5 Everly Brothers Covers That Show the Duo's Eerie, Enduring Influence | Pitchfork

About the Song

The Everly Brothers were one of the most influential and popular rock and roll duos of all time. Their close harmonies and infectious energy helped to define the sound of early rock and roll, and their songs have been covered by countless artists.

“This Little Girl of Mine” is one of The Everly Brothers’ most beloved songs. It was written by Ray Charles and released in 1958. The song is a sweet and tender ballad about a young man’s love for his girlfriend. The Everly Brothers’ harmonies are simply beautiful, and their vocals are full of emotion.

The song was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has also been covered by many other artists, including Roy Orbison, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys.

“This Little Girl of Mine” is a classic example of the Everly Brothers’ sound. It is a beautiful and timeless song that will continue to be enjoyed by music lovers for generations to come.

Here are some interesting facts about the song:

  • The song was originally written by Ray Charles for his daughter, Ray Charles Jr.
  • The Everly Brothers’ version of the song was produced by Archie Bleyer.
  • The song was featured in the 1964 film “The Beatles Come to America”.
  • The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Everly Brothers: Rolling Stone Interview

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Lyrics: This Little Girl Of Mine

This little girl of mine,
I want you people to know
This little girl of mine,
I take her everywhere I goOne day I looked at my suit, my suit was new
I looked at my shoes and they were too
And that’s why, why, why, why I oh yeah,
Love that little girl of mineThis little girl of mine,
Makes me happy when I’m sad
This little girl of mine,
Love’s me even when I’m badShe knows how to love me right down to her teeth
If she does any wrong, you know she keeps it from me
And that’s why, why, why, why I, oh yeah,
Love that little girl of mineAnd that’s why, why, why, why I, oh yeah,
Love that little girl of mine

This little girl of mine,
Called me last night about eight
This little girl of mine,
Told me that we had a date

She said that she’d meet me at a-quarter to nine,
Believe or not but she was right on time
And that’s why, why, why, why I, oh yeah,
Love that little girl of mine

This little girl of mine,
Knows how to dress so neat
This little girl of mine,
Stops the traffic on the street

And when a fella starts a-whistlin’, I don’t mind
I can’t blame him, ’cause she is fine
And that’s why, why, why, why I, oh yeah,
Love that little girl of mine

You Missed

“He Died the Way He Lived — On His Own Terms.” That phrase haunted the night air when news broke: on April 6, 2016, Merle Haggard left this world in a final act worthy of a ballad. Some say he whispered to his family, “Today’s the day,” and he wasn’t wrong — he passed away on his 79th birthday, at home in Palo Cedro, California, after a long battle with pneumonia. Born in a converted boxcar in Oildale, raised in dust storms and hardship, Merle’s life read like a country novel: father gone when he was nine, teenage years tangled with run-ins with the law, and eventual confinement in San Quentin after a botched burglary. It was in that prison that he heard Johnny Cash perform — and something inside him snapped into motion: a vow not to die as a mistake, but to rise as a voice for the voiceless. By the time he walked free in 1960, the man who once roamed barrooms and cellblocks had begun weaving songs from scars: “Mama Tried,” “Branded Man,” “Okie from Muskogee” — each line steeped in the grit of a life lived hard and honest. His music didn’t just entertain — it became country’s raw pulse, a beacon for those who felt unheralded, unseen. Friends remembered him as grizzly and tender in the same breath. Willie Nelson once said, “He was my brother, my friend. I will miss him.” Tanya Tucker recalled sharing bologna sandwiches by the river — simple moments, but when God called him home, those snapshots shook the soul: how do you say goodbye to someone whose voice felt like memory itself? And so here lies the mystery: he died on his birthday. Was it fate, prophecy, or a gesture too perfect to dismiss? His son Ben once disclosed that a week earlier, Merle had told them he would go that day — as though he charted his own final chord. This is where the story begins, not ends. Because legends don’t vanish — they echo. And every time someone hums “Sing Me Back Home,” Merle Haggard lives again.