The Everly Brothers – Baby What You Want Me To Do

Introduction and Short Summary of the Song

“Baby What You Want Me to Do” is one of those songs that highlight the Everly Brothers’ versatility, taking them beyond their chart-topping teen-pop and country-rock ballads into the raw, bluesy territory of American roots music. Originally written and recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1959, the song is a slow-burn blues lament about love, control, and frustration within a relationship. The Everly Brothers’ rendition brings their tight vocal harmonies and rhythmic polish to Reed’s raw Chicago blues framework, creating a version that balances grit with melodic sophistication. While not among their biggest commercial successes, their recording of the song remains an important testament to how Don and Phil could navigate multiple genres while retaining their distinctive identity.

Origins of the Song

The song was first recorded by Jimmy Reed, one of the great pioneers of electric blues, who helped shape the sound of Chicago blues during the 1950s and 1960s. Reed’s version, released in 1959, became one of his signature hits, known for its hypnotic shuffle rhythm and Reed’s distinctive vocal style.

The Everly Brothers, who had grown up immersed in country, gospel, and folk, were also influenced by rhythm and blues. By the early 1960s, they were exploring material outside the teen-pop mold that had initially made them famous. Recording “Baby What You Want Me to Do” was a natural extension of their curiosity and versatility. It also aligned with the folk and blues revival happening during the 1960s, when younger audiences were rediscovering America’s musical roots through artists like Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, and Lead Belly.

Why The Everly Brothers Released the Song

For Don and Phil, recording “Baby What You Want Me to Do” was both an artistic and cultural statement. By interpreting a Jimmy Reed classic, they demonstrated their respect for African American blues traditions and their ability to expand beyond the commercial pop framework.

Additionally, the song gave them a chance to highlight a more earthy, rhythmic side of their music. Their harmonies, usually associated with sweetness and clarity, took on a new quality when set against the blues shuffle, showing that they could convey grit and passion just as effectively as melancholy or joy.

The Message Conveyed in the Song

Lyrically, the song is a simple but powerful expression of frustration and emotional struggle within a relationship.

Key themes include:

• Confusion and Frustration: The narrator doesn’t know what his partner wants from him, expressing helplessness in the face of love’s contradictions.

• Power Dynamics: The lyrics capture the push and pull between partners when communication breaks down.

• Raw Honesty: Unlike polished pop love songs, this track portrays the rough, imperfect reality of relationships.

• Universality: Everyone who has struggled with miscommunication in love can relate to the refrain, “Baby, what you want me to do?”

The Everly Brothers’ delivery makes the message both soulful and approachable, combining Reed’s rawness with their own melodic sensibility.

The Recording and Musical Characteristics

The Everly Brothers’ version of “Baby What You Want Me to Do” retains the essence of Reed’s original while adapting it to their own style.

• Vocals: Don and Phil bring their signature harmony to the call-and-response structure of the blues, giving the song an added emotional dimension.

• Instrumentation: The arrangement relies on steady blues guitar riffs, a shuffling rhythm, and subtle bass, capturing the hypnotic groove of Chicago blues.

• Mood: The song feels gritty, intimate, and tense, reflecting the emotional content of the lyrics.

• Style: A hybrid of electric blues and country-tinged rock, demonstrating the Everlys’ ability to adapt without losing their own identity.

The result is a track that feels authentic to the blues while still unmistakably “Everly.”

Cultural and Commercial Impact

Commercially, the song was not intended to be a chart hit for the Everly Brothers, and it did not reach the success of their major singles like “Cathy’s Clown” or “All I Have to Do Is Dream.” Instead, it functioned as a deeper album cut and a performance piece that showcased their range.

Culturally, however, the recording is significant. It represents the Everly Brothers’ willingness to cross boundaries and embrace material outside their expected domain. By recording a Jimmy Reed song, they contributed to the broader process of bringing blues music to mainstream white audiences—a process that would later fuel the British Invasion, with bands like The Rolling Stones and The Animals covering similar material.

Legacy of “Baby What You Want Me to Do”

Today, “Baby What You Want Me to Do” is remembered as a lesser-known but important example of the Everly Brothers’ artistic depth. It underscores their role not only as hitmakers but also as interpreters of America’s diverse musical traditions.

For their legacy, the song demonstrates how they could adapt their harmony-driven style to genres far outside their usual repertoire. It also highlights their role in the cultural cross-pollination of American popular music—where country, rock, folk, and blues all intertwined.

More broadly, the track continues to resonate because of its honesty. The frustration expressed in the lyrics is timeless, and the Everlys’ performance adds a sincerity that makes it feel both raw and relatable.

Decades later, while not one of their most famous works, “Baby What You Want Me to Do” remains a powerful reminder of the Everly Brothers’ musical curiosity and versatility. It stands as proof that they could handle the depth and grit of blues with the same mastery they brought to pop ballads and rock anthems, enriching their reputation as one of the most important duos in modern music history.

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