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SpartyScott Post subject: Best "kick butt rock and roll" songs by the Hollie
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I was thinking about the songs released by the Hollies that would appropriately be considered real honest-to-goodness, hard-driving rock and roll. As much as I love the music from the '60s, I don't consider the pop-rock stuff of the mid-60's to qualify as such, except maybe for a song like "I Can't Let Go." The 60's Hollies stuff was more "pop" than hard rock, I think it's fair to say. Let me put it this way -- Hendrix would never have covered Bus Stop, but Down On The Run would have been fit the Hendrix style nicely.

Oh, and I'm thinking of songs as they were officially released on record, not as they may have been performed on stage. (that's why Long Dark Road doesn't make the list, which was much more powerful the way the band performed it in concert after Clarke left the group for the first time).

So, here are the first few songs that came to mind for me. Tell me which songs you would add to this list, or maybe why one of my selections shouldn't be considered hard rock:

1. Long Cool Woman (that's an obvious choice, isn't it?)
2. Slow Down (the guitar runs make this song a great rocker)
3. Down On The Run (did you know that this song is about "playing chicken" in automobiles? Watch the James Dean movie "Rebel Without A Cause" to see what I'm talking about)
4. Out On The Road (Clarke version, not Rickfors version)
5. Slow Down - Go Down (has there ever been a lyric like "give me a woman that I can love, and I don't have to beat"?)
6. Daddy Don't Mind (let's face it, when we were teenagers, the guys here all must have used lines like that directed to our targets of seduction. Laughing )

OK, so now it's your turn. Add to the list, and don't forget to say why a song is deserving!
PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 18:59 pm

Last edited by SpartyScott on Tue Apr 18, 2006 19:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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James Towill Post subject:
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Off the top of my head, I'd go for:

1. Hold On (superb bass line, love the Hammond organ, phasing bringing back hard-hitting acoustic guitars then transition back into the rock - a gem of a track).
2. LCW (Just bloody brilliant)
3. Out On The Road [Rickfors - less polished version] (I feel the band were really giving it all on this one, the Clarke version is too sanitised for my liking)
4. Curly Billy (Another great rocking song along the LCW formula, this time with harmonies)
5. 48 Hour Parole (In my opinion the last great rock track they have done).

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PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 19:03 pm
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SpartyScott Post subject:
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James Towill wrote:
Off the top of my head, I'd go for:

1. Hold On (superb bass line, love the Hammond organ, phasing bringing back hard-hitting acoustic guitars then transition back into the rock - a gem of a track).
2. LCW (Just bloody brilliant)
3. Out On The Road [Rickfors - less polished version] (I feel the band were really giving it all on this one, the Clarke version is too sanitised for my liking)
4. Curly Billy (Another great rocking song along the LCW formula, this time with harmonies)
5. 48 Hour Parole (In my opinion the last great rock track they have done).


Agree completely on 48 Hour Parole. Shame on me for not listing that right away.

I think that I listed the Clarke version of Out On The Road because Allan's vocal is so strong and vibrant. Agreed that it was more polished than the original, which does start out with a great bass line.

I hadn't thought about Hold On, but I have always enjoyed that song. LOL, please explain to me exactly how that story ends -- what happens to the storyteller in that song?

While Curly Billy is not my favorite, at least you didn't select Hey Willy (throw-away lyrics ruin that one for me). I think that it's the whole "formula" thing, which includes Courage Of Your Convictions, that makes me like these songs less than some others.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 19:37 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
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I forgot about Hey Willy and Courage Of Your Convictions... yes, the lyrics are a bit lame on HW but it is still a very powerful rock number. The bloke in Hold On ends up getting hit by the hubby does he not? That naughty Mr Clarke writing about picking up loose women and taking them home, shame on him Razz Laughing Wink

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PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 20:00 pm
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SpartyScott Post subject:
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James Towill wrote:
I forgot about Hey Willy and Courage Of Your Convictions... yes, the lyrics are a bit lame on HW but it is still a very powerful rock number. The bloke in Hold On ends up getting hit by the hubby does he not? That naughty Mr Clarke writing about picking up loose women and taking them home, shame on him Razz Laughing Wink


I wasn't sure if he got punched out, or shot with a gun!

By the way, doesn't he sort of return to that line of thought with "Another Night" as well as "You Gave Me Life With That Look In Your Eyes"?
PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 20:04 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
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I think the protagonist in Hold On got punched...

...yes, the same theme of womanising comes back in those songs too...how things have changed! Laughing

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PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 20:10 pm
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DistantLight Post subject:
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Hard rocking Hollies numbers? What's about:

Russian Roulette
You Gave Me Life
Crocodile Woman
Louise
Tip Of The Iceberg


and from the '60s (maybe not really hard rocking but worth including)

Leave Me
Have You Ever Loved Somebody
Do You Believe In Love


And then there are some Clarke solo songs that rock really well:

Ruby
Complete Controllable Man
Shift Lovin' Lady
Don't Let Me Down Again
Born To Run
Blinded By The Light
Stand By Me
New Blood
Brandenberg Plaza (one of the hardest rocking Clarke-sung songs I've ever heard)
and the rocking section of The Survivor

And "Hey Willy" and "Courage Of Your Convictions" belong in my opinion to the most powerful rockers the Hollies have ever recorded.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 18, 2006 21:04 pm
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Dennis Post subject: Re: Best "kick butt rock and roll" songs by the Ho
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Joined: 17 Feb 2004
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SpartyScott wrote:
I was thinking about the songs released by the Hollies that would appropriately be considered real honest-to-goodness, hard-driving rock and roll. As much as I love the music from the '60s, I don't consider the pop-rock stuff of the mid-60's to qualify as such, except maybe for a song like "I Can't Let Go." The 60's Hollies stuff was more "pop" than hard rock, I think it's fair to say. Let me put it this way -- Hendrix would never have covered Bus Stop, but Down On The Run would have been fit the Hendrix style nicely.

Oh, and I'm thinking of songs as they were officially released on record, not as they may have been performed on stage. (that's why Long Dark Road doesn't make the list, which was much more powerful the way the band performed it in concert after Clarke left the group for the first time).

So, here are the first few songs that came to mind for me. Tell me which songs you would add to this list, or maybe why one of my selections shouldn't be considered hard rock:

1. Long Cool Woman (that's an obvious choice, isn't it?)
2. Slow Down (the guitar runs make this song a great rocker)
3. Down On The Run (did you know that this song is about "playing chicken" in automobiles? Watch the James Dean movie "Rebel Without A Cause" to see what I'm talking about)
4. Out On The Road (Clarke version, not Rickfors version)
5. Slow Down - Go Down (has there ever been a lyric like "give me a woman that I can love, and I don't have to beat"?)
6. Daddy Don't Mind (let's face it, when we were teenagers, the guys here all must have used lines like that directed to our targets of seduction. Laughing )

OK, so now it's your turn. Add to the list, and don't forget to say why a song is deserving!


Why not include live versions? They often rocked more in concert. Here's my list:

1) The live version of "Long Dark Road" is the band's single greatest rock and roll workout.
2) "Long Cool Woman", studio version.
3) "Long Cool Woman", live version, 1972, with Sylvester on lead vocal
4) "Carrie-Anne", rocking live version, 1972, Hicks, Sylvester, Rickfors, trading lead vocal.
5) "Tip of the Iceberg" (unbelievable that this was left to die on the shelf! Great track, with an outstanding Clarke vocal.)
6) "Won't We Feel Good" (US title). Power licks. Quite a switch in mood following the plaintive ballad "Words Don't come Easy' on "Romany".
7) "Out On the Road" , 1973, Rickfors version. Rocks better than Clarke version.
Cool"Courage of Your Convictions" Good lyrics, and a terrific galvanizing rocker with a super guitar break from Tony.
9) "Hey Willy". Another departure, after the glorious pop of "Gasoline Alley Bred".
10) "Woodstock", live from Aussie TV special, 1970. Better than any other version, and there were plenty.
PostPosted:Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:43 am
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