Claudette by The Everly Brothers

Album: The Everly Brothers' Best (1958)

Charted: 1 30

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This song was written by Roy Orbison as a rocking tribute to his wife Claudette. It was the first major songwriting success for the then unknown Big O, who subsequently terminated his contract with Sun Records and affiliated himself with the Everly's publisher, Acuff-Rose Music.
The flip side of "All I Have to Do Is Dream," this was listed with the A-side though most of the record's chart action in the UK so it is recognized there as a #1 hit. Phil Everly said: "The idea was always to put the best up-tempo song and the best ballad back to back. When we were in Chicago, we asked Roy if he'd got a song for us. He gave us 'Claudette.'"
This was a number of hits for the Everlys about girls. Don and Phil charted with songs about Susie, Claudette, Mary, Jenny, Cathy, Lucille and Ebony.

Comments: 4

Johnny Intrieri from L.l., New YorkAlways loved this song! What a "B" side!! The guitar riffs still give me Goosebumps. Have the 45 RPM in one of my Jukeboxes. R.l.P. Don & Phil. A d of course Roy.
AnonymousMy mother named me by this song I love the name God rest her soul she loved the song
Kasey from Cheshire, EnglandClaudette Orbison was riding her own bike the day she died. She was not a passenger on her husband Roy's; he was on his motorcycle.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyA sad day, June 6th 1966. Claudette Orbison, age 25, was killed when a truck collided with the motorbike on which she was a passenger, her husband Roy was the bike's operator...
Exactly eight years earlier on June 6th, 1958 the Everly Brothers' "Claudette"* was at #80 on Billboard's Top 100 chart; eventually it would peak at #30 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks...
Roy Orbison, who composed the song, recorded it himself for his 1965 MGM Records album, 'There Is Only One Roy Orbison'...
* "Claudette’s” A-side was "All I Have to Do Is Dream", which peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on the Top 100 on May 4th, 1958.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Radio Free EuropeR.E.M.

Michael Stipe hadn't finished the lyrics when R.E.M. recorded "Radio Free Europe." He calls the vocal "complete babbling."

Cathy's ClownThe Everly Brothers

The first single to simultaneously top the UK and US charts was The Everly Brothers' "Cathy's Clown" in May 1960.

We were all party rocking in 2011 with the global smash "Party Rock Anthem," but rap fans know the "Everyday I'm shufflin'" line is a take on "Everyday I'm hustlin'" from the 2006 Rick Ross track "Hustlin'."

Afternoon DelightStarland Vocal Band

The Starland Vocal Band got the title "Afternoon Delight" from the late-afternoon appetizer menu at the restaurant Clyde's Of Georgetown in Washington, DC.

ZombieThe Cranberries

"Zombie" by The Cranberries is about an IRA bombing in England that killed two children.

ChangesDavid Bowie

The movie The Breakfast Club opens with a passage from David Bowie's "Changes" ("And these children that you spit on...")