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
The House Of The Rising Sun
The Everly Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They call the Risin' Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy.
And God, I know I'm one.
My mother was a tailor.
She sewed my new blue jeans.
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans.
Now, the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time that he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
Oh, Mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done.
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the house of the risin' sun.
Well, I've got one foot on the platform.
the other foot on the train.
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain.
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Risin' Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy.
And God, I know I'm one.
The Everly Brothers's song The House of the Rising Sun tells the story of a young man who grew up in a family of gamblers and tailors in New Orleans. He reflects on his own life choices that led him to the same path as his father - gambling and losing everything at the infamous Risin' Sun. He expresses his remorse and advises his mother to warn her children not to follow his footsteps, if they don't want to find themselves in the same misery he's in.
The lyrics of the song are bleak but captivating, as they showcase the dangers of gambling and a bleak lifestyle. The desperation in the singer's voice adds an emotional depth to the song that is hard to ignore. The lyrics also touch on the cyclical nature of poverty and vice, where children often follow in their parent's footsteps without much choice.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a house in New Orleans
The writer is talking about a specific house located in New Orleans.
They call the Risin' Sun
This house is known as the Rising Sun.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy.
This house has caused the downfall of many underprivileged males.
And God, I know I'm one.
The writer includes himself in the group of poor boys who have been ruined by this house.
My mother was a tailor.
The writer's mother had a profession in clothing design.
She sewed my new blue jeans.
She specifically created the writer's new pants.
My father was a gamblin' man
The writer's father was a person who bet money in games of chance.
Down in New Orleans.
This gambling occurred in the same city as the Rising Sun house.
Now, the only thing a gambler needs
The writer proceeds to describe what a gambler might want.
Is a suitcase and a trunk
These are the two things a gambler deems essential for their lifestyle.
And the only time that he's satisfied
The writer describes when a gambler might feel content.
Is when he's on a drunk
A gambler is fulfilled only when they have indulged in alcoholic beverages.
Oh, Mother, tell your children
The writer is now addressing a motherly figure and provides advice.
Not to do what I have done.
The writer is advising that the mother teaches her children to avoid making his same mistakes.
Spend your lives in sin and misery
The writer recommends that people do not waste their lives in immoral and unhappy ways.
In the house of the risin' sun.
Once again, the writer emphasizes that the Rising Sun house would lead someone to waste their life.
Well, I've got one foot on the platform.
The writer describes their physical situation.
the other foot on the train.
He is also in the midst of traveling somewhere.
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
The writer is returning to the place where his troubles began.
To wear that ball and chain.
The writer fears that he will soon be imprisoned.
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
The writer has returned to speaking about the Rising Sun house.
They call the Risin' Sun
The house has the same name as before.
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy.
The writer repeats that this house has caused the same issues as before.
And God, I know I'm one.
Once again, the writer feels that he is also someone who has been hurt by the Rising Sun house.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Price
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Les Reed
What a stupendous version! The Everlys could do anything - and leave their mark on it. A pure, class act - then and now.
stilllife2
This is my absolute favourite Everley Brothers songs, mostly because of the drums and the great band backing them. I used to play it just to hear the drums etc. bouncing all around the room on my old stereo system. Mesmorizing!!
Steven Lee
what about the B3?
Chiselnyc
An amazing period of great work with the Everlys that went unnoticed at the time. Lucky that YouTube came along, no?
Sooz
I've never heard this before either... I adore Phil and Don and this is such a fantastic rendition of one of my favorite songs.
Soundtrack of my youth 🎼🖤
Mike Moyle
I never heard this before. This version is darker and heavier than the animals.simply amazing.
Robert Haigh
R.I.P. Don Everly, arguably the greatest lead singer in the history of pop and rock music!
Woodland Poetry and Books
Never liked this song, but it sure showcases his voice. I had no idea he was THAT versatile. Great version.
Robert Haigh
I always thought that THE definitive version of this old song was the one by the Animals, and maybe it is, but Don Everly does a phenomenally good job here! I also love the Tim Hardin version on the album "THIS IS TIM HARDIN" - just Tim's voice and his electric guitar.
Bruce Ringrose
Tim Hardin did an excellent version, very true to the "feel" and soul of the lyrics and the original author. Much better than the Animals who were trying to cash in on rock and roll by creating an uptempo (6/8 time) version of a very powerful song.