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
Lightning Express
The Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had started out on its way
All of the passengers that gathered on board
Seemed to be happy and gay
But one little boy who sat by himself
Was reading a letter he had
You could plainly tell by the look on his face
That the contents of it made him sad
The stern old conductor then started his round
Collecting tickets from everyone there
And finally reaching the side of the boy
He gruffly demanded his fare
"I have no ticket" the boy then replied
"But I'll pay you back someday"
"Then I'll put you off at the next stop we make"
But he stopped when he heard the boy say
Please Mr. Conductor
Don't put me off of this train
The best friend I have in this world sir
Is waiting for me in pain
Expecting to die any moment sir
And may not live through the day
I wanna reach home and kiss mother goodbye
Before God takes her away
A girl sitting near was heard to exclaim
If you put him off, it's a shame"
Taking his hand, a collection she made
The boy's way was paid on the train
I'm obliged to you miss for your kindness to me
You're welcome," she said, never fear
Each time the conductor would pass through the car
The boy's words would ring in his ear
Please Mr. Conductor
Don't put me off of this train
The best friend I have in this world sir
Is waiting for me in pain
Expecting to die any moment sir
And may not live through the day
I wanna reach home and kiss mother goodbye
Before God takes her away
The Everly Brothers’ song, “Lightning Express” is a poignant tale of a boy travelling alone on a train, without a ticket or money, hoping to reach home to see his mother one last time before she passes away. The conductor, initially gruff and uncompromising, can’t help but be moved by the boy’s heartfelt plea to not be thrown off the train. The other passengers join forces to raise the fare, and boy is allowed to continue on his journey, hoping to make it home before it’s too late.
The lyrics of the song are simple yet powerful, and they evoke a sense of empathy and compassion in the listener. The theme of the song is universal and timeless- the desire to be with our loved ones, to say goodbye, and to be there for them in their last moments. The train, with its relentless and unforgiving rhythm, acts as a metaphor for the journey of life, reminding us that time is fleeting and that every moment counts.
The song stands out for its beautifully crafted melody, stunning harmonies, and emotional depth. It is a fine example of the Everly Brothers’ exceptional songwriting prowess and their ability to connect with their audience through their music.
Line by Line Meaning
The lightning express from the depot so grand
A train known as the lightning express started its journey from a grand depot.
Had started out on its way
The train had begun its journey.
All of the passengers that gathered on board
All the passengers who gathered on the train.
Seemed to be happy and gay
Everyone appeared to be happy and joyful.
But one little boy who sat by himself
However, one small boy sat alone.
Was reading a letter he had
He read a letter which he possessed.
You could plainly tell by the look on his face
From his facial expression, it was evident.
That the contents of it made him sad
That the contents of the letter were upsetting for him.
The stern old conductor then started his round
The strict conductor started checking tickets.
Collecting tickets from everyone there
He collected tickets from each person.
And finally reaching the side of the boy
Eventually, he arrived at the boy's area.
He gruffly demanded his fare
He rudely requested the boy's payment.
I have no ticket" the boy then replied
The boy admitted to not having a ticket.
"But I'll pay you back someday"
The boy assured the conductor that he would pay him later.
"Then I'll put you off at the next stop we make"
The conductor threatened to remove the boy at the next station.
But he stopped when he heard the boy say
However, he stopped after hearing what the boy had to say.
Please Mr. Conductor
The boy made a polite request to the conductor.
Don't put me off of this train
He begged not to be removed from the train.
The best friend I have in this world sir
His dearest friend in the world.
Is waiting for me in pain
Who was in agony and waiting for him.
Expecting to die any moment sir
Who may not survive for long.
And may not live through the day
And might not live until the day's end.
I wanna reach home and kiss mother goodbye
He wanted to reach home to bid farewell to his mother affectionately.
Before God takes her away
Before she passed away.
A girl sitting near was heard to exclaim
A girl who was sitting nearby exclaimed.
If you put him off, it's a shame"
She expressed that it would be shameful to eject him.
Taking his hand, a collection she made
She collected money on his behalf and held his hand.
The boy's way was paid on the train
His train fare was paid by the girl.
I'm obliged to you miss for your kindness to me
The boy was grateful to the girl for her kindness towards him.
You're welcome," she said, never fear
The girl replied with reassuring words.
Each time the conductor would pass through the car
Whenever the conductor moved through the coach.
The boy's words would ring in his ear
The boy's words kept echoing in the conductor's head.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BRADLEY KINCAID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ayshacoutinho2034
Lost my mom to covid 3 days back. I couldn't spend her final moments with her. Somehow i couldn't stop thinking of this song.
@oldermusiclover
God Bless lost mine in 2003 I can tell you, although you may not feel like it It will get better I promise
@Kyuzuz
❤
@bennyrobertson
Well, I'm going to try to sing this at a gig this Friday night, but I'm not sure. When I get to the part "I want to get home to kiss Mother good-bye", I remember trying to get home to see my Mother before she died 19 years ago. This is going to take some work.
Beautiful singing by the boys and, along with the rest of the album, a fine tribute to the great country singers that inspired them, especially the brother acts of the 30s and 40s like the Blue Sky Boys, the Monroe Brothers, and of course the great Louvin Brothers. I learned to sing harmony by listening to the Everlys.
@cathrinejoy1247
My grandma use to sing this to me all the time when I was little, and each time she sang she cried, back then I never did get why she cried, it was funny seeing her cry, but I still use to ask her to sing this song to me, and she lovingly did with tears in her eyes. Today I understand the pain and tears that were in her eyes.. She was an amazing human, I just wish i could just get one more hug and kiss from her.. As much as this songs makes me weep I just can't stop listening to it on repeat, recollecting memories.
@candyslagle6586
Cathrine Joy filt&lninkofalotcandylotcandyslagle
@eziheazubuike7221
I and my younger sister used to listening on repeat
@cityzen2717
I miss my grandma every day more than ever.
@dennisprice7244
This song can even reduce me to tears-and i'm 60 year old man!
@mrspastry53
My mom used to sing it to me, I would always ask her to sing those sad songs to me. I was the one that would cry. This was in the late 50's and early '60's. Miss my mom.