Introduction
What if I told you that a single performance could rewrite history? That one woman—armed with nothing more than a powerhouse voice, an untamed spirit, and a song first made famous by Buddy Holly—could ignite a fire that made even hardened rock fans question everything they thought they knew?
That night belonged to Linda Ronstadt. When she stepped on stage and unleashed her live rendition of “That’ll Be The Day,” the air didn’t just tremble—it exploded. This wasn’t nostalgia. This wasn’t a tribute. It was a musical earthquake. Linda didn’t just sing the words; she owned them, bending the rebellious heartbeat of 1950s rock into something raw, urgent, and undeniably hers.
The crowd wasn’t ready. They expected beauty; they got danger. They expected a sweet revival; they got a storm. With every note, Ronstadt broke through barriers that had kept women on the sidelines of rock ’n’ roll. She wasn’t following in Buddy Holly’s shadow—she was blazing her own trail, proving once and for all that the genre’s crown didn’t belong to just the men who started it.
Shockingly, even seasoned critics who had witnessed the rise of Presley, Jagger, and Joplin admitted something rare: in that moment, Linda Ronstadt was the most powerful voice in rock. Some called it reckless, some called it revolutionary—but no one could deny its impact.
Half a century later, that live performance of “That’ll Be The Day” still echoes as one of rock’s most daring moments. It wasn’t just a cover. It wasn’t just a concert. It was the night Linda Ronstadt proved that rock’s throne could belong to her.
Video
Lyrics
Well 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 that I dieWell 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 that I dieWell you gave me all your loving
And your turtle doving
All your hugs and kisses
And your money too
You know you love me baby
Still you tell me baby
That someday when I’ll be trueWell 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 me
You know it’s a lie
Cause that’ll be the day that I dieWhen Cupid shot his dart
He shot it at your heart
So if we ever part then I’ll be blue
You kiss and hold me
And you tell me boldy
Well that someday that I’ll be trueWell 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 me
You know it’s a lie
Cause that’ll be the day that I dieAh that’ll be the day wooh-ooh-ooh
That’ll be the day woo-ooh-ooh
That’ll be the day woo-ooh-ooh
That’ll be the day when I die
