my head around - what the furor was, what the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/i-never-could-understand-it-was-impossible-for-me-to-get-my-head/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [There is no pop category, let alone any infinitely gene-sliced genre name, to contain the lead in Rihanna's voice in 'Needed Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/there-is-no-pop-category-let-alone-any-infinitely-gene-sliced-genre/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [I'm a fan of Oliver Stone. I like his movies, I like his excess, and I think he has a great capacity for empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/i-m-a-fan-of-oliver-stone-i-like-his-movies-i-like-his-excess-and-i/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [Bob Dylan continues to release odd and unsettling records, and to do odd and unsettling things on stage. So the term 'still' seems meaningless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/bob-dylan-continues-to-release-odd-and-unsettling-records-and-to-do/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [When you're writing criticism or thinking critically, to draw a very limited minor conclusion from solid evidence is really not thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/when-you-re-writing-criticism-or-thinking-critically-to-draw-a-very/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [My ideal reader is somebody who trips over a copy of my book on the sidewalk; then they pick it up and read as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/my-ideal-reader-is-somebody-who-trips-over-a-copy-of-my-book-on-the/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [I don't know that there's a division between American and British, European, South American, Asian sensibilities when it comes to rock n' roll or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/i-don-t-know-that-there-s-a-division-between-american-and-british/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [We fight our way through the massed and leveled collective safe taste of the Top 40, just looking for a little something we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/we-fight-our-way-through-the-massed-and-leveled-collective-safe-taste/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [“Banishing the love song, people discovered what else there was to sing about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/banishing-the-love-song-people-discovered-what-else-there-was-to-sing/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) [Explore all 65 Greil Marcus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) ## More Big guy quotes > [Big guys like you and me aren't allowed to whine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/big-guys-like-you-and-me-aren-t-allowed-to-whine/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [Everyone says there's a lot of strength, a lot of big guys in defence, the Premier League is very fast and there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/everyone-says-there-s-a-lot-of-strength-a-lot-of-big-guys-in-defence/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [Detroit has a history of a lot of great rebounders and big guys that have been great defenders. So for me to pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/detroit-has-a-history-of-a-lot-of-great-rebounders-and-big-guys-that/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [I'm a big guy and I can't have any tiny tattoos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-long/i-m-a-big-guy-and-i-can-t-have-any-tiny-tattoos/) [Chris Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-long/) > [ They pick me \[to be tested for steroids\] every time. I don't know why. I don't know if it's because I'm a big guy,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ortiz/they-pick-me-to-be-tested-for-steroids-every-time-i-don-t-know-why-i/) [David Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ortiz/) > [“I suppose that now you'll want to sleep with me?Alas big guy I'm taken.' 'No. you're not,'Regin said. 'Am too,' Nix said. 'Mike Rowe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-suppose-that-now-you-ll-want-to-sleep-with-me-alas-big-guy-i-m/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [My first interaction with Gene was that after I auditioned I walked out of the room and then this big guy walks out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-lancie/my-first-interaction-with-gene-was-that-after-i-auditioned-i-walked/) [John de Lancie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-lancie/) > [“If the case isn't plea bargained, dismissed or placed on the inactive docket for an indefinite period of time, if by some perverse twist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-the-case-isn-t-plea-bargained-dismissed-or-placed-on-the-inactive/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [BMX is kind of a big guy sport, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-robinson/bmx-is-kind-of-a-big-guy-sport-you-know/) [Donny Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-robinson/) > [The general public may not have an understanding about me and what I do, how I feel about my children, how I feel about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/the-general-public-may-not-have-an-understanding-about-me-and-what-i/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [All I'm really doing is talking about going on diets and... just about being a big guy. Why should that be any different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pinette/all-i-m-really-doing-is-talking-about-going-on-diets-and-just-about/) [John Pinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pinette/) > [Great passing and setting - I admire that more than the super big guys pounding the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/great-passing-and-setting-i-admire-that-more-than-the-super-big-guys/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [Based on paper, because of my size, a lot of promoters and hole-in-the-wall indies will book me against the local big guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cage/based-on-paper-because-of-my-size-a-lot-of-promoters-and-hole-in-the/) [Brian Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cage/) > [Teams desperately don't want me off the dribble in the lane. For me, if I can shoot well enough to have them close out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-nance-jr/teams-desperately-don-t-want-me-off-the-dribble-in-the-lane-for-me-if/) [Larry Nance, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-nance-jr/) > [It wouldn't be bad to have the Secret Service keeping an eye on my teenage daughter. I personally am not troubled by the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/it-wouldn-t-be-bad-to-have-the-secret-service-keeping-an-eye-on-my/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) [Browse all 284 Big guy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-guy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Bo Diddley. He came across as so ordinary, as such a nerd. You know, he was a big guy, and he carried a gun. He was anything but a nerd.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greil Marcus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/buddy-holly-had-something-very-different-from-the-other-great-early/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big guy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/buddy-holly-had-something-very-different-from-the-other-great-early/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/277/greil-marcus-10438_big-guy_buddy-holly-had-something-very-different_1316698.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck…” — Greil Marcus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Greil Marcus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Buddy Holly had something very different...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/buddy-holly-had-something-very-different-from-the-other-great-early/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/buddy-holly-had-something-very-different-from-the-other-great-early/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```