Can’t lie no more

[anthony]

Got a new car some time ago, shock Horror no cd player, so I downloaded one of the Hollies box sets onto a memory stick, one song I think is a real Gem Is “can’t lie no more” just amazing harmonies, I have since realised it was not on any studio albums.  Funny when you think you have heard it all before you discover something amazing.

[albatros]

Hi Anthony!
Yes, great song. Comes from Mike Batt around 1979/1980. The Hollies did a lot with Mike Batt back then (Soldiers Song, If the lights go out, Can't lie no more and so on). A lot of that wasn't released because the Hollies were planning to record a new album with Bruce Welch from the Shadows at the time. There were apparently very big differences shortly later Terry and Bernie left the Hollies.
I made a new rarities CD that also includes a rough version of I Can't Lie No More. In this version, the guitar parts were largely replaced by the piano.
You can find a list of what is included on the rarities CD under Hollie's rarities. Or contact me at: [e-mail]

[gee]

A lovely song - one of three fine collaborations with 'Mr Womble' himself Mike Batt

Bernie assumed their dynamic cut of Mike's 'If The Lights Go Out' (later recorded by Kate Melua produced by MB) was to be the new Hollies single - and it SHOULD have been !!

instead a slower more melodramatic ballad (of course) but fine 'Soldier's Song' was chosen and while only featuring Allan, Tony and Terry it at least crept barely into the UK chart at no.58 I think

'Can't Lie No More' was the third song of Mike's cut at those sessions before Mike was busy elsewhere - tellingly it was Mike who advised them they needed to replace their manager Robin Britten which began a major 'issue' in the group as Terry and Bernie opted to retain RB  but were outvoted 

I think they were only initially set to cut just the one song with Bruce Welch - Brucie had duly revitalised Sir Cliff's recording career from 1975 and he scored a UK no.1 with 'We Don't Talk Anymore' (written & played by Alan Tarney but produced by Welch) in 1979 and Bruce also produced an album for Cilla Black around that early 80's time so The Hollies were probably glad to enlist the Shadows guitarist ...

but of course the sessions proved disasterous as Bruce bluntly told Tony to 'ditch your bass player' - Hicks refused but Bernie was sent home from the sessions which along with the Robin Britten affair further upset Terry...

Welch had them recording an aptly titled Steve Thompson song;
'I Don't Understand You (Anymore)' a number which Terry felt was substandard - whatever it in turn  led to the sessions proving abortive despite three attempts at the song (the final minus Terry) and of course led directly to the argument that saw Terry walk from the group and for some fans the end of the 'golden' era of the long established recording group

[anthony]

Apr 1, 2023 23:20:39 GMT gee said:

A lovely song - one of three fine collaborations with 'Mr Womble' himself Mike Batt

Bernie assumed their dynamic cut of Mike's 'If The Lights Go Out' (later recorded by Kate Melua produced by MB) was to be the new Hollies single - and it SHOULD have been !!

instead a slower more melodramatic ballad (of course) but fine 'Soldier's Song' was chosen and while only featuring Allan, Tony and Terry it at least crept barely into the UK chart at no.58 I think

'Can't Lie No More' was the third song of Mike's cut at those sessions before Mike was busy elsewhere - tellingly it was Mike who advised them they needed to replace their manager Robin Britten which began a major 'issue' in the group as Terry and Bernie opted to retain RB  but were outvoted 

I think they were only initially set to cut just the one song with Bruce Welch - Brucie had duly revitalised Sir Cliff's recording career from 1975 and he scored a UK no.1 with 'We Don't Talk Anymore' (written & played by Alan Tarney but produced by Welch) in 1979 and Bruce also produced an album for Cilla Black around that early 80's time so The Hollies were probably glad to enlist the Shadows guitarist ...

but of course the sessions proved disasterous as Bruce bluntly told Tony to 'ditch your bass player' - Hicks refused but Bernie was sent home from the sessions which along with the Robin Britten affair further upset Terry...

Welch had them recording an aptly titled Steve Thompson song;
'I Don't Understand You (Anymore)' a number which Terry felt was substandard - whatever it in turn  led to the sessions proving abortive despite three attempts at the song (the final minus Terry) and of course led directly to the argument that saw Terry walk from the group and for some fans the end of the 'golden' era of the long established recording group

Thanks for that information, I knew Mike Batt was part of Soldier's song but didn't know about the other two, all brilliant songs, pity he didn't hang around for a lot longer. the Bruce Welsh thing seems such a big disaster, 

 

[gee]

Ironic but 'I Don't Understand You' saw a sort of Hollies / Shadows liason when Shads keyboardist Cliff Hall and bass guitarist Alan Jones (who also played bass on 'Driver') joined Allan, Tony, Terry and Bobby on the second version of the song recorded at Shads drummer Brian Bennett's home studio

Bobby remembered BB plying him with glasses of wine during the day no doubt as the two top drummers chatted presumably about drumming...

later of course they re-utilised Mike Batt's 'If The Lights Go Out' for the version cut with Graham Nash in 1983 included on 'What Goes Around...' - the instrumental backing track was pretty much identical if probably remixed so Mike Batt featured playing keyboards on both the 1980 and 1983 Hollies versions