About The Song
“Bye Bye Love” was written by the husband-and-wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1957. The Everly Brothers, Don and Phil Everly, recorded the song in March 1957 at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Archie Bleyer for Cadence Records. It was released as their debut single in April 1957, with “I Wonder If I Care as Much” as the B-side, and included on their self-titled album, The Everly Brothers, released in May 1957. The track, running 2:20, blends rockabilly, country, and early rock and roll, featuring the duo’s signature close-harmony vocals and upbeat acoustic guitar riffs.
The single entered the Billboard Top Pop Singles (Hot 100 equivalent) at number 73 on May 27, 1957, and peaked at number 2 on July 8, 1957, blocked from number 1 by Elvis Presley’s “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear.” It spent 22 weeks on the chart. It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores (country) chart for seven weeks and number 5 on the R&B chart, showcasing its crossover appeal. Internationally, it hit number 6 in the UK, number 3 in Canada, and number 8 in Australia. The song sold over one million copies, earning a gold record certification. Cash Box praised its “infectious rhythm” and “polished harmonies,” noting its instant popularity.
Background details include the Bryants’ struggle to get the song recorded; over 30 artists, including Johnny Mathis, rejected it before the Everlys accepted it. The brothers, aged 20 and 18, were new to Nashville’s music scene, having moved from Kentucky. Their recording, backed by session musicians like Chet Atkins on guitar, was completed in just a few takes, emphasizing their natural vocal blend. The song’s upbeat tempo belied its lyrics about heartbreak, inspired by Boudleaux Bryant’s reflections on lost love. Covers followed, including versions by Webb Pierce (1957), Simon & Garfunkel (1970), and Ray Charles (1962). The Everlys performed it on The Ed Sullivan Show in June 1957, boosting its visibility.
Expert commentary includes AllMusic’s Richie Unterberger, who called it a “landmark in rock and roll” for its fusion of country and pop. Songfacts noted its role in establishing the Everlys’ career, with the Bryants becoming their primary songwriters. Rolling Stone ranked it number 210 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, citing its influence on harmony-driven rock. No major controversies surrounded the song, though its R&B chart success sparked minor debate about genre boundaries in the 1950s. Its use in films like All I Wanna Do (1998) and Walk the Line (2005) underscores its enduring legacy.
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Lyric
Bye bye love
Bye bye happiness
Hello loneliness
I think I’m-a gonna cry
Bye bye love
Bye bye sweet caress
Hello emptiness
I feel like I could die
Bye bye my love goodbyeThere goes my baby with someone new
She sure looks happy, I sure am blue
She was my baby till he stepped in
Goodbye to romance that might have beenBye bye love
Bye bye happiness
Hello loneliness
I think I’m-a gonna cry
Bye bye love
Bye bye sweet caress
Hello emptiness
I feel like I could die
Bye bye my love goodbyeI’m through with romance, I’m through with love
I’m through with counting the stars above
And here’s the reason that I’m so free
My lovin’ baby is through with meBye bye love
Bye bye happiness
Hello loneliness
I think I’m-a gonna cry
Bye bye love
Bye bye sweet caress
Hello emptiness
I feel like I could die
Bye bye my love goodbye