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I agree there's some similarity between the two songs, and the guitar licks etc but I think it's just synchronicity..a lot of rock'n'roll songs back then sounded similar, in structure, guitar licks and styles etc

I doubt that George Tomsco (the lead player of the Fireballs) in faraway New Mexico, USA in 1958/59 had heard Move It, which I also doubt was released in the USA at that time(?)..and Cliff and The Shadows didn't tour the USA until 1960..

http://www.classicbands.com/FireballsInterview.html

Hi George,

Very interesting find. I believe Chuck Tharp wrote Long Long Ponytail and he'd worked with Norman Petty who was Buddy Holly's manager. The intro and guitar solo are very similar. I think Ian Samwell's lyrics are somewhat superior... Go Ponytail, I said Go Ponytail!.

Cheers,

Andrew

Move It (with High Class Baby on the flip) was released in the US by Capitol in 1959. It was the first of two Cliff singles released by the label before they lost interest. Cliff's third US single -- Living Doll -- then went out on ABC Paramount.

Variations of that intro guitar lick from that period (58-60)which appear on numbers from both the USA and UK include:

Rumble - Link Wray

Shazam- Duane Eddy

Move It- Cliff

Shakin' All Over- Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

Ponytail- Fireballs

I'm sure there may be others..