Favourite moments in Hollies songs

[thejanitor]

Apologies if there is already a thread similar to this, but in the case there isn't, here are three particular ones off the top of my head:

- The piano intro for Sorry Suzanne - I love this lead in, and I'm a little disappointed there isn't any more piano in the song after the intro. But hey, two Tony guitar solos make up for it for me!

- Bobby's drum fills before the "come back oh mama mama" parts in The Baby, and then later on, the intense build up of the strings during the "let him grow, let him go" part.

- The very end of Non Prego Per Me - The way the guys harmonise on that B6 (I hope I'm correct in saying that, music buffs!) always amazes me.


Perhaps I'll post some more here when I think of/hear them next.

[johnt]

The guitar at the start of I Can't Let Go always does it for me.

[dirtyfaz]

Guitar intro to The air That I Breathe

[cameron]

- Bobby's insane drum rolls in 'Dear Eloise'

- The layered vocal harmonies on "When I Come Home To You" and the doubling up of the tempo in the middle

- Tony's banjo on "Stop! Stop! Stop!"

- Bernie's fast-moving bass part on "Gasoline Alley Bred"

- Bobby's drums on "This Wheel's On Fire"

- Tony's electric sitar on "The Baby"

- Allan's slightly husky voice on "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"; apparently he had a sore throat on the day of the recording session, according to Bobby.

- Graham's soaring high vocals at the end of "Open Up Your Eyes".

- Nicky Hopkins off-beat harmonic piano part on "Listen To Me". It's a shame that he didn't work with the Hollies again.

- The great wandering vocal melody line on "We're Through" and Allan's superb delivery of it.

- The vocal chorus on "Say It Ain't So Jo" when the whole band comes back in after the middle section which Allan sings falsetto on his own.

- The swirling, over the top orchestra on "King Midas In Reverse"

- Tony and Mikael Rickfors duelling guitar solos on "Touch".

- All of the vocals on "The Last Wind", the closest sound to CSN that the Hollies ever got.

- That harmonium part underneath the latter half of "To Do With Love" and the lovely rolling tempo that the song has.

[thejanitor]

Here's some more I've thought of:

- The chorus to Here I Go Again. Pure joy! 

- The percussion in the intro for Carrie Anne, and of course the steel pan solo later.

- The leadup section to Allan's "Whoo!" in LCW and again in Curly Billy

- Tony and Terry's backing vocals on It's A Shame It's A Game

- The synth sound of Take My Love And Run

[cameron]

Dec 16, 2018 20:43:32 GMT thejanitor said:

- The synth sound of Take My Love And Run

I forgot that one, that's one of my favourites too. About the only 1980s Hollies recording that I really like! 

Here's some more: 

- All of 'Tip of the Iceberg'. How that remained in the can for 25 years, I will never know. With slightly improved lyrics, that could have been a killer single. Everything about it; Bobby's shuffling drum beat, Tony's various lead guitar licks throughout, the doo-wop style backing vocals, Allan's soaring vocals... perfection. 

- the middle section of 'Son of a Rotten Gambler' with the swirling orchestra and the really proud vocals, particularly the line "may his light shine upon you" and then the whole band comes in on harmonies. 

- The luscious harmonies on the chorus of 'I Had A Dream' and Mikael Rickfors' sensual vocal delivery of it

- The vocal melody in 'Suspicious Look In Your Eyes', it really shows off Allan's vocal range 

- That magical combination of Bobby's drums and Tony's lead guitar on 'You Must Believe Me'. 

- Tony's hard rock style distorted guitar solo on 'Hard Hard Year'

- Graham and Allan's vocal harmonies on the chorus of 'Then The Heartaches Begin' and the shuffling percussive beat combined with Bernie's bass riff. Such a great album opener. 

- Bobby's rolling drums on 'Tomorrow When It Comes' and Tony's wah-wah guitar. I also love Bernie's open piano chords underneath the whole track, which give the song a lot of depth 

- The chorus on 'Not That Way At All' with Allan overdubbing extra harmonies with himself.  

- Terry's solo vocal performance on 'Cable Car' I think is one of his best.

[rokinrobinoflocksley]

Tony's guitar throughout "So Lonely" (and Eric's counterpoint bass). Listen in relatively isolated stereo for the full effect (as in the 30th Anniversary Collection)...

[albatros]

I specially love the orchestrial parts on "Second Hand Hang Ups" and on one of my Hollies favorites "Man without A Heart". You can find from this one a special version on You Tube with much longer orchestral part - user on You tube - The White Cat.