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That’ll be the day - when you say goodbye
that’ll be the day - when you make me cry
you say you’re gonna leave - you know it’s a lie cause
that’ll be the day when I die
Well, you give me all your loving and your turtle-dovin’
all your hugs and kisses and your money too, we-hella
you know you love me baby - until you tell me maybe
that someday well, I’ll be through
When Cupid shot his dart - he shot it at your heart
so if we ever part and I leave you
you sit and hold me and you tell me boldly
that someday well, I’ll be blue
That’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day
that’ll be the day - when you make me cry
you say you’re gonna leave - you know it’s a lie cause
that’ll be the day when I die
Well, you give me all your loving and your turtle-dovin’
all your hugs and kisses and your money too, we-hella
you know you love me baby - until you tell me maybe
that someday well, I’ll be through
When Cupid shot his dart - he shot it at your heart
so if we ever part and I leave you
you sit and hold me and you tell me boldly
that someday well, I’ll be blue
That’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day - woo hoo
that’ll be the day
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Track duration: 02:17
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"That'll be the day", in the days of the Hawks Code, was an aphorism for 'fuck no, not going to happen'. The phrase originated in Old Western films, and is used here as it always was: a way to indicate defiance, even in an atmosphere where defiance might not have been acceptable.
"that'll be the day - when you make me cry" He doesn't believe that she can make him cry.
She's probably threatening that she's going to leave him and that he's going to be upset. His response is like: oh yeah right, you're never going to leave me, and if you did leave your leaving wouldn't hurt me that much.
"you say you're gonna leave - you know it's a lie cause
that'll be the day when I die"
She says that she's going to leave, but she knows that she's lying because she's not going to leave him until the day that he dies.
I could be wrong. I know some people think the song is saying that he really would cry if she left, and that her leaving would kill him inside (he would die), and that that's the reason why she wouldn't leave because she knows how much it would hurt him. Feel free to tell me your take on the song and which interpretation seems more likely to be correct in your opinion.
I understand that the main meaning is that he thinks that she's leaving him is very unlikely :), but I have doubts about "that'll be the day when I die" line. Does it change the meaning for the opposite? That he actually doesn't want her to leave him? Or not? Or it's just the other way to say the same thing?
Could anybody explain this to me?
Thank you!
In my opinion, the line "that'll be the day when I die" doesn't change the meaning to the opposite. I believe he's saying that the day she'll leave him will be the day that he dies - meaning that as long as he's alive she won't leave him. She'll leave him after he dies but not until he dies.
I'm not very good at explaining things, so I hope that I didn't confuse you even more.
It's sick how so many kids listen to Hannah Montana and all those disney brats instead of classic songs like this. I had this little tape that had about 10 hits from the fifties (buddy holly, del shannen, bill haley, elvis etc.) on it, it was my favourite, my papa and I used to twist to it haha :D Kids need to be educated in real music haha!
Also, it's pretty sick how hardly any people have commented on Buddy's songs :(
Man, if I could go back in time and be 18 and stay 18 through out the 50's to 80's, It would be the best thing in the world.
Screw this new commercial junk and rap crap, its 50's to mid 90's music for me!! Think what the state of music will be like in 20+ years..... it's frightening, and the sad part about it is many teens and young adults in the future will forget what TRUE talent is-Everyone from Holly to Michael Jackson, From Morrison, Paige to Prince and etc. ACDC, Floyd, and more. Hopefully parents and future parents will encourage their kids to listen to actual music or the world is gonna be a sad sad place. That's my honest opinon.
Anyways, I'm going to have to say that I actually enjoy her version a lot better. Something about a girl singing it that adds more meaning to it. I'm not old fashion or anything. But, really, I'd assume during the days that this song was actually written, women needed a man much more than the other way around. If the man actually did leave, there would be more chance of her dying than the other way around. She needed the financial support of a man. While I in no way concone this opinion and see it as very old fashioned, I do think it is more fitting to be sung by a woman (even when Linda Rontadt sung it in the early 70s).