About The Song
Lucille by The Everly Brothers came out in 1960 as a single on Warner Bros. Records, backed with their own “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad).” It reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and climbed to No. 4 on the UK charts, where the pairing spent several weeks in the Top 10. The song also appeared on their album A Date with the Everly Brothers, released that same year, which performed well and helped keep the duo’s momentum going after their move from Cadence Records.
The track was a cover of Little Richard’s 1957 hit, originally written by Little Richard and Albert Collins. The Everlys had already dipped into Little Richard’s catalog at their previous label with songs like “Rip It Up” and “Keep A Knockin’,” but this version felt different. Recorded in Nashville and arranged by Don Everly, it featured a striking production trick: several session guitarists played the famous opening riff in unison to create a thick, powerful wall of sound. That same idea later showed up on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” a connection that’s often noted by fans and historians.
For the brothers, “Lucille” fit neatly into their string of early-1960s singles that balanced rock energy with their signature harmonies. It wasn’t one of their biggest smashes, but it kept them visible on the charts during a period when they were settling into life at Warner Bros. and exploring slightly different sounds. The song tells the story of a wild woman who won’t behave the way she’s supposed to, yet the singer can’t let her go. The Everlys delivered it with their usual warmth and polish, turning the raw rock ’n’ roll original into something that sat comfortably alongside their own hits.
One small but telling detail is how they kept performing it live years later. They brought it out on the ABC-TV show Shindig! in 1964, even duetting it with Sam Cooke during one episode. That kind of cross-generational pairing felt natural for the Everlys, who had always moved easily between rock, country, and pop worlds. The track has since appeared on various compilations and reissues, a reminder that even their covers could feel like part of their own story.
Video
Lyric
Lucille,
You don’t do your daddy’s will
Lucille,
You don’t do your daddy’s will
There’s ain’t nothing to you,
But I love you still
Lucille,
Please come back where you belong
Lucille,
Please come back where you belong
I’ve been good to you baby,
Please don’t leave me alone
I woke up this morning
Lucille was not in sight
Asked my friends about her,
All their lips were tight.
Lucille,
Please come back where you belong
I’ve been good to you baby,
Please don’t leave me alone
Ooohhhhhh
Lucille,
You don’t do your daddy’s will
Lucille,
You don’t do your daddy’s will
There ain’t nothing to you.
But I love you still
Ooohhhhhh