Bird Dog (song)

"Bird Dog"
Single by the Everly Brothers
from the album The Best of The Everly Brothers
A-sideDevoted to You[1][2]
ReleasedJuly 28, 1958
RecordedJuly 10, 1958
GenrePop[3]
Length2:20
LabelCadence 1350
Songwriter(s)Boudleaux Bryant
The Everly Brothers singles chronology
"All I Have to Do Is Dream" / "Claudette"
(1958) 		"Bird Dog" / "Devoted to You"
(1958) 		"Problems" / "Love of My Life"
(1958)

"Bird Dog" is a song written by Boudleaux Bryant and recorded by the Everly Brothers.[4] It was released in 1958 and was a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Country Chart for six weeks.[5] The song also hit no. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (stalled behind Domenico Modugno's "Nel blu, dipinto di Blu (Volare)" and Tommy Edwards' "It's All in the Game"), as well as peaking at no. 2 for three weeks on the R&B charts.[6]

Background

The song deals with the singer's dismay that a boy, by the name of Johnny, is trying to take his girlfriend away. The singer calls him a bird dog as a result of his behavior.

The musical structure is relatively unusual in that it has a 12 bar blues stanza and an 8 bar blues chorus.

Personnel

Charts

Cover versions

  • In 1958, Morris And Mitch recorded a version in which was released in the UK.
  • In 1966, The Newbeats released a version of the song as a single.[11]
  • In 1975, English Glam rock band Mud recorded a cover of the song on their album Use Your Imagination which reached no. 33 on the UK charts.
  • In 1978, the Bellamy Brothers, recorded a cover of the song which reached no. 86 on the Hot Country Singles chart.

References

  1. ^ "US single artwork". 45cat.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  2. ^ "US single artwork". discogs.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  3. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 482. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  4. ^ The Everly Brothers interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 117.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 194.
  7. ^ "Session Legend Floyd "Lightnin'" Chance Dies at Age 79". Cmt.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "Artist Chart History Details: Everly Brothers". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  9. ^ McAleer, Dave. "Every No.1 in the 1960s is listed from all the nine different magazine charts!". Dave McAleer's website. Archived from the original on October 12, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  10. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  11. ^ The Newbeats, "Bird Dog" single release Retrieved April 25, 2015