Product DescriptionIn 1983, there was a great deal of buzz surrounding the Everly Brothers, who had not appeared together since their rather public breakup a decade earlier. A rapturously received reunion concert at London's Royal Albert Hall set them on a path that would intersect with Mercury Records for three albums. On those three studio albums, the seminal twosome managed to update their trademark sound, while maintaining the qualities that had originally made them one of early rock 'n roll's most popular and influential acts.
On The Wings Of A Nightingale: The Complete Mercury Studio Recordings (1984 - 1988) captures all of the magic of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers during their reunion honeymoon.
Starting with EB 84, produced by longtime fan Dave Edmunds-who had, in Rockpile, covered several Everly tunes-the Mercury era records brought Don and Phil's sound up to date while keeping the focus on their still-stirring voices. Paul McCartney-who had long acknowledged the Everlys' formative influence on the Beatles' sound contributed the buoyant "On The Wings Of A Nightingale," kicks off EB 84 on an inspired note, and it became the Everly Brothers' first Billboard chart single since 1967.
On 1986's Born Yesterday, again produced by Edmunds, the Everlys offer distinctive readings of such well-chosen cover tunes as "Arms Of Mary," originally by England's Sutherland Brothers, Bob Dylan's "Abandoned Love," Mark Knopfler's "Why Worry," and Sam Cooke's standard "You Send Me."
Don and Phil assumed the production reins for their third and final Mercury album, 1988's Some Hearts... Two classic sets of rock 'n' roll harmonists meet on a version of the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby," with the Beach Boys themselves guesting. The album sessions also produced an unreleased performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Jim Steinman composition "A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste." It finally sees the light of day on this collection.
