The Everly Brothers Songs Ranked

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 (born February 1, 1937) and Phillip “Phil” Jason Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014), the duo was raised in a musical family, first appearing on the 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 groom them for national attention. 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. 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”. Here are all of The Everly Brothers songs ranked.

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15. Lucille (A Date with the Everly Brothers, 1960)

“Just as good, rockin’ n’ rollin’ as the first time I heard it, too many years ago….missing Phil every day. A Date With The Everly Brothers is a fun and solid record with beautiful harmonies.”

14. Take a Message to Mary (A Date with the Everly Brothers, 1960)

“Take A Message To Mary” is a slightly uncharacteristically bleak jail-house ballad from the Everly Brothers. Sung from the condemned man’s prison, it’s a simple let-her-down-gently song with a light backing of finger-snaps, tambourine and a little piping organ.”

13. Devoted to You (The Everly Brothers’ Best, 1959)

“Solid early single. “Devoted to You” features Billboard-warm and clean harmonies–easy to apprehend and executed flawlessly–with the brothers confidently independent well in front of the mix. The melody, perhaps unsurprisingly, moves with a psalm’s cadence, softening the pressed-pant Sunday rigidity without abandoning it.”

12. (’til) I Kissed You (A Date with the Everly Brothers, 1960)

“The joy of youthful love is a specialty of the Everly Brothers. The first time you kissed a new girl or the first time whatever, the boys had a flair for. The years between thirteen and fifteen are full of firsts for teenagers and the Everly Brothers captured those emotions very well.”

See more: The Everly Brothers Albums Ranked

11. When Will I Be Loved (When Will I Be Loved, 1960)

“I almost see this single as brother Phil’s answer song to brother Don’s earlier hit for the duo, “Til’ I Kissed You”. Certainly it’s the other side of the coin, as the boys hold out for true love, unconvinced it will ever arrive. Again using those long held notes in the verses, propulsive guitars and supporting handclaps do most behind the vocals to catch the listener’s attention.”

10. Crying in the Rain (The Golden Hits Of The Everly Brothers, 1962)

“There’s a nice story about the writing of this song which is by Carole King and Howard Greenfield. For one day, both decided to enhance their Brill Building partners, King of course best known for writing with Gerry Goffin and Greenfield with either Jack Keller or Neil Sedaka.”

9. Walk Right Back (The Golden Hits Of The Everly Brothers, 1962)

” It’s catchy and sounds great, underscored by a wonderful, twangy guitar. The lyrics are admittedly fairly standard heartbreak fare (The first verse is repeated twice, even though a second was written), but the Everly Brothers know how to work with this kind of song and could make the phone book sound romantic, once again showing off their delicious harmonies. Great tune, lovely pop song.”

8. Bird Dog (The Everly Brothers’ Best, 1959)

“Bird Dog” may sound like a throwaway at first listening, but over time it grows on you. It showcases one of the Everly Brother’s many talents- the ability to speak in the vernacular of the 50s teen.

7. Love Hurts (A Date with the Everly Brothers, 1960)

“An incredible opening with the vaguely surfy “Made to Love” and an unbeatable closer with the classic “Cathy’s Clown.” What happens in between is consistently very good- the best songs are written by the Everlys themselves, while the Bryant originals are also very special (“Love Hurts” in particular). The bluesier covers are less compelling but done with love.”

6. Let It Be Me (Greatest Hits – Original Recordings, 1977)

“Yet another beautiful ballad written for the Everly Brothers by the bountiful Bryants. Haltingly but impeccably sung it’s almost hymn-like in its cadences, in fact it’s not hard to imagine it sung acapella. Much covered but never bettered.”

See more: The Velvet Underground Albums Ranked

5. Wake Up Little Susie (The Everly Brothers Show, 1970)

“If anything, the Everlys follow-up to their first smash “Bye Bye Love” was even better. Again written by the Bryants, “Wake Up Little Susie” contains another of their memorable guitar licks married to those great harmonies, but the song itself is more complex lyrically and melodically with its cute story about the innocent couple (or are they?) falling asleep on a date.”

4. Don’t Blame Me (The Golden Hits Of The Everly Brothers, 1962)

“The Everlys didn’t resist the temptation to update another 30’s ballad like their previous single, but this time gave their song choice a very different treatment. Here, they present a sentimental, countrified version of the number, their plaintive harmonies as noticeable as ever with some nice guitar picking over the intro. Almost whisper-quiet, it’s well up to their usual standard for maudlin balladry, but don’t blame me if I think it has just a little too much country corn for me to digest”

3. Bye Bye Love (The Everly Brothers, 1958)

“Ever wondered what Hank Williams would have sounded like had he been polished up and given 50s pop production? I’d say something like Bye, Bye Love by the Everly Brothers. Retaining a slight country twang and a country music preference for heartbreak to happiness, Bye, Bye Love is one of the great country pop songs of the late 1950s.”

2. Cathy’s Clown (A Date with the Everly Brothers, 1960)

“This is a pop song about humiliation and subordination. The speaker in the song is known by everyone as Cathy’s Clown. He almost dies of shame from how much everyone laughs at him, “I die each time, I hear the sound, here he comes, he’s Cathy’s Clown.” The speaker is extremely emotionally immature, which is why he allows his girlfriend to use and make a fool of him. He may declare, “Don’t want your love anymore“, but he is just trying to save face. Cathy has already had her fun at his expense by treating him with total disrespect and publicly humiliating him. A great piece of songcraft about a dysfunctional teen romance”

1. All I Have to Do Is Dream (All I Have to Do Is Dream, 1958)

“This is the first I heard from Everly Brothers and it made me fell in love with it and it’s one of my favorite and I really thank god for making me hear this song.Beatles and everly brothers are always my heroes and models but it’s so sad that most of the people hear that Justin Bieber Taylor swift come on guys listen to Everly your mind and heart will get peace and you will be on the right path”