Learn the Best Everly Brothers Guitar Songs

From upbeat classics like “Bye Bye Love” and “Bird Dog” to emotional ballads like “Devoted To You” and “Ebony Eyes,” each lesson includes guitar chords, strumming tips, and a video demo to help you play these iconic tracks.

Whether you're a fan of vintage rock or classic country-pop, these Everly Brothers songs are perfect for your acoustic setlist.

All I Have To Do Is Dream was released by The Everly Brothers in 1958 as a single on Cadence Records, with “Claudette” on the B-side. Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the song became one of the duo’s defining recordings, reaching No. 1 on the pop, country, and R&B charts in the United States.

It was recorded in Nashville with Chet Atkins on guitar, adding to its smooth, dreamlike sound. The song later appeared on numerous Everly Brothers collections and became one of the most covered entries in their catalog, with versions by Roy Orbison, Richard Chamberlain, and Glen Campbell with Bobbie Gentry.

Bird Dog  was released in 1958 as a Cadence single and later appeared on The Best of The Everly Brothers.

Written by Boudleaux Bryant, the playful rock and roll tune showed the lighter side of Don and Phil Everly’s sound while still featuring their unmistakable close harmonies. Issued with “Devoted to You,” the song became another major hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart, No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 2 on the R&B chart.

Its catchy rhythm and humorous lyrics helped make it one of the duo’s most memorable late-1950s recordings.

Bye Bye Love was released in 1957 on Cadence Records and later included on the album The Everly Brothers.

Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the song became the duo’s breakthrough hit after reportedly being passed over by several other artists. Its blend of country, rockabilly, and early rock and roll helped define the Everly Brothers’ sound, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart and No. 1 on the country chart.

With its crisp acoustic rhythm, heartbreak theme, and tight sibling harmonies, “Bye Bye Love” launched Don and Phil Everly into stardom and became one of the key records of the early rock era.

Cathy's Clown was released in 1960 as The Everly Brothers’ first single for Warner Bros. Records and later appeared on A Date with The Everly Brothers. Written by Don Everly, the song became the biggest-selling single of their career and reached No. 1 in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Its unusual structure, opening directly with the chorus rather than a traditional verse, helped give the record a dramatic and unforgettable sound.

The song’s influence reached far beyond the early 1960s and was later added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

Claudette was released in 1958 as the B-side to “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” but it became an important song in its own right.

Written by Roy Orbison and named after his first wife, the track gave Orbison one of his first major songwriting successes before he became a star performer himself.

The Everly Brothers recorded it at RCA Studios in Nashville, and while “All I Have to Do Is Dream” became the bigger hit, “Claudette” reached No. 30 in the United States and was jointly listed at No. 1 in parts of the British charts.

Devoted To You was released in 1958 as part of the same Cadence single that featured “Bird Dog.”

Written by Boudleaux Bryant, the song showed the softer and more romantic side of The Everly Brothers, contrasting beautifully with the playful energy of its companion track.

Although issued as the flip side, it became a hit on its own, reaching No. 10 on the U.S. pop chart, No. 7 on the country chart, and No. 2 on the R&B chart. Its gentle melody and pure harmony style made it one of the duo’s most beloved ballads.

Ebony Eyes was released in 1961 on Warner Bros. as a single paired with “Walk Right Back.”

Written by John D. Loudermilk, the song told a dramatic story of love and loss involving a soldier, his fiancée, and a tragic airplane crash. Its serious subject placed it within the “teen tragedy” song trend of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The recording reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 as part of the single with “Walk Right Back,” while in the United Kingdom it became part of a No. 1 double A-side despite being initially banned by the BBC.

Like Strangers was released by The Everly Brothers in 1960 after first appearing on their album The Fabulous Style of The Everly Brothers.

Written by Boudleaux Bryant, the song presented a more mature and bittersweet side of the duo’s catalog, focusing on emotional distance rather than youthful romance. Issued as a single on Cadence Records, it reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the U.K.

Record Retailer chart. Twenty years later, country singer Gail Davies brought the song back to the charts with her own version, proving the strength of Bryant’s songwriting.

Wake Up Little Suzie was released in 1957 as a Cadence single and later included on The Everly Brothers.

Written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, the song became one of Don and Phil’s biggest early hits, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart and spending seven weeks at the top of the country chart.

Its story about two teenagers falling asleep during a movie caused controversy at the time, leading some radio stations to avoid playing it. Despite that reaction, the record became a classic and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Walk Right Back was released by The Everly Brothers in 1961 on Warner Bros., paired with “Ebony Eyes.”

Written by Sonny Curtis, a former member of Buddy Holly’s Crickets, the song became one of the duo’s strongest post-Cadence hits. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the U.K. Singles Chart, where British audiences continued to embrace the brothers’ harmony-driven sound.

Originally placed as the B-side, “Walk Right Back” was later promoted more strongly after its appeal became clear. Anne Murray also scored a major country hit with the song in 1978.

Why Worry was recorded by The Everly Brothers for their 1986 album Born Yesterday, produced by Dave Edmunds.

Written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, the song had first appeared on the Dire Straits album Brothers in Arms, but its gentle melody and close-harmony feel made it a natural fit for Don and Phil Everly.

Their version highlighted how well their voices still blended decades after their 1950s breakthrough. Although it was not one of their major chart singles, “Why Worry” became a meaningful late-career recording that connected the Everlys’ influence with a younger generation of songwriters who admired them.