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DistantLight |
Post subject: 5317704 |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 10 Apr 2004
Posts: 371
Location: Germany
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This is the album where things started to go wrong with the Hollies. For some reason (commercial failure of the previous albums?) they have nearly completely stopped songwriting on this album. "A Crazy Steal" had only two not selfwritten songs, this album has nine - only one song is selfwritten! Or should I better say at least one? The song is called "Satelite Three" and it's written by Allan Clarke and Gary Benson with whom Clarke continued to write songs for his solo career and the Hollies (Find Me A Family). In my opinion it's clearly the best song on the album with its changes from the gloomy verses to the bright chorus and the faster instrumental section.
Another complaint that I have about the album is that almost all the songs are ballads - a lot of them are good but some more rocking or faster songs would have been a good addition. So it all sounds kinda samey. "Song Of The Sun" is a bit more funky and "Boys In The Band", which is sung by Terry Sylvester, has a reggae feeling but it's also a pretty soft song.
Besides "Satelite Three" and "Song Of The Sun" another highlight is the Gary Brooker written "Harlequin". Again Sylvester sings the lead vocals and in the last part of the song you can even hear Brooker singing which makes this one of the few Hollies songs where an outside singer is featured.
Clarke is on his best on songs like "Say It Ain't So Joe" and "Maybe It's Dawn" and through the whole album he really makes clear that he is a great ballad singer.
In contrast to these, "Stormy Waters" is quite bad and "It's In Every One Of Us" is just too slow and boring. The remaining two songs like the single "Something To Live For" are very middle of the road and not that interesting - they are nice to listen to but nothing more.
Guitar-wise there is not much to say about the album - lots of the songs are piano dominated and have only some acoustic rhythm guitars in the arrangements... there is a guitar solo here and there but nothing really spectacular. When you are after Tony Hicks guitar playing you should choose another album.
And most songs have string arrangements which mostly work really well this time.
The problem with this album is just that most albums the Hollies made are better, more interesting and more creative. The two solo albums Allan Clarke released around this record are much better and they are for most parts selfwritten so it's not really understandable why the Hollies haven't recorded some superior Clarke originals instead of these cover tunes.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Best songs: Satelite Three, Song Of The Sun, Harlequin
Worst songs: Stormy Waters, It's In Everyone Of Us |
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holliesfan |
Post subject: Re: 5317704 |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Jan 2004
Posts: 519
Location: New Jersey, USA
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DistantLight wrote: |
This is the album where things started to go wrong with the Hollies. For some reason (commercial failure of the previous albums?) they have nearly completely stopped songwriting on this album. "A Crazy Steal" had only two not selfwritten songs, this album has nine - only one song is selfwritten! Or should I better say at least one? The song is called "Satelite Three" and it's written by Allan Clarke and Gary Benson with whom Clarke continued to write songs for his solo career and the Hollies (Find Me A Family). In my opinion it's clearly the best song on the album with its changes from the gloomy verses to the bright chorus and the faster instrumental section.
Another complaint that I have about the album is that almost all the songs are ballads - a lot of them are good but some more rocking or faster songs would have been a good addition. So it all sounds kinda samey. "Song Of The Sun" is a bit more funky and "Boys In The Band", which is sung by Terry Sylvester, has a reggae feeling but it's also a pretty soft song.
Besides "Satelite Three" and "Song Of The Sun" another highlight is the Gary Brooker written "Harlequin". Again Sylvester sings the lead vocals and in the last part of the song you can even hear Brooker singing which makes this one of the few Hollies songs where an outside singer is featured.
Clarke is on his best on songs like "Say It Ain't So Joe" and "Maybe It's Dawn" and through the whole album he really makes clear that he is a great ballad singer.
In contrast to these, "Stormy Waters" is quite bad and "It's In Every One Of Us" is just too slow and boring. The remaining two songs like the single "Something To Live For" are very middle of the road and not that interesting - they are nice to listen to but nothing more.
Guitar-wise there is not much to say about the album - lots of the songs are piano dominated and have only some acoustic rhythm guitars in the arrangements... there is a guitar solo here and there but nothing really spectacular. When you are after Tony Hicks guitar playing you should choose another album.
And most songs have string arrangements which mostly work really well this time.
