Everly Brothers – Wake Up Little Susie
About the song
Welcome to our blog, where we explore the stories behind some of the most iconic songs in rock and roll history. Today, we are going to talk about “Wake Up Little Susie”, a hit song by the Everly Brothers that caused a lot of controversy when it was released in 1957.
The Everly Brothers were one of the most influential duos in the early days of rock and roll, blending country, pop and rockabilly styles with their distinctive harmonies. They had a string of hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, such as “Bye Bye Love”, “All I Have to Do Is Dream” and “Cathy’s Clown”.
“Wake Up Little Susie” was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, a husband-and-wife songwriting team who also wrote many of the Everly Brothers’ other hits. The song tells the story of a young couple who fall asleep at the drive-in movie theater and wake up at four in the morning, realizing that they have missed their curfew and will face the wrath of their parents.
The song was catchy and upbeat, but it also implied that the couple might have done more than just sleep during their date. This was considered scandalous at the time, and the song was banned by some radio stations for being too suggestive. However, this only increased the song’s popularity, as listeners were curious to hear what all the fuss was about. The song reached number one on both the Billboard pop and country charts, and became one of the Everly Brothers’ signature songs.
The song also inspired a number of cover versions by other artists, such as Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Linda Ronstadt and Green Day. The song has been featured in many movies and TV shows, such as American Graffiti, Happy Days, Back to the Future and Friends. The song is considered a classic example of rock and roll storytelling, with a catchy melody and a humorous twist.
