Saturday, November 6, 2021

Everly Brothers - Cathy's Clown

What is - or isn't - Country Music?  This is a much discussed topic these days.  This discussion isn't new, dating back at least to the 1950s when the Everly Brothers exploded onto the airwaves.

Rock n' Roll was the hot new sound, and Country record sales were crashing.  Chet Atkins discovered the pair who were fresh out of Nashville High School, and gave them as their first record a new song that had been rejected by 30 other performers.  It was "Bye Bye Love" and went straight to #2 on the charts, only losing out to Elvis himself.

But is this Country Music?  Sure, there's the Chet Atkins connection, but it lacks the twang and slide guitar and banjo we associate with Country.  And yet the Everly Brothers are in the Country Music Hall Of Fame.  Rockabilly is at least a first cousin to Country music, I guess.

This song was wildly influential, inspiring no less than The Beatles ("Please Please Me").  Don Everly passed away in August.  His brother in 2014.


Cathy's Clown (Songwriter: Don Everly)

Don't want your love anymore
Don't want your kisses, that's for sure
I die each time
I hear this sound:
"Here he comes. That's Cathy's clown."

I've gotta stand tall
You know a man can't crawl
But when he knows you’re tellin’ lies
And he hears them passing’ by
He's not a man at all

Don't want your love anymore
Don't want your kisses, that's for sure
I die each time
I hear this sound:
"Here he comes. That's Cathy's clown."

When you see me shed a tear
And you know that it’s sincere
Don’t you think it’s kind of sad
That you’re treating me so bad
Or don’t you even care?

Don't want your love anymore
Don't want your kisses, that's for sure
I die each time
I hear this sound:
"Here he comes.
That's Cathy's clown
That's Cathy's clown
That's Cathy's clown."

4 comments:

Old NFO said...

Yep, rockabilly, but close enough. And they did well over the years!

taminator013 said...

One of my old faves....

emtgene said...

Heh. My first wife, who just happens to be a Cathy, is hinting at getting back together after a divorce 42 years ago. Lemmie think...........nope.

Mike V said...


They were produced by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who also wrote Rocky Top. Phil and Don have a park named in their honor in Knoxville, TN