The problem with this album is just that most albums the Hollies made are better, more interesting and more creative. The two solo albums Allan Clarke released around this record are much better and they are for most parts selfwritten so it's not really understandable why the Hollies haven't recorded some superior Clarke originals instead of these cover tunes.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Best songs: Satelite Three, Song Of The Sun, Harlequin
Worst songs: Stormy Waters, It's In Everyone Of Us |
It was nice to see "It's in Everyone Of Us" performed acapella at the end of the concerts when Carl was frontman. It was beautifully done I might add. |
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James Towill |
Post subject: Re: 5317704 |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 928
Location: Dunfermline, Fife
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holliesfan wrote: |
It was nice to see "It's in Everyone Of Us" performed acapella at the end of the concerts when Carl was frontman. It was beautifully done I might add. |
It truly was a memorable ending to the shows. Very poignant. I must admit that I really like 5317704, I feel it is a rather 'sophisticated' album which has aged very well, a really pleasant chill-out album. I've probably mentioned it before, but the Murray Head album 'Say It Ain't So' which features his two songs on 5317704 is well worth looking out for. Incidentally, for UK folks, Anthony Head (he plays the PM in 'Little Britain' and was in 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' is Murray Head's younger brother). I am a mine of useless infomation, for this I apologise ha ha |
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_________________ The Last Wind... don't eat curries late at night
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Anthony |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Jan 2004
Posts: 996
Location: Melbourne Australia
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I found this album very boring, full of ballads. The Hollies did some great Rock'N'Roll, it was sadly missing here. I was not keen on their late 70's albums.
Bye,
Anthony |
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_________________ Every member of the Hollies has played his part, 50 great years and still going.
http://www.myspace.com/pinocchioman visit me and say hi
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benny-b-goode |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Posts: 293
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5317704 is my favourite post-1976 album. OK, it is a ballad oriented album but why not ? Almost all singers recorded a ballad album and The Hollies are great in doing ballads and they really demonstrate it on this album.
"Maybe It's Dawn" has a very emotional orchestration and great vocals by Allan. But one of my absolute favourites on this album wasn't mentioned yet. So what about "When I'm Yours"? It is one of the nicest ballads The Hollies ever recorded. And it is for those who miss guitar work on this album. I think, "When I'm Yours" has one of Tony's greatest guitar solos. So often you can hear hard rock guitar solos but you cannot hear very impressive and emotional guitar solos in a ballad often. I think, Tony played a damn beautiful solo on this song. It adds to the floating mood of the song.
And, sorry, but I definitely like "Stormy Waters", as well. "Boys In The Band" is one of Terry's best songs he sang with The Hollies, I think. "Satellite Three" is great but I cannot understand how someone can find "It's In Everyone Of Us" boring. It has one of the most beautiful melodies and arrangements I have ever heard in my life. The Hollies don't think much about their album songs from earlier days on stage but I can definitely understand why they kept "It's In Everyone Of Us" in mind. I don't think that "Let Love Pass" became an equal replacement although it's great, as well.
So, 5317704 is a slow album, ok. But I can't say that it's boring. I think it has some very emotional and melancholic moments. It makes me very angry that I can't get it on C.D. here in Germany. I only have it on L.P.. |
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SpartyScott |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 661
Location: Gahanna, Ohio USA
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benny-b-goode wrote: |
So what about "When I'm Yours"? It is one of the nicest ballads The Hollies ever recorded. And it is for those who miss guitar work on this album. I think, "When I'm Yours" has one of Tony's greatest guitar solos. So often you can hear hard rock guitar solos but you cannot hear very impressive and emotional guitar solos in a ballad often. I think, Tony played a damn beautiful solo on this song. It adds to the floating mood of the song.
And, sorry, but I definitely like "Stormy Waters" |
Amazing -- I could have written this myself! I totally agree. |
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Dennis |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 773
Location: Los Angeles
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SpartyScott wrote: |
benny-b-goode wrote: |
So what about "When I'm Yours"? It is one of the nicest ballads The Hollies ever recorded. And it is for those who miss guitar work on this album. I think, "When I'm Yours" has one of Tony's greatest guitar solos. So often you can hear hard rock guitar solos but you cannot hear very impressive and emotional guitar solos in a ballad often. I think, Tony played a damn beautiful solo on this song. It adds to the floating mood of the song.
And, sorry, but I definitely like "Stormy Waters" |
Amazing -- I could have written this myself! I totally agree. |
I always thought "When I'm Yours" was the most commercial-sounding track on the LP, and should have been the single (with some editing; it does tend to go on a bit too long). I rather like this album; it plays through quite well (due to Ron Richards producing?), unlike the rest of their post-'75 LPs. And considering when it came out (1979), it hasn't dated, unlike the New Wave/Punk/Disco music that dominated that time period. As for the lack of original material, the previous four LPs had mostly self-penned tunes but weren't helped by that fact. I could never understand what happened to their writing after the '74 reunion with Clarke. It had such joyous, top-notch original songs, but they seemed to lose the knack after that for the most part. Beginning with "Another Night", they started taking themselves too seriously (with a slight detour on "Russian Roulette", which showed them getting inspired again, "Wiggle That Wotsit" notwithstanding!), and I think that's where they went wrong. I agree that Clarke's "Satellite 3" is the most interesting track on 5317704. |
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speedwaybloke |
Post subject: |
Banjo
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 33
Location: Point Clare, NSW, Australia
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It was a Saturday afternoon sometime in 1979 and I was pottering about the house listening to the radio. I heard a song start and didn't really take much notice until I heard the chorus. I immediately recognised the Hollies vocals. I sat next to the radio and listened closely to the rest of the song. At the end the DJ announced it as Harlequin off the new Hollies album. On monday I went to my local record store and bought it. Full of hope and anticipation I played it and was so dissapointed. I checked the song credits and saw only one co-written by Allan Clarke. What had happened? After all those great self written albums of the 70s the decade closed with this poor effort.
From this album there are only three songs that appeal to me. One of them is definitely not Boys In The Band. Terry does not handle the lead vocal well at all. But he redeems himself on Harlequin. I suppose it remains a favourite because I heard it on the radio and it brightened up a dull Saturday. When I'm Yours sounds great and there is that superb guitar solo. One of Tony's best. Clarke also shows off his amazing voice in It's In Every One Of Us. Apart from those the rest of the album just doesn't appeal to me.
Of all Hollies the albums that I have this is the one I play the least. I didn't bother to buy their next album where they were reduced to the status of a cover band. I thought they would have learned from the Dylan episode. A sad demise for a great band. |
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SpartyScott |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 661
Location: Gahanna, Ohio USA
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speedwaybloke wrote: |
Of all Hollies the albums that I have this is the one I play the least. I didn't bother to buy their next album where they were reduced to the status of a cover band. I thought they would have learned from the Dylan episode. A sad demise for a great band. |
Well, it's all a matter of personal taste, but what do you mean about "having learned from the Dylan episode?" Isn't it true that the Dylan album is one of their better selling LP's in the catalog? (excepting greatest hits compilations, of course).
Anyway, the Buddy Holly cover album has its moments. And you have to take it in its context, as there was a nostalgia kick for Holly going on at that time. I seem to remember a Paul McCartney video of him doing a Holly song while wearing the Holly trademark glasses. If anyone else remembers that, perhaps they can fill in details as to what song Paul was doing. |
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speedwaybloke |
Post subject: |
Banjo
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 33
Location: Point Clare, NSW, Australia
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SpartyScott wrote: |
Well, it's all a matter of personal taste, but what do you mean about "having learned from the Dylan episode?" Isn't it true that the Dylan album is one of their better selling LP's in the catalog? (excepting greatest hits compilations, of course). |
I can't say what happened elsewhere but going by the reaction in New Zealand the Hollies stalled with the Dylan LP. They took some time to regain chart momentum but did very well with Too Young To Be Married and Magic Woman Touch. From then on it was a gentle slide to final chart death with Wiggle That Wotsit. |
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Dennis |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 773
Location: Los Angeles
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The Dylan album, though a big seller in the UK, didn't do the band any favors. It had something of a jinx effect, as the LPs that followed struggled to make the UK charts.
Didn't "Boulder to Birmingham" show some chart action in New Zealand? And what about "Stop in the Name of Love"? It was on a New Zealand hits collection.
5317704 is a pleasant enough album, with a consistency of mood throughout. |
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speedwaybloke |
Post subject: |
Banjo
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 33
Location: Point Clare, NSW, Australia
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Dennis wrote: |
Didn't "Boulder to Birmingham" show some chart action in New Zealand? And what about "Stop in the Name of Love"? It was on a New Zealand hits collection. |
EMI NZ issued lots of Hollies greatest hit compilations. I have three put out between 1970 and 1976. There were two more between then and 1981 and two more at least after that. Most have much the same material.
I took a lot of interest in the charts up until the late 1980s. After Air That I Breathe & Curly Billy the Hollies slipped off the radar. There was a brief resurgence with Star at about the time of their 1976 tour but it didn't do that well. I don't remember Boulder To Birmingham but I do recall Stop In The Name Of Love being played on a video hits type programme. The Hollies had a popular following in NZ and I think EMI capitalised on that with the regular compilations. I think it was marketing hype to call them greatest hits. Many of the songs never appeared on any chart listings that I ever saw.
Many of the songs, IMHO, were worthy of chart success but I think poor management and decisions by their record company probably robbed the Hollies of more deserved chart success. If they had achieved that then the band lineup that I grew up with might not have disintegrated in the early 1980s. Ah, what might have been. |
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James Towill |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 928
Location: Dunfermline, Fife
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speedwaybloke wrote: |
Many of the songs, IMHO, were worthy of chart success but I think poor management and decisions by their record company probably robbed the Hollies of more deserved chart success. If they had achieved that then the band lineup that I grew up with might not have disintegrated in the early 1980s. Ah, what might have been. |
Good points! |
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_________________ The Last Wind... don't eat curries late at night
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Lou |
Post subject: |
Acoustic Guitar
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 107
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Another album I can't say enough good things about.
Yes , the album is made of primarily sourced material,
but this does not bother me in the least because the
Hollies ALWAYS make a song their own once they put
that magic touch on it. Maybe it lacks a rocker like
Look Out Johnny or Crocodile Woman or Russian
Roulette or Burn Out , but the album flows nicely
on a sunday morning with your first cup of the day.
I have two copies,both vinyl, one is a save it for a rainy
day `emergency 'copy.
As for Tony Hicks fab guitar work , it's just as abundant
as on practically any other album. You always crave more
though , don't you ? I do , but I'm so biased ,it's ain't funny.
When I'm Yours ... anyone ?
My sweetheart found it one day and played it .
It is her fave Hollies album now and has opened
her ears to the rest of my collection.
You can't argue success like that. |
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_________________ then now, always
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Oleøystein |
Post subject: When I'm Yours" has one of Tony's greatest guitar solos |
Joined: 17 Apr 2004
Posts: 5
Location: Trondheim, Norway
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benny-b-goode wrote: |
5317704 is my favourite post-1976 album. OK, it is a ballad oriented album but why not ? Almost all singers recorded a ballad album and The Hollies are great in doing ballads and they really demonstrate it on this album.
"Maybe It's Dawn" has a very emotional orchestration and great vocals by Allan. But one of my absolute favourites on this album wasn't mentioned yet. So what about "When I'm Yours"? It is one of the nicest ballads The Hollies ever recorded. And it is for those who miss guitar work on this album. I think, " So often you can hear hard rock guitar solos but you cannot hear very impressive and emotional guitar solos in a ballad often. I think, Tony played a damn beautiful solo on this song. It adds to the floating mood of the song.
And, sorry, but I definitely like "Stormy Waters", as well. "Boys In The Band" is one of Terry's best songs he sang with The Hollies, I think. "Satellite Three" is great but I cannot understand how someone can find "It's In Everyone Of Us" boring. It has one of the most beautiful melodies and arrangements I have ever heard in my life. The Hollies don't think much about their album songs from earlier days on stage but I can definitely understand why they kept "It's In Everyone Of Us" in mind. I don't think that "Let Love Pass" became an equal replacement although it's great, as well.
So, 5317704 is a slow album, ok. But I can't say that it's boring. I think it has some very emotional and melancholic moments. It makes me very angry that I can't get it on C.D. here in Germany. I only have it on L.P.. |
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