The hits of The Hollies (1965-1969), part 1

Another instalment of my 1960s hitsingles series. This time we take a look at The Hollies. A band that still exists or at least a band under that name still performs the band's hits. Two of the current members have everything to do with the songs we are looking at today and next week, drummer Bobby Elliot and guitarist Tony Hicks. Bass player Eric Haydock left in 1966, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Graham Nash in 1968 and singer Alan Clarke in 2000. Replacements, bass player Bernie Calvert and guitarist Terry Sylvester both left in 1981.

The Hollies were from Manchester and were formed in 1962. In the U.K. the band scored its first hit in 1963. We are starting in 1965, as on 2 January 1965 the Dutch Top 40 was broadcasted for the first time, with 'I Feel Fine' by The Beatles as its first #1.

Between 1965 and 31 December 1969 The Hollies scored 14 hitsingles of which all did not become huge hits and about half minor or little over. The band's only number 1 hit here was scored in 1973 with 'The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee' and their biggest hit in 1974, although "only" #2, 'The Air That I Breathe'. In 1965 The Hollies played songs written by songwriting teams or songwriters, and extremely poppy at that. As you will see, the Clarke-Hicks-Nash wrote the band's singles from 1966 onwards to change back to other songwriters late in 1968.

I'm Alive (1965) #13

The Beatles are the measure of things in 1965, if you were a pop band that is and The Hollies are. They even recorded one of George Harrison's earliest compositions in 1965, 'If I Needed Someone' (that was not released as a single here). I'm Alive is proof of that pop feel. At the same time it is a mild attempt to rock a little as well. Let's start with the band's biggest strength. The vocals are incredibly strong. Alan Clarke is the leadsinger but behind him with Graham Nash and Tony Hicks the band could do anything vocally and does. Vocally they certainly are able to outshine The Beatles. The rock feel is added by the strong drumming of Billy Elliot. For a pop single he is hitting away in a strong way, and hear that fill near the end. Which is totally Beatlesque of course. Of all the hits that are going to come by, I'm Alive is nice, not great.

Look Through Any Window (1965) #12

This changes with the band's second hit of 1965. I think I only got to know the song in 1977 when living in Australia. It came by on Sydney radio station 2something. I remember being swept away by the force of the pop song. (The same with 'California Dreaming' by the way.) Co-written by Graham Gouldman, later of 10CC, pop simply does not come any better. The 12 string guitar sound was in vogue in 1965 and The Hollies employ it as well. Again the sound drumming of Billy Elliot must be noted. He really drives Look Through Any Window. Also note the nice handclaps here and there. The harmonies are, again, fabulous. Two minutes and seventeen seconds of pure pop heaven, this song is. The only thing that is amazing me, is that the song did not even make the top 10 in my country. This is a #1 hit, people who bought singles in 1965, which I was not. Where were you?!

I Can't Let Go (1966) #27

The next song, again, becomes only a minor hit. In the U.K. 'If I Needed Someone' is a hit in between. Not over here. I Can't Let Go starts with a bass guitar. Strong, monotonous, totally belying the perfect pop that follows. Again a 12 string guitar plays the main riff. Co-written by Chip Taylor, also responsible for The Troggs' number 1 hit single 'Wild Thing' in 1966. I Can't Let Go is also this mix between an early rock song, the bass guitar, a farewell part played by original bassist Eric Haydock, is a strong rocking sound, where drummer Elliot is far less present here. The three vocalists are over present and far rougher. This is not soft pop all over. Strong and soft this song is.

Bus Stop (1966) #3

My girl friend calls this one of the sweetest songs she has heard, ever. She only got to know it when I proposed to play it in one of our 2020 lockdown front garden shows. This is The Hollies second Graham Gouldman penned hit. He was also responsible for Herman's Hermits #1 'No Milk Today' of 1966. If you ask me, Bus Stop is the greatest song of The Hollies 1960s hits. More than in any other song, it all seems to come together. The vocals are so incredibly strong, so perfectly flowing. The guitar solo's ending is a little weak, agreed. The bass is played by the new bassist, Bernie Calvert. The story is candy sweet of course but sung from an original angle. Love starting at a bus stop, how silly can a sweet romance start? My girl friend is totally right of course. This is one of the sweetest songs ever recorded and one of the only ones that is actually incredibly good as well. This is pop heaven once again.

