Remembering The Everly Brothers
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Hot on the heels of me learning about the death of
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts , I was asked on Twitter why I hadn't done anything following the passing of Don Everly.
"What?!"
I had to look it up. Don Everly, the surviving member of the Everly Brothers, passed away a few days ago. How did I miss that?!
**Isaac Donald "Don" Everly: born February 1, 1937; died August 21, 2021
Phillip "Phil" Everly: born January 19, 1939; died January 3, 2014**
Wow. This is something that sort of hit me out of nowhere. I haven't really thought about the Everly Brothers apart from the odd song here and there for a random column. It brought back to me a lot of my childhood. See, my father was a huge fan of The Everly Brothers. When he died, I inherited a huge pile of 45s, and more than 20 of them come from this duo. I grew up hearing the Everly Brothers. I knew the words to more songs by them than disco songs, which was the dominant music of my pre-teen years. They form as big a part of my musical upbringing as Del Shannon, Roy Orbison and The Beatles.
And now they're gone and the musical world feels a little emptier.
I know many of the artists I've eulogised here at Weekend Notes have been bigger and better known, but The Everly Brothers were there at the start, and their vocal harmonies influenced so many to follow. Would we have had Simon & Garfunkel without them? Hall & Oates? Even Crosby, Still & Nash?
The Beatles cited them as an influence. They were there at the start of rock'n'roll (though I think they preferred to be called country if any genre) and their DNA is interwoven into the music I grew up loving.
So, to remember them, here are songs by the duo that I love.
'Wake Up, Little Susie' (1957)
Possibly one of The Everly Brothers' best-known songs, about a couple falling asleep watching a movie and then having to go and face the music of breaking curfew. Are curfews still things? A fun song.
'Be-Bop-A-Lula' (1957)
A cover of the Gene Vincent classic, showing that despite them thinking of themselves as country, right from the early days they were rock'n'roll, in the original sense of the word. They do a pretty good version of the track as well, stripped down as it is.
'Bye Bye Love' (1957)
One of their better-known songs, this is one of the best examples of the way their voices complemented one another as they sang, giving an effect modern artists would use a bank of computers to replicate. Beautiful.
'Devoted To You' (1958)
This is the song I equate most with the Everly Brothers; I have a feeling it was one of my father's favourites as he played it a reasonable amount. A ballad, a declaration of love, the beautiful voices, the simple guitar playing – such a nice song.
'All I Have To Do Is Dream' (1958)
Another song that showcases their near-perfect harmonising, and one of the first songs of theirs I heard in a cover version. My father didn't own this one; it was on a cheap compilation CD I bought in the 80s, and was the reason I bought that CD – I had to hear the original.
'Bird Dog' (1958)
One of their more up-beat songs, about a guy who acts so nice, except when it comes to the singer's girl. Interesting premise that could still apply today. Just a wonderful song, really.
'Poor Jenny' (1959)
An upbeat song about the trials and tribulations of the titular Jenny, and how the singer keeps getting her in trouble. Almost a novelty song, but coming from The Everly Brothers, it certainly didn't have that sound.
'Till I Kissed You' (1959)
The film
That'll Be The Day (1973) featured four songs by The Everly Brothers on the soundtrack. Three of them my father already owned, but this one he didn't. So when he bought the album in the mid-1970s, he finally had this song and I really liked it from the word go, the way it bounces along and the harmonies (again).
'Take A Message To Mary' (1959)
This was the first Everly Brothers 45 I bought with my own money. I found it at a second-hand record store for (according to the hand-written price on the label) 10 cents. Bargain because this is a really strong song about, basically, the 1950s equivalent of breaking up by text. Seriously.
'Cathy's Clown' (1960)
I've mentioned
this song before , a sad tune about a guy who sees his ex with some-one else and is having trouble handling it. A simple premise, but that guitar works so well beneath their vocals and the simple drumming drives it along.
'Walk Right Back' (1960)
A simple song that just move along at its mid-tempo pace with that percussion-based chorus, this is a glorious song that is unjustly forgotten even by those who love their early stuff.
'Crying In The Rain' (1961)
A Carole King composition, this track shows how great their voices really were. There is little more to be said – such a beautiful song.
'Ebony Eyes' (1961)
While not in my
eyes column, it has appeared in
another column and it is a depressing track about a soldier waiting for his girl, but she doesn't make it. Even the spoken word section works here.
'On The Wings Of A Nightingale' (1984)
One of the songs recorded when they started to make their comeback, this showed their vocal harmonies were still there and as glorious as ever. The song, for what it's worth, was written by
Paul McCartney , and I got it on a CD collection that was out really cheap. Again, bargain. I have mentioned
in the past that this song inspired a story I had published in an anthology called
Fated, so it made quite the impression on me.
'A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste' (1986)
This song is written by
Jim Steinman (no, seriously), and I have this version on a compilation of Steinman tracks recorded by artists not named
Meat Loaf or
Bonnie Tyler . From the musical Steinman wrote with Andrew Lloyd Webber (
Whistle Down the Wind) they do a magnificent job of this track.
'Don't Worry Baby' with The Beach Boys (1987)
[CENTER]
This is the only video I could find, as part of a medley… but the whole medley is wonderful[/CENTER]
I have this song on a Beach Boys mammoth compilation set, which is odd because The Everly Brothers are the main singers; The Beach Boys are their backing singers, on a remake of one of their own classic tracks. The 1980s production is even toned down on the studio version to let the voices shine through. So good.
So, there we are, sixteen tracks celebrating one of the progenitors of rock'n'roll. There are less and less of these original rockers left, and we need to cherish them while we still have them. Celebrate them and let them know we appreciate what they've given us, what they've led to, and the way they have shaped the pop culture landscape.
RIP Don Everly. The best to his family. May the brothers be harmonising together wherever they are now.
via GIPHY
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83996 - 2023-06-11 06:48:25