(Mercury, LP & CD, 1986)
You probably know at least some of the songs of the Everly Brothers. If not, well, you are either a youngster (OK – relatively) or you’ve never listened to “golden oldies” much. When the Brothers hit the radio airwaves in 1957 with “Bye Bye Love” it marked the beginning of an extraordinarily popular and influential career. Their music was characterized by a melding of country, pop, & rock’n’roll, good song writing, and unforgettable, instantly recognizable vocal harmonies.
They went on to record a number of hit songs and strongly influenced many artists that followed them (including Simon & Garfunkel, with whom they toured, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles). I won’t attempt to list their numerous awards and achievements here, aside from mentioning a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. I would refer you to their Wikipedia article for a more thorough and interesting run-down.
In 1973, after many years and many hits, they broke up with a very public display of tempers. By the early 1980’s they were already becoming pretty much just a fond memory in the national consciousness, their songs fixtures on the oldies stations. Their few solo efforts were not highly successful, and eventually the lure of their past glory as a duo proved to be too great. Ten years after the breakup they persuaded themselves that it was time for a reunion and a reboot of their famous sound.
For that worthy purpose they enlisted the multi-talented Dave Edmunds as producer, along with some well-known side people. EB84 was released in – no surprise – 1984, to quite mixed reviews. Edmunds’ production brought the brothers ahead in time, but though that attempt at rejuvenating their career, their first release since 1973, was not bad, it disappoints. A few of its songs manage to struggle above mediocrity but the majority do not. Perhaps they might have been trying to produce what they thought was expected of them, and it just didn’t quite connect.
Their follow up, two years later, also with Edmunds producing, was this album, Born Yesterday, and this was an altogether different matter. Though they didn’t have quite the star-power in the supporting cast this time out, they nonetheless did manage to hit it out of the park and attain some frisson of their former glory. I will go so far as to suggest that in some ways they surpassed it. To me... well, it sounds like they decided to set aside expectations and do what they wanted to do. (Just my impression, mind you.)
Though there are a couple of turkeys on the album the majority of the eleven cuts are quite fine indeed. To mention just a few, “I Know Love” is a song that could almost have been lifted straight from their glory years, the difference being that the updated guitar work and production are decidedly better than in days of old. It showcases an up-tempo beat and ah – those great harmonies!
“These Shoes” is an easy-going number that I ignored the first couple of listens, but it grew on me – it’s subtle, but fine. The album’s title cut is an acceptable ballad, which I believe was the final single to ever chart for the brothers. “Arms of Mary” is a gently rockin’ song that plays the brothers’ heartfelt vocals against some very tasty guitar work.
Of the many fine cuts on this record I have two personal favorites; “Why Worry” is an absolutely gorgeous Mark Knopfler number that gently floats along on dual guitars and the Everly’s soaring vocals. (BTW, Knopfler stated that he originally wrote the song with the Everlys style in mind.) And “Always Drive a Cadillac” is a wonderful out-and-out rocker, an anthemic song sung by a guy whose heart breaks as he watches his high school sweetheart leave him behind for fame and fortune.
The Everlys went on to release only one more studio album, the forgettable (and largely forgotten) Some Hearts in 1988. Phil died in 2014 and Don in 2021, but their influence on pop/rock music lives on. Although I can’t claim to be familiar with every one of the Everlys’ albums, of the ones I have and have heard I have to rank Born Yesterday as the finest. Though it was not their best-selling, most successful record it certainly is excellent, and by all means should not be forgotten.
The only CD release in the Discogs listings for this title seems to be a German one – strange, that, though some sellers do seem to have it available. Though the Germans have been known to turn out some high quality CDs I suspect that the LP, which is available quite inexpensively, is most likely sonically superior and I recommend it highly.
Oh, and it is available streaming, if that happens to be your only recourse for listening...
-Dave Hortland
“Championing worthy albums from the past that should not be forgotten…"