Some songs remain fixed in the public mind with one particular artist. Others take on a life of their own. One of the latter is I Fought the Law, written by Sonny Curtis who joined Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets in 1958 just before Holly’s death and took over as lead vocalist (as well as lead guitar) in the band after that sad event.
The Crickets version was an LP track and a B-side in 1960 but only became a hit when the Bobby Fuller Four released the song in 1965. The Clash also famously recorded I Fought the Law.
The Crickets: I Fought the Law
Bobby Fuller Four: I Fought the Law
Curtis also wrote Walk Right Back which was a UK No 1 for the Everly Brothers in 1961.
The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back
In addition he wrote the theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love Is All Around, (not to be confused with the similarly titled song written for The Troggs by Reg Presley in 1967 and turned into a humongous hit by Wet Wet Wet in 1994.) This theme will bring back memories for anyone around in the mid- to late 60s.
Mary Tyler Moore Show Theme (Love Is All Around):
Sonny Curtis: 9/5/1937 – September 19/9/2025. So it goes.
Don Everly, half of pioneering rock music duo the Everly Brothers, who had an undeniable impact and influence on musical acts who succeeded them, including The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel, died earlier this week. (I noted his brother Phil’s passing in 2014.)
Don was 81. (Astonishingly, the obituary in the printed edition of the Guardian said he was survived by his mother, who has therefore reached a very good age)
By the time I got to listening to music in the mid-60s the Everlys star had waned somewhat but their harmonies still had a distinctive edge.
This song, written by the brothers, was the Everlys last big hit in the UK.
The Everly Brothers: The Price of Love
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Isaac Donald (Don) Everly: February 1/2/1937 –21/8/2021. So it goes.
I’m spoiled for choice with this one. It was written in 1960 by Boudleaux Bryant and recorded by the Everly Brothers the next year but not as a single. It was an accidental hit for Roy Orbison in Australia when it became part of a double A-side but not a hit in the UK till Nazareth took it into the charts in 1975.
Dan McCafferty’s voice was perfect to bring out the song’s angst.
Many declarations have been made of the influence The Everly Brothers had on the development of popular music in the second half of the twentieth century. Their harmonies were certainly distinct. I was sad to hear of Phil’s death.
Also a bit of blow was the news about Eusébio; not only a great footballer who almost single-handedly and with what seemed like force of will brought Portugal through to the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup after being 3-0 down in the quarters, but also a gentleman.
The world feels a smaller place now.
The Everly Brothers: When Will I Be Loved (from 1959)
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira: 25/1/1942 – 5/1/2014. So it goes.
Phillip ‘Phil’ Everly: 9/1/1939-3/1/2014. So it goes.
For this was how they announced themselves to the world in 1968. As apparently fully paid up members of the flower power tendency – complete with (short) styled hair, kaftan type jackets and phasing. And not a three chord boogie in sight – or sound.
They might have had more success initially if the follow-up single hadn’t been almost a carbon copy of Matchstick Men and so cheerily titled, Black Veils Of Melancholy. However that might have led to them breaking up and disappearing.
Another hit did come with the still psychedelia tinged Ice In The Sun later the same year (and a minor one with the more ballad-like Are You Growing Tired Of My Love? a few months on.)
It wasn’t till they covered (fruitlessly) the Everly Brothers hit The Price Of Love that they hit on the style they become known and loved/reviled for. Down The Dustpipe (1970) continued to show their inclinations but it was Paper Plane (1971) and Caroline (1973) that cemented them.
