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
Mercy
The Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like one of those bunnies out of a Playboy Club
But she got somethin' much greater than gold
Crazy bout that girl cause she got so much soul
I said she got the kind of lovin', kissin' and a-huggin'
Sure is mellow, glad that I'm her fellow and I know
That she knocks me off my feet
Cause she knocks me off my feet
There is no girl in the whole world
That can love me like you do
My baby when she walks by
All the fellows go mmmm, and I know why
Its simply cause that girl she looks so fine
And if she ever leaves me I would lose my mind
Everybody in the neighborhood
Will testify that my girl she looks so good
Shes so fine shed give eyesight to the blind
And if she ever leaves me I would lose my mind
Baby, yeah, you got that soulful feel, yeah, its all right
Mercy, mercy, mercy
In the song Mercy Mercy Mercy, The Everly Brothers sing about their love for a girl who may not look like a stereotypical Playboy bunny, but who possesses something much more valuable than physical beauty – an incredible amount of soul. The singer of the song is crazy about this girl, and he knows that there is no one else in the world who could love him the way she does. He describes the kind of love, kissing, and hugging that she offers as being so mellow and comforting, and he is glad to be her fellow. She knocks him off his feet, and he asks for mercy on himself because of the power she has over him. If she were to ever leave him, he would lose his mind.
The song's lyrics are a tribute to the beauty of a woman's soul, and how that beauty can be just as powerful and attractive as physical beauty. The singer is not swayed by the looks of girls who may look like they belong in a Playboy Club, but instead is completely taken by the girl who possesses a wealth of soul. This perspective is refreshing and inspiring, as it highlights the importance of true inner beauty as opposed to shallow physical attraction.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby she may not a-look
Like one of those bunnies out of a Playboy Club
Although my girlfriend may not have the stereotypical appearance of a model from a men's magazine, I still find her incredibly attractive and unique.
But she got somethin' much greater than gold
Crazy bout that girl cause she got so much soul
My girlfriend has an intangible quality that is worth more than any material possession, and I am deeply enamored by her because she has such an authentic and expressive character.
I said she got the kind of lovin', kissin' and a-huggin'
Sure is mellow, glad that I'm her fellow and I know
That she knocks me off my feet
Have mercy on me
Cause she knocks me off my feet
My girlfriend is incredibly affectionate and gentle, and I feel lucky to be the one who gets to share in her love. She has an overwhelming effect on me with her charm and grace, and I am hopelessly smitten with her.
There is no girl in the whole world
That can love me like you do
My girlfriend is the only person in the world who can love me the way she does, and I know that she is truly special and irreplaceable.
My baby when she walks by
All the fellows go mmmm, and I know why
Its simply cause that girl she looks so fine
And if she ever leaves me I would lose my mind
When my girlfriend walks by, other men can't help but take notice of her beauty, and I understand why. Her stunning appearance is only a small part of what makes her so precious to me, and if she were to ever leave me, it would be devastating.
Everybody in the neighborhood
Will testify that my girl she looks so good
Shes so fine shed give eyesight to the blind
And if she ever leaves me I would lose my mind
Everyone who sees my girlfriend agrees that she is incredibly attractive, and her beauty is so profound that it could even heal a blind person's vision. I love her so much that I would be absolutely crushed if she were to ever abandon me.
Baby, yeah, you got that soulful feel, yeah, its all right
Mercy, mercy, mercy
My girlfriend embodies a certain kind of depth and authenticity that is rare to find, and I am so happy to be with her. I feel truly blessed to have her in my life, and my love for her knows no bounds.
Lyrics © GOPAM ENTERPRISES INC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB BALDWIN, HOWARD HEWITT, KYLE BYNOE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind