They began writing and recording their own music in 1956, and their first hit song came in 1957, with "Bye Bye Love", written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The song hit No. 1 in the spring of 1957, and additional hits would follow through 1958, many of them written by the Bryants, including "Wake Up Little Susie", "All I Have to Do Is Dream", and "Problems". In 1960, they signed with the major label Warner Bros. Records and recorded "Cathy's Clown", written by the brothers themselves, which was their biggest selling single. The brothers enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1961, and their output dropped off, though additional hit singles continued through 1962, with "That's Old Fashioned (That's the Way Love Should Be)" being their last top-10 hit.
Long-simmering disputes with Wesley Rose, the CEO of Acuff-Rose Music, which managed the group, a growing drug usage in the 1960s, as well as changing tastes in popular music, led to the group's decline in popularity in its native U.S., though the brothers continued to release hit singles in the U.K. and Canada, and had many highly successful tours throughout the 1960s. In the early 1970s, the brothers began releasing solo recordings, and in 1973 they officially broke up. Starting in 1983, the brothers got back together, and would continue to perform periodically until Phil's death in 2014. Don died seven years later.
The group was highly influential on the music of the generation that followed it. Many of the top acts of the 1960s were heavily influenced by the close-harmony singing and acoustic guitar playing of the Everly Brothers, including the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, and Simon & Garfunkel. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked the Everly Brothers No. 1 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class of 1986, and into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Don was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019, earning the organization's first Iconic Riff Award for his distinctive rhythm guitar intro to the Everlys' massive 1957 hit "Wake Up Little Susie".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Everly_Brothers
Breakdown
The Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's nobody nobody nobody knows on the street
The few stranded souls standin' cold at the station
And no where to go but to bed and to sleep
Lord, would you look at you now that you're here
Ain't you proud of your peers and the long way you've come
All alone all the way on your own
Boy, you've sure come a long way from home
So it's so long to so many souls far behind to you
Fair weathered friends that you no longer know
You still got the same lonely songs to remind you
A song one you sing to be so long ago
Lord, would you look at you now that you're here
Ain't you proud of your peers and the long way you've come
All alone all the way on your own
Who's to say that you've thrown it away for a song
Boy, you've sure come a long way from home
The Everly Brothers’ song “Breakdown” presents a poignant reflection on the loneliness and alienation that can come with success. The first verse sets the scene of a deserted and lonely city, with closed clubs and deserted streets. The singer then turns to the listener and reflects on their journey, recognizing that they have come a long way from where they started, but that they are now alone and isolated. The chorus reinforces this sense of loneliness, as the singer bids goodbye to fair-weather friends and reflects on the solitary nature of their art.
The use of the word “breakdown” in the title and throughout the song further emphasizes this theme of isolation and disconnection. The breakdown could refer to a literal breakdown of a vehicle or a relationship, or perhaps a metaphorical breakdown of the self. The line “Who’s to say that you’ve thrown it away for a song” suggests that the singer’s success may have come at a cost, perhaps in terms of personal relationships or a sense of purpose beyond their art.
Overall, “Breakdown” is a somber and introspective song that reflects on the highs and lows of a creative career, and the loneliness that can come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
The clubs are all closed and the ladies are leavin'
The night is over and everyone is leaving the club, leaving the streets empty.
There's nobody nobody nobody knows on the street
No one is familiar on the streets, they are deserted and lonely.
The few stranded souls standin' cold at the station
Some people are stranded and waiting for a way out, shivering in the cold.
And no where to go but to bed and to sleep
There is no other place to go other than to sleep at this point.
Lord, would you look at you now that you're here
Reflecting on how far you've come since you've arrived.
Ain't you proud of your peers and the long way you've come
Feeling proud of your accomplishments and how much you've grown.
All alone all the way on your own
Finding solace in being self-sufficient and independent.
Who's to say that you've thrown it away for a song
Questioning if people judge you for following your passion for music.
Boy, you've sure come a long way from home
Realizing how much you've traveled and experienced since leaving your hometown.
So it's so long to so many souls far behind to you
Saying goodbye to people who are distant memories and no longer relevant in your life.
Fair weathered friends that you no longer know
Friends who were only present when times were good but have since disappeared.
You still got the same lonely songs to remind you
Music remains a constant reminder of past emotions and experiences.
A song one you sing to be so long ago
Singing a song that takes you back to a distant memory.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind