The song is best known in a recording by The Everly Brothers, issued by Cadence Records as catalog number 1337. The Everly Brothers record reached No. 1 on the Billboard Pop chart and the Cash Box Best Selling Records chart, despite having been banned from Boston radio stations for lyrics that, at the time, were considered suggestive, according to a 1986 interview with Don Everly. "Wake Up Little Susie" also spent seven weeks atop the Billboard country chart and got to number two on the UK Singles Chart. The song was ranked at No. 318 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song is written from the point of view of a high school boy to his girlfriend, Susie. In the song, the two go out on a date to a cinema (perhaps a drive-in), only to fall asleep during the movie. They do not wake up until 4 o'clock in the morning, well after her 10 o'clock curfew. They then contemplate the reactions of her parents and their friends.
In an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show during the 2000 U.S. presidential election, then-Governor George W. Bush named "Wake Up Little Susie" as his favorite song.[5] "Wake Up Little Susie" was the first single filmmaker David Lynch bought.[6]
Wake Up Little Susie
Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
The lyrics to the Everly Brothers' song "Wake Up Little Susie" tell the story of two teenagers who have fallen asleep while watching a movie and are now in trouble because it's four o'clock in the morning, way past the curfew set by Susie's parents. They are worried about how they will explain their lateness to Susie's parents, their friends, and their community. The song captures the innocence and naivety of young love, as the couple grapples with the repercussions of their actions.
The song was released in 1957, at a time when teenagers were just starting to assert their independence from their parents and societal norms. The Everly Brothers' harmonious voices and catchy melody made "Wake Up Little Susie" an instant hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard pop chart.
Interestingly, the song was controversial when it was first released, with some people believing that it promoted immoral behavior among young people. The song was even banned in some places, including Boston and parts of the UK.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The singer is asking Susie to awaken from her sleep.
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The singer insists Susie to wake up from her sleep.
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
Both speakers have been asleep and the one speaking is asking Susie to wake up and weep due to the consequences of their actions.
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
The movie they were watching ended and it's already four o'clock, meaning they have been away from home for quite some time and are now in deep trouble.
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
The artist is asking Susie what they are going to tell her mother about why they have been away for so long.
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
The singer is asking Susie what they are going to tell her father about why they have been away for so long.
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
The singer is asking Susie what they are going to tell their friends when they ask questions about their situation.
I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
The artist reminds Susie that they promised her mother she would be home by ten o'clock.
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
The artist realizes that they messed up again and failed to keep their promise to Susie's mother.
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
The movie they watched was not interesting with a poorly structured storyline.
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
The singers fell asleep and their reputation is now ruined due to this embarrassing incident.
Wake up little Susie
The artist is insisting Susie to wake up from her sleep.
Wake up little Susie, well
The singer continues to insist Susie to wake up from her sleep.
Wake up little Susie
The singer is insisting Susie to wake up from her sleep.
Wake up little Susie
The singer is insisting Susie to wake up from her sleep.
Wake up little Susie
The artist is insisting Susie to wake up from her sleep.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOUDLEAUX BRYANT, FELICE BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alfninja3
LYRICS
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say â??ooh-la-laâ??
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
@RickyLouisWeide
Where did all the years go???? Seems to me I was 16 yesterday, can't believe it! Now I am 73 years old/young. Take your pick.
@Vicious_Clutch69
My grandma 👵 told me about this song.
@GreatRetro
If there ever gonna be a time when a person could live 1000 years then a 73 year old would be considered a kid! ^_^ So think about your age as your first hundred! ;)
@anitapilkerton1721
Me, too!
@pieterhuitink1970
@Angelo John Calise the World is dead!
We should be more Nice and Sweet again to eachother.
@djdigital3806
I'm 57 years young. I remember this song. I like it.
@jackspry9736
RIP Don Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021), aged 84
And
RIP Phil Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014), aged 74
You both will be remembered as legends.
@letmethink90
There's something terribly sad about older siblings living longer.. 💔
@TheBrooklynbodine
Yes, there is. The Gibb brothers are a prime example. the three oldest comprised the Bee Gees, and the youngest was solo act Andy Gibb, who was the first of the brothers to die. Barry Gibb, the first born is the only one living. Posting 2-1-24, which would've been Don Everly's 87th birthday.
@theodorebrooks7416
RIP, Don Everly. Yours was the greatest generation of music.