«Bye Bye Love» is a popular song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and published in 1957. It is best known in a debut recording by the Everly Brothers, issued by Cadence Records as catalog number 1315. The song reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Pop charts and No. 1 on the Cash Box Best Selling Record charts. The Everly Brothers’ version also enjoyed major success as a country song, reaching No. 1 in the spring of 1957. The Everlys’ «Bye Bye Love» is ranked 210th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of «The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.» It was the first song Paul McCartney performed live on stage, with his brother Mike at a holiday camp in Filey, North Yorkshire. It was part of Rory Storm and The Hurricanes’ repertoire and a live version recorded in 1960 was released in 2012 on the album Live at the Jive Hive March 1960. The Beatles covered the song during the Let It Be sessions in 1969. George Harrison did a cover for his 1974 album Dark Horse, changing some of the words. «Bye Bye Love» has also been covered by Simon & Garfunkel.
The guitar intro was not originally part of the song, but was something that Don Everly had come up with and was tacked on to the beginning. Chet Atkins was the lead guitar player on the session. Buddy Harman was the drummer.
From the album The Everly Brothers
B-side «I Wonder If I Care as Much»
Released March 1957
Recorded March 1, 1957, RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre Rockabilly, country, rock and roll
Label Cadence
Songwriter(s) Felice & Boudleaux Bryant