TGIF Rock-n-Roll Oldies: The Hollies - 1971

Reaganite Republican ^ | December 10, 2010 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

The Hollies are an English rock group, formed in Manchester, England in the early 1960s. The band was not named -as popular legend has it- after Buddy Holly, but rather for the holly decorating the house of founding member Graham Nash at Christmas-time 1962.

The Hollies are amongst the most musically-flexible survivors one can imagine, and the band became one of the leading British groups of the era, enjoying considerable international success delivering hits in varied styles.

Along with The Rolling Stones and The Searchers, they are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that have never officially broken up and that continue to record and perform here in 2010. The Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year as well.

The Hollies are known for their bright vocal harmonies. Though initially known for its cover versions, the band moved towards written-to-order songs provided to them by such writers as Graham Gouldman. Soon after, the group's in-house songwriting trio of Clarke, Hicks and Nash began providing hits. 

When Graham Nash left in December 1968 it was due to a number of issues. Nash was by then feeling something of a prisoner of his early pop success; like John Lennon and George Harrison he too disliked the screaming of fans drowning out the songs in concerts. He felt imprisoned within The Hollies "pop group identity" too, when he wanted to write more personalised songs of a reflective nature not necessarily utilising vocal harmonies, and was clashing with producer Ron Richards over material. 

Furthermore, he disagreed with the group's decision to make their next album one entirely comprising Bob Dylan songs. Nash relocated to Los Angeles, where he joined forces with former Buffalo Springfield guitarist Stephen Stills and ex-Byrds singer David Crosby to form one of the first supergroups, Crosby, Stills and Nash. Nash told Disc magazine at the time: "I can't take touring any more. I just want to sit at home and write songs. I don't really care what the rest of the group think."

Their album Hollies Sing Dylan reached the #3 position on the UK chart, but the record flopped in the US> The next album Hollies Sing Hollies did not chart in the UK, but the U.S. version called He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother included the hit single of the same name and reached U.S. #32.

Nash's departure saw The Hollies again turn to outside writers for their single A-sides, but the group's British chart fortunes rallied during 1969 and 1970 and they scored four consecutive UK Top 20 hits (including two consecutive Top 5 placings) in this period, beginning with the Geoff Stephens / Tony Macaulay song "Sorry Suzanne" (Feb. 1969) which reached #3 in the UK, followed by the emotional civil rights–themed ballad "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", which featured the piano playing of Elton John, and which reached #3 in October 1969.

The next single, "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top", again featured the young Elton John on piano and reached UK #7 in April 1970, charting in twelve countries. 

Later EMI lifted a track from their album Distant Light,  the Creedence Clearwater Revival-inspired song, "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress", which reached #2 in the US.

In 1974 they scored what was to be their last major new hit single with the love song "The Air That I Breathe" -Phil Everly- which reached #2 in the UK and US.

 The Hollies: Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress - 1971

[YouTube]

Or at Reaganite Republican

Wikipedia  The Hollies Official UK Site   

More RR Rock n Roll Oldies features -here-

[ßuddaßudd]

Get it On !

[madamemayhem]

“the air that i breathe” is one of my top ten all time favorite songs. and i just realized i do NOT have it on my mp3 player. that must be changed.

[MissTed]

So many great songs! I like the sitar(?) in “Stop Stop Stop”, fun hippy song!

[Hoodat]

I remember this juke box in a bar in Auburn, AL that had “He Ain’t Heavy” on it.

[T. Rustin Noone]

Please don’t forget “Look Through Any Window” and “Bus Stop” (Under My Umbrella)

[corkoman]

I never understood why Graham Nash is associated with The Hollies when i cant find one pop song from Hollies recorded with Nash. Even this article doesnt associate a song with Nash-Hollies

My fav - Long Dark Road

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

“Stop Stop Stop” is also one of my faves. One of the few major songs with a punchline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h43cXQ4eH1k&feature=related

“Look Through Any Window” is another one I like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CfH-FAGc88

Too many good ones to keep listing. One last one. A lesser known fave of mine;

“The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbRHIc6CChs

[Nabber]

“Long Cool Woman...” still makes me (and many who are my age) laugh out loud — there are only a few words that are actually discernible as you listen to the singing.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I love “I’m Alive” and “Pay You Back With Interest”!

[Reaganite Republican]

What about “Just One Look” and “Yes I Will”- those are from the Nash era, BIG hits in the UK.

[Seven plus One]

www.youtube.com/watch

He's on the left, playing the thinline.

[Reaganite Republican]

Love your handle!!!

And the Hollies... what an incredibly great band

[Reaganite Republican]

Love your handle!!!

And the Hollies... what a great band, never did a bad tune imho

[MissTed]

Gosh, in the “Look Through Any Window” video the concert goers are all in suits. Times sure have changed!

[upsdriver]

I believe that is a banjo in Stop Stop Stop.

[upsdriver]

Everything CarrieAnn, Jennifer Eccles on back includes Graham Nash.

[MissTed]

You could be right, it sounds so tinny that I just took a guess. :)

[upsdriver]

My favorites of the Hollies; Sorry Suzanne and Sandy.

[nesnah]

It’s one of mine as well, but I got it on my iPod. :-)