You can tell I'm on vacation this week--actually on time....
Unlike the last two weeks, I most certainly remember where I first heard this week's tune. It was from a wonderful cover version by James Taylor and Carly Simon (at the time, they were rock and roll's First Couple--alas, the marriage did not last). For whatever reason, it would be years before I heard the original (probably about the time the internet became widely available), but as with so many other songs, the original is the best....
It would be damn near impossible to understate The Everly Brothers contribution to rock and roll. From their plethora of wondrous singles to their unparalleled harmonies, from their groundbreaking guitar riffs to their influence on country rock, The Everly Brothers are truly one of the greatest music artists of all time (they were in the inaugural Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class in 1986). The brothers (Don and Phil for the three of you wondering) began performing in Iowa with their parents in the mid-forties before starting their career in earnest in 1956. They'd have their first hit the next year and had numerous more until both joined the Marines in 1961. Being out of the spotlight and drug problems reduced their success here in America, though they'd continue to have a few more hits in Canada and the U.K through the late sixties. Don and Phil had a falling out in 1973 and didn't perform together again until 1983. They'd perform until 2005 when another personality clash finished them for good. For their career, The Everly Brothers released twenty-one albums (with three reaching the top ten), two live albums, twenty-nine compilations, and seventy-five singles (with thirteen hitting the top ten, three of which went all the way to #1). Sadly, Phil passed away in 2014, and Don in 2021; even worse, the brothers did not reconcile before Phil's death.
Fun Fact: In addition to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the brothers were also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They also have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Life Achievement Grammy, were rated #33 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and were voted the greatest duo of all time in their list of the twenty greatest duos.
"Devoted to You" was released as the flip side to "Bird Dog" but eventually became a hit on its own, peaking at #10 (most assuredly with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100. It was later added to their compilation The Everly Brothers' Best, which near as I can tell, somehow didn't hit the charts.
I'm not sure Shakespeare himself could do justice to "Devoted to You"--the harmonies are exquisite, the music itself is sweeter than the nectar of the Gods, and the pledging of your one true love is an oath as old as the very first love poem. A lovely song, a lovely sentiment, and a lovely addition to the pantheon of songs here at Friday Night Jukebox.
Lyric Sheet: "I'll be yours through endless time/I'll adore your charms sublime/Guess by now you know that I'm/Devoted to you..."
Enjoy:
Bonus (Because I adore the cover noted above almost as much):
Republicans = Nazis
Peace,
emaycee
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