Wake up, little Susie (the correct spelling of her name, as per the lyrics written by the Bryants, who penned many songs for the Everly Bros) is a song written during the exciting period when country and rockabilly were just beginning to morph into early rock and roll. It was an age of innocence when a girl's purity was protected, and her boyfriends were expected to treat her like a lady, with respect. If they didn't, she had the right to fight them off, or to call her older brother to handle the situation for her ! You can see examples of the wholesomeness of that era by watching old videos of Dick Clark's American Bandstand, with young gentlemen in coats & ties, and the girls in dresses and skirts. While they danced to rock and roll, it was apparent they were having good clean fun! And while there were instances of puppy-love or crushes, the young girls were never mere objects to the boys. They treated those girls like they were really something special. Most early rock songs were romantic love songs. Oh, that we could turn the clock back, and return to that age of innocence and respect !

Sung in 1957, this early rock song was relevant for its time. A teenage couple is out on a date to watch a movie, either at a theater or most likely a drive-in movie. The boy had promised the girl's parents that he'd have her home by 10:00 pm. But the movie was so boring, and they were so cozy, that they fell asleep until 4:00 a.m. ! Back then, it was more of a scandal if high-school kids "misbehaved" sexually, as minor children. Their friends would have "Ooh'd", and assumed the worst. Her parents would have been disappointed, and worried for their daughter's reputation. The guy is trying to wake a very drowsy Susie to inform her that they'd better be thinking about how they were going to explain their situation to her parents. And wondering if her parents would ever trust him with their daughter again !