The Hollies - On A Carousel (1967)

The Hollies are an English rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the era. They enjoyed considerable popularity in many countries, although they did not achieve major US chart success until 1966. Along with the Rolling Stones and The Searchers, they are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that has never officially broken up and which continues to record and perform to the present. The Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

The original lineup included Allan Clarke as lead vocalist, Graham Nash as guitarist and vocalist, Vic Steele (real name Vic Farrell, 1945) on guitar, with Eric Haydock and Don Rathbone rounding out the group on bass guitar and drums. Steele left in May 1963, shortly before they signed to Parlophone as label-mates of the Beatles. Tony Hicks, who replaced him, and Bobby Elliott, who replaced Rathbone, joined the band in quick succession in 1963; both had played in a Nelson-based band, the Dolphins, Bernie Calvert, who replaced Haydock in 1966, was also a Dolphin member.

The group's first U.S. album release came in 1964 as part of the first wave of British Invasion acts. They are commonly associated with Manchester, as some of the original Hollies grew up in the city. In a 2009 interview, member Graham Nash said that the group decided just prior to a performance to call themselves the "Hollies" because of their admiration for Buddy Holly

The Hollies had a squeaky-clean image, and were 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.

Their EMI debut single "Ain't That Just Like Me" was released in May 1963, and hit #25 on the UK Singles Chart. Their second single, a cover of The Coasters' "Searchin," hit #12. They scored their first British Top 10 hit in early 1964 with a cover of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs' "Stay", which reached #8 in the UK. It was lifted from the band's Parlophone debut album "Stay With The Hollies", released on 1 January 1964, which went to #2 on the UK album chart. A version of the album was released in the US as Here I Go Again, on The Hollies' then-U.S. label Imperial.

They followed up with "Just One Look" (February 1964,UK #2), and the hits continued with "Here I Go Again" (May 1964, UK #4); the group's first self-penned hit "We're Through" (Sep. 1964, UK #7); "Yes I Will" (Jan. 1965, UK #9); the Clint Ballard, Jr.-penned "I'm Alive" (May 1965, UK#1, US #103); and "Look Through Any Window" [Sept. 1965, UK #4] which also broke The Hollies into the US top 40 for the first time [#32, Jan. 1966]. However "If I Needed Someone" (Dec. 1965), the George Harrison song originally recorded by the Beatles on Rubber Soul, charted significantly lower, only reaching #20 in the UK.

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[ScarlettEmpress]

I wish more people my age (22) knew about the British Invasion. It was (and is) the best music ever made. :D

[mjcamck71]

Thanks for posting. I didn't pay as much attention to the Hollies when their records first hit the charts. Later in life, having been subjected to all the substandard "music" from the 80's on, I recognized the quality that had been there all along. I wish to point out, quickly, that I DO respect everyone's right to their own musical tastes. I just believe it's very important to introduce today's teens to 50's, 60's, 70's tunes that had a POSITIVE, UPLIFTING MESSAGE. PEACE TO ALL!!

[bubs101able]

i was just a year old Arrr

[jln55]

Cute vid!



[waterbuggg]

@ScarlettEmpress im right here with u... im 23 and when people check the artists on my iPod theyre like wtf lol

[modsheff1]

fine!

[stevewaugh2]

Brilliant Song !

[bucky468]

Anybody heard the Glass Moon cover of this one? It's pretty good imo.

[link71711]

I love this merry-go-round!! My favorite animal on it is the zebra. they don't make it like that here.

[Terrilliser]

I'm the only person I know that knows everything about the British Invasion!..

[jipidibipity]

I think there are different studio renditions put out by the Hollies. No?

Thank god for my local WBBF AM(defunked) radio station for these guys songs hittin my ears when I was a teen.