The Everlys’ creamy harmonies, while gorgeous, can’t really lend this slushball lovers’ plea much urgency – luckily the arrangement picks up some slack by turning the chorus into a stomp before the track drowns in wimpitude. Highly accomplished pop whose politeness seems typical of the time.
5
All the UK number ones since 1952, reviewed in order and rated by whim. As featured on Radio 2, The Times, Metro, Paul Cornell's LiveJournal, etc etc.
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Another double A-side here – so you ought to have reviewed ‘Ebony Eyes’ too.
Jimmy Savile said on his old record club it was his idea for this to be the A side.
Apparently Jerry Allison of the Crickets playedthem his half-finished tune and said he’d be back the next day with more. Too late! The boys loved it as was and cut it on the spot. Odd structure, then
, that goes:
First verse/chorus/repeat first verse/chorus/stop.
Alma Cogan’s Dreamboat does the same, but probably no other Popular entry.
Re 2: Ebony Eyes was certainly the A-side in the US so it could even be true. Andy ‘Wipeout’ Wickham, the Etonian surf nut who handled Andrew Loog Oldham’s press in the 60s, considered Ebony Eyes to be the ultimate pop single, and the subject matter the most beautiful girl in the world. But it’s always been a bit rich for me, one spoken verse too many.
I think its lucky that this wasn’t in the satchel, as whenever I hear it I think its only five revolutions away from just being a Chipmunks record!
The Honeycombs Have I The Right seems to owe its chorus at least partially to Walk Right Back.