But do note as well, that more is going on. The guitar solo has some eastern or Indian flavour curried in there. In 1966 everyone had started to play a sitar, so also The Hollies. Their producer Ron Richards did not stop the band from entering new elements to their music.

I'm not 100% certain but Bus Stop may have been my first conscious The Hollies hit. Of the next one I'm 100% certain.

Stop Stop Stop (1966) #4

Late in 1966 I spent maybe up to four months with a family I had known all my life, then. The, then, 15 year old daughter had all the hits and a small transistor radio playing the hits of the day broadcasted from that pirate ship off the Dutch coast, Radio Veronica. One of the hits then was Stop Stop Stop. It has this weird noise at the start and that rather appealed to me. And, Stop Stop Stop was easy to sing for a six year old, none English speaking child.

Circa 1978 I bought a The Hollies Greatest Hits double album. And Stop Stop Stop was not on it. Nor was 'Dear Eloise' and that was a bit of a disappointment. This was my The Hollies song, right.

How does it go down in 2022? Well, not that bad, actually. The banjo kicking off the song is a bit of a surprise, as is the rhythm. This is really a different beast than what came before. The Hollies were not averse to a little gimmick in its songs, but as long as its functional, I'm o.k. with it. The result is a nice but also slightly simple pop song, for The Hollies' standard. The song is still easy to sing along to and that certainly saves it. Like all song the singing is just great. It saves any The Hollies song probably.

A noteworthy detail is that this is a self-penned Clarke, Hicks, Nash composition. The band wrote songs but they were always on the b-side of singles. Not Stop Stop Stop.

On A Carrousel (1967) #15

The first hit of 1967 is another pop gem of which The Hollies have so many. Hidden behind the lightness of the topic. Love on a carrousel, twirling around with new puppy love. At the same time the song holds a truckload of pop music in all the right ways. The self-penned song shows that the trio Clarke, Hicks, Nash were anxious pupils that had learned the trade of writing a great pop tune themselves. Like in 'Stop Stop Stop' the rhythm isn't predictable, just like the guitar and bass riffs are really setting the song apart. And then there's the "round and round and round" part, really making the song swirl like the carrousel they sing about. Love and songwriting skills found all in one song. Graham Nash sings the first lines solo before Clarke takes over, while the harmonies are impeccable once again. Perhaps The Hollies started more as a vocal group than a band, more and more the band became a true band with great skills in writing, playing and arranging songs. On A Carrousel is a gem.

Carrie Ann (1967) #6

The Hollies were not averse to gimmicks in their songs. Carrie Ann, the band's biggest hit in 1967, has a Caribbean flavour to it, mixed perfectly into the band's pop. It's not my favourite The Hollies song, but the bridge part is absolutely fabulous. The steel drums solo takes the Caribbean part to the max and is more effect than good. To me, Carrie Ann is the most average of the The Hollies songs of this section, as we have reached the hits of the 60s half way now. It is not a bad song and as a single it totally qualifies, obviously, as it was a huge hit across the world, but the band has produced so much better songs. So why was this a op 10 hit and 'On A Carrousel' "only" a top 20? hit. It is truly much better by all standards. Hicks and Nash were mainly responsible for this song.

As an aside. The Hollies recorded the song on 1 May in two takes, the first went wrong at the start. EMI released the single just a few weeks later. Compare that to today where records are on a shelve for months or a year before they come out. Who will become more accomplished composers? Experience must accrue the best results, I'd guess.

P.S. Days later. Carrie Ann does want to get out of my head, so it must do something right and explains why it became a big hit.

Wout de Natris