Phil & Don…
Listen/Download – The Everly Brothers – Man With Money
Greetings all.
I hope all is well on your end and that you’re ready for something unusual from late in the career of the Everly Brothers.
I was first introduced to the song ‘Man With Money’ via a tape comp from my friend Mr. Luther, which included a version of the tune (which I was unaware was a cover) by a group called the Wild Uncertainty (on Planet records, home also to the Creation and Thoughts). I thought the tune was groovy, and when I inquired about it I was informed that it had originally been done by the Everly Brothers.
I was surprised.
I was certainly familiar with the Everlys, major movers and shakers in early American rock’n’roll, but I had no idea that they had still been active in the mid-60s.
It wasn’t long before I was prowling around at some record show or other and happened upon a copy of the Everly Brothers LP ‘Beat and Soul’, which included the original version of ‘Man With Money’.
Recorded in 1965, ‘Beat and Soul’ was composed almost entirely of covers ‘Man With Money’ being the only original) of older rock and soul material, including versions of songs by the Impressions, Rufus Thomas, Mickey & Sylvia, Ivory Joe Hunter and others. Despite my assumptions about the Everly Brothers being dated by mid-decade, they actually sound pretty current, especially on ‘Man With Money’ which has a big, ambitious sound. Listening to it, it’s not at all surprising that it had appeal for groups in the UK (in addition to the Wild Uncertainty, the song was covered by the Eyes (I’m Rowed Out’/’When the Night Falls’) and the Who (in an unreleased version).
I hope you dig the tune, and that you seek out the cover versions which are all excellent.
I’ll be back later in the week with something heavy.
Peace
Larry
PS Head over to Funky16Corners for a weeklong Hammond Organ 45 Fest!
PSS Check out Paperback Rider which has actually been updated!
Iron Leg 
This has long been one of my favourite Everly Brothers cut; very soulful. W.
Classic song and a mainstay for English mods.
I wrote about the LP ‘Beat & Soul’ on my blog in 2007.
http://expo67-cavestones.blogspot.com/search/label/Everly%20Brothers
Thank you for this. I have been listening to The Who’s cover of this song from a Live at the BBC recording for many years and now I can see why Pete Townshend and the boys chose it — they didn’t have to do anything other than try to match Phil and Don’s tight harmonies as close as they could — and they did okay. The instrumentation is all there on the Everlys’ track — surprisingly heavy and rocking, thanks I suppose to the Wrecking Crew studio musicians. It’s a very soulful and picturesque song, and the Everlys really capture the dark mood.
Excellent tune! It’s also floating around as the US/UK flipside to “Love Is Strange” on 45rpm. The Eyes also released a 45 of it on Mercury in the UK (I think theirs is the weakest version I’ve heard), no doubt they heard The Who do it live or on the Beeb.
Though I’ve also always loved this song, it IS the A-SIde that gets me…yes, that is the Wrecking Crew with James Burton ‘s telecaster predominating. I’ve rarely heard a better two sided single. I still remember the day I got it at JC Penny’s in Pittsford Plaza in Pittsford, New York. I still have the 45 complete with picture sleeve (luckily one that resided in my working DJ collection when i SOLD off everything else) and would never part with it. It MAY be the one I’ll request to be buried with…Love IS Strange b/w Man With Money … it could be the exact story of my life in one 45!
Its todays music which sounds dated-the week after
Pingback: Two By the Everly Brothers | Iron Leg