The Everly Brothers were an American country-influenced rock and roll duo, … Read Full Bio ↴The Everly Brothers were an American country-influenced rock and roll duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014), the duo was raised in a musical family, first appearing on radio singing along with their father Ike Everly and mother Margaret Everly as "The Everly Family" in the 1940s. When the brothers were still in high school, they gained the attention of prominent Nashville musicians like Chet Atkins, who began to promote them for national attention.

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

Living Too Close To The Ground
The Everly Brothers Lyrics

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Listen and hear each word
Stop or you'll miss the birds
They sing in the top of the trees
Sometimes when you look, you can't see
But up there you will know that its round
You're living too close to the ground

Come where the lights are grand

Leave now without a plan
You can get away if you choose
Confess it, you've nothing to lose
And I can show you where it?s found
You're living too close to the ground

Rush so you'll pass it by
Don't let it catch your eye
Don't stop you might look a fool
Standing with love in your eyes
Trying hard to believe what you've found
You're living too close to the ground

I once held her close to me
Listened and heard her breathe
Just like I have done all my life
Her heart was the image of mine

Ah, but my wings just couldn't be found
I was living too close to the ground

Overall Meaning

The Everly Brothers's song "Living Too Close To The Ground" is a reminder to listeners that there is more to life than what lies on the ground. The lyrics describe the experience of someone who is living their life without looking up, missing out on the beauty and blessings that surround them. The song encourages the listener to leave behind their current situation and take on new experiences that lead to a more fulfilling life.

Through the use of metaphors, the singer explores the themes of living in the moment, chasing your dreams, and following your heart. The chorus speaks to the idea of being living too close to the ground and missing out on the greater things life has to offer. By "living too close to the ground", the singer means that the listener is living a limited life, focused on small things and not seeing the bigger picture. The words "living too close to the ground" suggest a sense of staying sheltered, while the world expands on around you.

The song suggests that to truly live, one must not be afraid to take risks, to venture outside of their comfort zones, and follow their hearts. The lyrics also suggest that to achieve this, all it takes is the willingness to let go of regrets and take a leap of faith into the unknown.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen and hear each word
Pay attention and listen carefully

Stop or you'll miss the birds
Slow down and enjoy the beauty around you

They sing in the top of the trees
Nature has its own way of expressing itself

Sometimes when you look, you can't see
Things are not always what they seem

But up there you will know that its round
There is a larger perspective to things that we often miss

You're living too close to the ground
You are too focused on the small things and not seeing the big picture

Come where the lights are grand
Experience something new and exciting

Leave now without a plan
Be spontaneous and enjoy the journey

You can get away if you choose
You have the power to change your situation

Confess it, you've nothing to lose
Be honest with yourself and take risks

And I can show you where it's found
I can help you discover new experiences