Lost Early Version of ‘Romany’

[cameron]

Our favourite Norwegian Hollies fan, Knut Skyberg, recently shared some photos on a Hollies group on Facebook of an early withdrawn Scandinavian pressing of ‘Romany’ with a completely different tracklist to the final one and it was titled ‘Touch’. I can’t for the life of me work out how to share photos on this forum again, but the track list was as follows: 

Side A:
1. Touch
2. Words Don’t Come Easy
3. Jesus Was A Crossmaker
4. Magic Woman Touch
5. Down River

Side B:
1. Delaware Taggett And The Outlaw Boys
2. Romany
3. Papa Rain
4. Lizzy And The Rainman
5. Blue In The Morning

This is really interesting, because we know that the Hollies revised this album a few times, but until now (to my knowledge at least), we had no idea what this album was supposed to be like. Note: this was a regular pressing on normal Polydor labels, not an acetate or test pressing. It was said to be housed in a standard UK sleeve with the final tracklist on it. 

In my opinion, this album would have been a bit of a snooze fest! Several slow-paced tracks lumped together. Clearly, the Hollies thought the same, hence the revision. The initial sessions ran with regularity throughout April and May 1972. Then they return to the studio at the end of July and later in August to record ‘Courage Your Convictions’, ‘Witchy Woman’, ‘Slow Down’ and ‘Won’t You Feel Good That Morning’ - ie, the bulk of the rockier tracks from the album. Clearly something happened between May and July to prompt them to revise the album, though not before these regular pressings were turned out in Norway. 

I just thought it’s all quite fascinating and wanted to share the information here. 

[knut]

Yes it was quite a scoop to get hold of that unreleased version!
www.discogs.com/release/29892865-The-Hollies-Touch?utm_source=mobile&utm_medium=app&utm_campaign=Android%20App

[poco]

Discogs stated it never had one to sell.

[knut]

That is right Poco. I bought it directly from the Norwegian seller. He had gotten it from a guy who had been working at a Norwegian record pressing plant

[dirtyfaz]

Hi Knut Does that early version you have the same mixes as was on the official released version?

[poco]

Knut,
Does this Touch record come with a cover like the common Romany one.
I can copy these real easy and professionally on CDs.

[knut]

No special cover was made. I have listened carefully to the songs and I can find no differences compared to what was released later. Papa rain first surfaced on the CD reissue

[dirtyfaz]

Thanks Knut

[moorlock2003]

When the band discovered that The Supremes had come out with an album titled “Touch” (with the hit “Nathan Jones” and with liner notes by Elton John) they changed the title. Rockers were added to the final version, thank goodness! When they toured the US they included ballads from “Romany” when they should have done more rockers. The Hollies just sold a million and a half copies of a Rock and Roll single. Why they chose to emphasize ballads in the set is really puzzling. Showing their versatility was noble but they just didn’t think it through. 18 year olds like me wanted to Rock. But it sure was more interesting than if Clarke had still been around and they had done their cabaret act with “Just One Look”, etc. It was disappointing in 1975 when the band came here with Clarke and they did just that. However I’ll take the dramatic ballads over a safe stroll down memory lane. At least with Rickfors they were moving forward musically instead of being a nostalgia act, which they inevitably were with Clarke. The band’s set lists have, unfortunately, always been problematic. Why The Hollies didn’t emphasize the rocking side of their music more is a mystery. They so easily could have. We never got a live version of “Hey Willy”, one of their fiercest rockers. Why?

[poco]

Moorlock,

Bernie Calvert told me years ago that they performed it live only a few times. He said he remembers doing it at a concert in Portugal in 1971.

[moorlock2003]

Apr 5, 2024 1:54:28 GMT poco said:

Moorlock,

Bernie Calvert told me years ago that they performed it live only a few times. He said he remembers doing it at a concert in Portugal in 1971.

Well hell they should have kept it in the set list. It sure would have livened things up. It certainly would have been preferable to them doing a Neil Young ballad.

[anthony]

Apr 4, 2024 23:14:00 GMT moorlock2003 said:

When the band discovered that The Supremes had come out with an album titled “Touch” (with the hit “Nathan Jones” and with liner notes by Elton John) they changed the title. Rockers were added to the final version, thank goodness! When they toured the US they included ballads from “Romany” when they should have done more rockers. The Hollies just sold a million and a half copies of a Rock and Roll single. Why they chose to emphasize ballads in the set is really puzzling. Showing their versatility was noble but they just didn’t think it through. 18 year olds like me wanted to Rock. But it sure was more interesting than if Clarke had still been around and they had done their cabaret act with “Just One Look”, etc. It was disappointing in 1975 when the band came here with Clarke and they did just that. However I’ll take the dramatic ballads over a safe stroll down memory lane. At least with Rickfors they were moving forward musically instead of being a nostalgia act, which they inevitably were with Clarke. The band’s set lists have, unfortunately, always been problematic. Why The Hollies didn’t emphasize the rocking side of their music more is a mystery. They so easily could have. We never got a live version of “Hey Willy”, one of their fiercest rockers. Why?

I have to agree with you 100%