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
Shady Grove
The Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beyond those painted faces
There's a road that leads to cool green fields
And girls who're dressed in laces
Everyone has a front porch swing
Every house a parlor
When the float is dry, watch me thirst
Shady grove, my little miss
Shady grove, my darlin'
Shady grove, my little miss
Come with me to Harlan
Just sittin' here in the mornin' sun
Looks like glittering fire
She's long, she's lean, she won't run
She fills me with desire
Kentucky, I could go back in
From a bed of yellow daisies
The sun is warm, her kiss is hot
She's known to drive me crazy
Shady grove, my little miss
Shady grove, my darlin'
Shady grove, my little miss
Come with me to Harlan
Shady grove, my little miss
Shady grove, my darlin'
Shady grove, my little miss
Come with me to Harlan
Shady grove, my little miss
Shady grove, my darlin'
Shady grove, my little miss
Come with me to Harlan
The Everly Brothers' song Shady Grove is a song of longing for a simpler life outside of the city. The lyrics talk about a road that leads to green fields where girls dress in laces and houses have front porch swings and parlors. The singer is thirsty for more than just spring water and wants to explore the world beyond the painted faces of the city. The title itself refers to a place where the singer wishes to go, and invites his "little miss" to join him on this journey to Harlan.
The lyrics are full of pastoral imagery, talking about the sun shining on yellow daisies and how it fills the singer with desire. He longs to go back to Kentucky, a place where he could find peace and joy with the woman he loves. The song is about escaping the hustle and bustle of city life and finding happiness in a simpler place with simpler people.
The song has been interpreted in many different ways, with some seeing it as a metaphor for the search for peace and tranquility in a world that is constantly in chaos. Others see it as a love song, a tribute to the power of love to conquer all obstacles. In any case, the Everly Brothers deliver the lyrics with a beautiful harmony that brings the song to life.
Line by Line Meaning
Beyond this maze of city streets
There's more to life than just the hustle and bustle of city living
Beyond those painted faces
People may put up a façade, but there's something more real beneath the surface
There's a road that leads to cool green fields
There's a path to a more peaceful, natural way of life
And girls who're dressed in laces
There are women who appreciate simple, classic fashion and lifestyle choices
Everyone has a front porch swing
There's a sense of community and shared experience in this kind of world
Every house a parlor
People are welcoming and hospitable in this place where everyone knows each other
When the float is dry, watch me thirst
In this more natural setting, one can appreciate the value of even the most basic resources
There's more than just spring water
The little things in life can actually mean a lot in the grand scheme of things
Shady grove, my little miss
The artist has an affectionate nickname for their lover
Come with me to Harlan
The artist wants their lover to accompany them to a specific place, likely where they grew up or have fond memories of
Just sittin' here in the mornin' sun
The singer is relaxed and content, taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life
Looks like glittering fire
The sun is reflecting off something in an almost magical, beautiful way
She's long, she's lean, she won't run
The singer admires their lover's physical appearance and personality traits
She fills me with desire
The singer has passionate feelings for their lover
Kentucky, I could go back in
The singer has fond memories of a specific place and time in their life
From a bed of yellow daisies
The artist is picturing a beautiful, serene natural scene
The sun is warm, her kiss is hot
The artist associates warmth and passion with this place and their lover
She's known to drive me crazy
The singer's lover has a strong effect on their emotions
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Don Everly, Phil Everly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind