The Hollies "Sweet Songs"

[dirtyfaz]

THE HOLLIES "Sweet Songs"

1. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother - 2. Butterfly - 3. Wings - 4. Jesus Was A Crossmaker - 5. Clown - 6. Fifi The Flea - 7. Isn’t It Nice - 8. I Can’t Tell The Bottom From The Top - 9. Hello To Romance - 10. Boulder To Birmingham - 11. Feet On The Ground - 12. Lullaby Of Tim - 13. Cable Car - 14. Don’t Let Me Down - 15. The Air That I Breathe - 16. Pick Up The Pieces Again - 17. I’m Down - 18. Love Is The Thing - Bonus Tracks :19. A Whiter Shade Of Pale (Rare track) - 20. Reflections Of A Time Long Past (instrumental) - 21. (No More) Snow On Heater Motor (Rare Instrumental).

Haven't seen any mention of this new Magic Records release.

A couple of interesting tracks in the bonus track section. No doubt from a dubious source.

It mostly is from the Sylvester period of the band but as usual has to have a few Nash period tracks as well (I guess to help it sell).

Magic are a bit of a hit or miss label sound wise.

[cameron]

No "Ye Olde Toffee Shoppe"?! Magic Records are slacking! Wouldn't mind a better quality version of (No more) Snow On Heather Moor (although (No More) Snow On Heater Motor sounds pretty funny) as I know Bernie gave one of his acetates for it away, and this became the basis for most bootlegs

[JamesT]

Magic really do take the p*ss, don't they?!

[gee]

The recording of 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' if it's the one I know is pretty decent quality (tho' what Magic will do to it...)

Instead of such daft titled compilations why don't they put together:

1) 'The  Hollies Overseas Hits'

- a compilation of all of the NON UK single hits;

'Very Last Day', 'I've Got A Way of My Own','That's My Desire',
'What's Wrong With The Way I Live', 'Pay You Back With Interest', 'Stewball', 'Dear Eloise','Do The Best You Can', 'Blowin in The Wind','Too Young Too Be Married', 'Man Without A Heart', 'Long Dark Road', 'Magic Woman Touch', 'Slow Down Go Down', 'Son of A Rotten Gambler', 'I'm Down', 'Falling Calling', 'Lonely Hobo Lullaby','Another Night','Sandy','Write On', 'Star','Boulder To Birmingham','Daddy Don't Mind', 'Wiggle That Wotsit','Stop in The Name of Love', 'Stand By Me','Baby Come Back'

28 tracks - 14 per disc in a 2CD set or vols one & two would compile all the NON UK chart hit singles

While a few others made either the 'Contemporary' charts or the 'Tip' parade:
'Draggin' My Heels' (Canada - contemporary chart),'Goodbye Tomorrow'( Holland 'Tip' parade), 'Hello To Romance' (Holland), 'Amnesty' (Holland), 'Something To Live For' (Holland) - thats five more that could be included

2) The Hollies 'Rock' Collection:

why not do a 4CD set of (or four volumes) of The Hollies Rock flavoured tracks for a change ? (a break from all the slow ballads)

tracks like;

CD ONE:
'(Ain't that) Just Like Me' (unedited version), 'Hey What's Wrong With Me', 'Stay', 'Now's The Time', 'Lucille', 'Memphis','Rockin Robin', 'Talkin Bout You','Candy Man', 'Too Much Monkey Business','Set Me Free', 'Come on Back','Keep off That Friend of Mine', 'She Said Yeah', 'What Kind of Love', 'I'm Alive','Down The Line', 'Lawdy Miss Clawdy','When I Come Home To You', 'Fortune Teller',   'Mickey's Monkey', 'Nobody', 'I've Got A Way of My Own',  'If I Needed Someone',  - 24 tracks 

CD TWO:
'Look Through Any Window', 'So Lonely', 'I've Been Wrong', 'Running Through The Night', 'I Can't Let Go', 'Sweet Little Sixteen', 'Don't Run And Hide','Take Your Time', 'Don't You Even Care', 'I Take What I Want', 'Don't Even Think About Changing','Suspicious Look in Your Eyes', 'Kill Me Quick', 'Have You Ever Loved Somebody', 'Then The Heartaches Begin','You Need Love', 'When You're Lights Turned On','All The World is Love', 'Step Inside', 'Wheels on Fire', 'Do You Believe in Love ?',  'Please Let Me Please', 'Goodbye Tomorrow'
- 24 tracks

CD THREE:
'Survival of The Fittest', 'Perfect Lady Housewife', 'Hey Willy', 'Hold On', 'You Know The Score', 'Long Cool Woman', 'Won't You Feel Good That Morning', 'Slow Down', 'Courage of Your Convictions', 'If it Wasn't For The Reason', 'Out on The road' (version one), 'Nearer To You', 'Transatlantic Westbound Jet' (version one), 'Curly Billy', 'Down on The Run', 'It's Shame It's A Game', 'Rubber Lucy', 'Out on The Road' (version two), 'Transatlantic Westbound Jet' (version two), 'Look Out Johnny', 'You Gave Me Life','Time Machine Jive' - 22 tracks

CD FOUR:
 'Crocodile Woman (She Bites)', '48 Hour Parole', 'Louise', 'Russian Roulette', 'Burn Out', 'Crossfire', 'Satellite Three','That'll Be The Day', 'Midnight Shift', 'Think it Over', 'If The Lights Go Out' (version one),'Somethin Ain't Right', 'Stop in the Name of Love', 'Having A Good Time','If The Lights Go Out' (version two), 'Laughter Turns To Tears', 'Stand By Me', 'This is it', 'No Rules', 'Two Shadows', 'The Woman I Love', 'Purple Rain' (Live version) - 22 tracks 

- 92 tracks in total (not sure if they all would all fit onto even four CDs ?) but the ideas are interesting ones with some logic and better than aimless piffle like; 'Little Names' and 'Sweeties' etc

[cameron]

Here, Here Gee. I've put together some playlists in iTunes of Hollies material with a running theme. Those could be compiled as albums too:

The Hollies' "Flower Power Bit"
1. All The World Is Love 2. Clown 3. Then The Heartaches Begin 4. Lullaby To Tim 5. Schoolgirl 6. Heading For A Fall 7. Ye Olde Toffee Shoppe 8. Signs That Will Never Change 9. King Midas In Reverse 10. Everything Is Sunshine 11. Maker 12. Postcard 13. Try It 14. Elevated Observations 15. Open Up Your Eyes 16. Man With No Expression 17. Relax 18. Tomorrow When It Comes 19. Not That Way At All

Hollies Sing Country
1. Why Didn't You Believe 2. Cos You Like To Love Me 3. Louisiana Man 4. Please Sign Your Letters 5. When The Ship Comes In 6. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight 7. My Life Is Over With You 8. Lady Please 9. Do You Believe In Love? 10. Soldiers Dilemma 11. Frightened Lady 12. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

The "Lost" 1968 Album
1. Open Up Your Eyes 2. Do The Best You Can 3. Relax 4. Tomorrow When It Comes 5. Man With No Expression 6. Like Every Time Before 7. Survival Of The Fittest 8. Wings 9. Jennifer Eccles 10. A Taste Of Honey 11. Blowin' In The Wind (Nash Version) 12. Listen To Me

[gee]

I agree Cameron each perfectly fine Hollies compilations with a valid 'theme' to them and all far stronger than those random Magic sets with daft titles !

Another such idea might be a 'Missing' Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester album compiled from various 'non album' songs 1971 to 1981:

Hey Willy - Sign of The Times - Row The Boat Together - Tip of The Iceberg - Mexico Gold - Son of A Rotten Gambler - Layin' To The Music - Corrine - Come Down To The Shore - Samuel - Soldier's Song - 'C'mon - Can't Lie No More - No More Riders - Oh Granny (Clarke version) - Hello Lady Goodbye - Here in My Dreams - If The Lights Go Out (Sylvester version) - Lovin' You Ain't Easy - I Don't Understand You (Anymore) (Sylvester version)- Crossfire - Sanctuary (22 tracks)

While you could add both 'Layin' To The Music' and 'Lonely Hobo Lullaby' - both feature Hicks country style banjo - as bonus tracks to your 'Hollies Sing Country' idea if you wanted to conclude it with a couple of later songs - yes ? (there's also the bootleg 'Live' version of 'Amazing Grace' & Emmylou Harris song 'Boulder To Birmingham')

[cameron]

I tried to keep the Hollies Sing Country to 1969-1970 tracks as this is around the time that they intended to record an album of Countryfied songs - the idea being that it might sound something like what the album would have turned out like. But for the purposes of a compilation, there are plenty of later tracks that would warrant inclusion. I've also doctored my own version of the "lost" 1968 album to tweak the tracks to 'finish' the album and give it a smoother flow. The tracks and styles are extremely varied, but the result reminds me of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich's 1968 gem, "If No One Sang" that's also a very eclectic - yet pop friendly - mix. I guess bands at the time were of the opinion of "anything is possible" and such varied and eclectic albums were becoming the norm.

Since Magic aren't averse to using bootleg material from questionable sources, they could release 'expanded' versions of the Hollies albums. I've only managed to put together 1966-1970 so far, but here's what a "deluxe" version could look like:

For Certain Because... (1966)

Disc 1: Stereo:
1. What’s Wrong With The Way I Live
2. Pay You Back With Interest
3. Tell Me To My Face
4. Clown
5. Suspicious Look In Your Eyes
6. It’s You
7. High Classed
8. Peculiar Situation
9. What Went Wrong
10. Crusader
11. Don’t Ever Think About Changing
12. Stop, Stop, Stop
13. Bus Stop
14. Don’t Run And Hide

Disc Two: Mono:
1. What’s Wrong With The Way I Live
2. Pay You Back With Interest
3. Tell Me To My Face
4. Clown
5. Suspicious Look In Your Eyes
6. It’s You
7. High Classed
8. Peculiar Situation
9. What Went Wrong
10. Crusader
11. Don’t Ever Think About Changing
12. Stop, Stop, Stop
13. Bus Stop [Single Version, Mono]
14. Don’t Run And Hide [Single Version, Mono]

Disc Three: Rarities:
1. Stop, Stop, Stop Session [early take and second take with longer solo and ending, Mono]
2. I Can’t Let Go [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
3. Times They Are A Changin’ [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
4. Reach Out I’ll Be There [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
5. Too Much Monkey Business [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
6. You Don’t Know Like I Know [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
7. What’s Wrong With The Way I Live [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
8. Stop, Stop, Stop [Live In Stockholm, Mono]
9. Hollies Christmas Greeting To Bild Magazine (Swedish) Readers [Mono]


Evolution (1967)

Disc One: Stereo:
1. Then The Heartaches Begin
2. Stop Right There
3. Water On The Brain
4. Lullaby To Tim
5. Have You Ever Loved Somebody
6. You Need Love
7. Rain On The Window
8. Heading For A Fall
9. Ye Olde Toffee Shoppe
10. When Your Light’s Turned On
11. Leave Me
12. The Games We Play
13. Kill Me Quick
14. We’re Alive
15. On A Carousel
16. All The World Is Love [Original 1967 Stereo Mix]
17. Carrie Anne [Original 1967 Stereo Mix including Count In]
18. Signs That Will Never Change [1968 Stereo Mix/First Full Stereo Mix]

Disc Two: Mono:
1. Then The Heartaches Begin
2. Stop Right There
3. Water On The Brain
4. Lullaby To Tim
5. Have You Ever Loved Somebody
6. You Need Love
7. Rain On The Window
8. Heading For A Fall
9. Ye Olde Toffee Shoppe
10. When Your Light’s Turned On
11. Leave Me
12. The Games We Play
13. Kill Me Quick
14. We’re Alive
15. On A Carousel
16. All The World Is Love
17. Carrie Anne
18. Signs That Will Never Change

Disc Three: Rarities:
1. Stop, Stop, Stop [Live on Beat Beat Beat, Mono]
2. On A Carousel [Live on Beat Beat Beat, Mono]
3. Bus Stop [Live on Beat Beat Beat, Mono]
4. Instrumental [Live on Beat Beat Beat, Mono]
5. Non Prego Per Me [Live at San Remo Festival, Mono]
6. Schoolgirl [Stereo]
7. Non Prego Per Me [Stereo]
8. Devi Avere Fiducia In Me [Stereo]
9. Carrie Anne [German Stereo Mix]
10. Have You Ever Loved Somebody [Session Take, Mono]
11. The World Tomorrow: Recording With The Hollies at Abbey Road [Mono]
12. On A Carousel [Session, Mono]
13. Interview With Graham Nash on Radio Gothenburg [Mono]
14. The Games We Play [Live at the BBC, Mono]

Butterfly (1967)

Disc One: Stereo:
1. Dear Eloise
2. Away Away Away
3. Maker
4. Pegasus
5. Would You Believe
6. Wishyouawish
7. Postcard
8. Charlie And Fred
9. Try It
10. Elevated Observations?
11. Step Inside
12. Butterfly
13. King Midas In Reverse
14. Everything Is Sunshine (Epic Anthology has original mix)
15. Jennifer Eccles
16. Open Up Your Eyes
17. Listen To Me
18. Do The Best You Can
19. Like Every Time Before

Disc Two: Mono:
1. Dear Eloise
2. Away Away Away
3. Maker
4. Pegasus
5. Would You Believe
6. Wishyouawish
7. Postcard
8. Charlie And Fred
9. Try It
10. Elevated Observations?
11. Step Inside
12. Butterfly
13. King Midas In Reverse
14. Everything Is Sunshine
15. Jennifer Eccles
16. Open Up Your Eyes
17. Listen To Me
18. Do The Best You Can
19. Like Every Time Before [Alternative Version]

Disc Three: Rarities:
1. Wings [Stereo]
2. Tomorrow When It Comes [Stereo]
3. Relax [Stereo]
4. Man With No Expression [Stereo] (1993 first mix)
5. Blowin’ In The Wind [Stereo]
6. A Taste Of Honey [Stereo]
7. Wishyouawish [Alternative U.S.A. Stereo Mix]
8. Postcard [Alternative U.S.A. Stereo Mix]
9. Try It [Alternative Australian Mono Mix]
10. Charlie And Fred [Live at the BBC, Mono]
11. King Midas In Reverse [Live at the BBC, Mono]
12. Away Away Away [Live at the BBC, Mono]
13. Step Inside [Live at the BBC, Mono]
14. Pegasus [Live at the BBC, Mono]
15. Wishyouawish [Live at the BBC, Mono]
16. Bobby, Graham, Allan Interview [Live at the BBC, Mono]
17. Jennifer Eccles [Live at the BBC, Mono]
18. Very Last Day [Live at the BBC, Mono]
19. Just One Look [Live at the BBC, Mono]
20. Bobby and Bernie Interview [Live at the BBC, Mono]
21. Stay [Live at the BBC, Mono]
22. Dang Me [Live at the Split Festival, Croatia, Mono]
23. Do The Best You Can [Live at the Split Festival, Croatia, Mono]
24. A Taste Of Honey [Live at the Split Festival, Croatia, Mono]
25. Carrie Anne [Live at the Split Festival, Croatia, Mono]
26. Stop Stop Stop (Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo)
27. Look Through Any Window [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
28. The Times They Are A Changin’ [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
29. On A Carousel [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
30. King Midas In Reverse [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
31. Butterfly [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
32. Jennifer Eccles [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]
33. Carrie Anne [Live At Lewisham Odeon, Stereo]

[Deleted]

I'd also include this on the 1969-1970 "Country" set (it's one of my very favourite post-Nash tracks!)...



And surely this should be on the "1968" album (it fits far better than Blowin' In The Wind):

[cameron]

Yes, I forgot about Dandelion Wine! That would be a good track to add to the proposed LP.

I left out "Schoolgirl" because it was recorded during the Evolution sessions and wasn't intended for the 1968 album. Whereas every session past "Jennifer Eccles" was dubbed 'the new album' whenever the Hollies talked about it in the press. But, having said that, tracks like Have You Ever Loved Somebody and Like Every Time Before were recorded a year or so earlier in 1966 and released in 1967 and 1968 respectively. So the Hollies weren't unknown to delve into their outtake archive for new material.

[dirtyfaz]

Great discussion guys.

Several of the tracks mentioned above have already been put out by Magic from their dubious sources.

They maybe might do a double CD of the later stuff if they put their mind to it. They should be able to get CDs as their source information so they should be able to do a reasonable job although whoever does the mastering needs to relearn their trade. Almost always the bass is much too high. Makes some tracks not very listenable at higher volumes on my system.

[Deleted]

Jul 6, 2015 9:46:35 GMT cameron said:

I left out "Schoolgirl" because it was recorded during the Evolution sessions and wasn't intended for the 1968 album. Whereas every session past "Jennifer Eccles" was dubbed 'the new album' whenever the Hollies talked about it in the press. But, having said that, tracks like Have You Ever Loved Somebody and Like Every Time Before were recorded a year or so earlier in 1966 and released in 1967 and 1968 respectively. So the Hollies weren't unknown to delve into their outtake archive for new material.

A song on 'For Certain Because' was a leftover from earlier sessions, though they certainly weren't the only ones doing this: for example The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' included 'Wait', which was a leftover from the 'Help!' album sessions.  As long as it fits I don't think it matters too much.

I do like compiling these (imaginary) "lost" albums though, and some can work very well indeed. For example an intriguing 1963 Rolling Stones album (pre-dating their first released album from early 1964) can be compiled via singles, EP tracks, BBC recordings and demos.

[gee]

Yes that song on 'For Certain Because...' was; 'Don't Even Think About Changing' cut way back on 17 November 1965 and featuring (the by then a good few months departed) Eric Haydock on bass !

they had a few attempts at 'Have You Ever Loved Somebody' over March 1966 with Eric Haydock - nearly a year before finally releasing a later version cut with Bernie Calvert on 11 January 1967 on 'Evolution'
 
while 'Like Everytime Before' was also first attempted on 1 March 1966 (again with Eric Haydock on bass) long before the 14-15 May - 3 July 1968 version that was finally released overseas, but in each case the earlier attempts were left unreleased. 

mind you 'Boulder To Birmingham', which was recorded 8-9 January 1976  HAD been issued as a Polydor single in February 1976 (c/w 'Crocodile Woman' from 'Write On' album) strangely appearing just over TWO YEARS later in March 1978 on 'A Crazy Steal' must rank as the oddest latter use of a song by the band given it had already been released...and had 'flopped' in the UK !

(can you imagine say; 'Yes I Will' or 'I'm Alive' from 1965 going on either 'Evolution' or  'Butterfly' some two years later ?)

Given that both 'Hello To Romance' and 'Amnesty' - slow ballads of course - had also already been issued as Polydor singles their digging up 'Boulder' (a slow ballad) to go with 'Writing on The Wall', 'What Am I Gonna Do ?' and 'Feet on The Ground' (more slow ballads) on their 1978  album not only saw an album that was far too 'top heavy' with slow ballads (a couple rather melancholic ones too) but was also uncharacteristic of The normally more vocally joyful  Hollies style and really quite unfair on the devoted Hollies fans forking out their hard earned cash to buy a 'new' album to discover THREE songs (out of ten tracks) they probably already had in their collections as singles !

no wonder the wider public wern't interested in their 'new' product then - the slow ballad singles were ALL flopping time after time - and at THAT important moment with 'Live Hits' (UK No.4) having charted the year before they were at an key point - indeed '20 Golden Greats' a couple of months later hit No.2 in the UK so those two 'hits' albums showed the wider public WERE still prepared to buy Hollies product, a livelier 1978 studio album would surely have been the wiser move ?

Allan Clarke (who co-wrote 70% of ACS album) later spoke of that album leaving him 'cold' (most odd !)- if they had to 'dig up' anything older to go on ACS album, as I've pondered before surely something like Tony's 'Tip of The Iceberg' (1974 - but then an 'unissued' driving rocker that was completed and 'in the can' thus readily available for use) plus 'Crossfire'(at least a more recent 'B' side and a perfect brisk opener for 'side two' ?) while even the splendid 'Hello Lady Goodbye' (1974 but a fine track and performance) would also have slotted onto ACS perfectly - yes ?

if ever a band 'loaded the gun'....'took careful aim'...then happily  'SHOT themselves in the foot' !

I think Tony Hicks was right:
'there WERE a LOT of things WRONG the public never knew...'

clearly not everyone was pulling in the same direction by 1978, and Allan Clarke's 1978 second departure probably had alot to do with the very 'thrown together' feel of ACS (it's dreadful sleeve photo did them no favours either)

ALL of the suggested compilations above would make for far stronger and more interesting compilations than Magic Records have come out with in recent years !

[cameron]

With my favourite Hollies period being 1966-1971 (mainly 1966-1968 though) the "lost" Hollies album intrigues me the most. What you get is the Nash led Hollies at the start of the project pushing 'Butterfly' to the next level with 'Relax', 'Tomorrow When It Comes' (amazingly, written by Allan!) and 'Open Up Your Eyes'. Then as Butterfly fails to gain momentum as previous Hollies albums had done (sometimes it took them a few months to climb the charts), they turned to their blatant commercialism with 'Jennifer Eccles', 'Like Every Time Before' and 'Listen To Me'. Then they (presumably followed Nash again) with an attempt to try more "serious" pop music 'Man With No Expression', 'Survival Of The Fittest' and 'Do The Best You Can' before dropping out altogether into Cabaret with 'A Taste of Honey' and 'Blowin In The Wind'! All the time, Bobby and Allan were quoted as saying to the press that the Hollies were working on their new album, so presumably they were writing like mad and not recording the tracks? Or perhaps the Hollies were just telling the fans what they wanted to hear? Most of what was recorded in 1968 either wasn't released at the time (in the UK at least) or trickled out on single releases. There's a good album worth of material there. Perhaps it was intended to be such an eclectic mix after all?

I wonder at what point they started to worry that the new album was struggling to take shape - their attempt at a live LP in May to fill the gap ended disastrously. There's a bootleg of the same tour in Japan and they're on fire! From what I've heard, they're certainly on par with their set in Stockholm, 1966. Even the Split festival several months later was a better performance than the one that they committed to tape for an official live album. Although I don't think it's that bad to be honest. It's not the Hollies' best, no, but even when they're not at their peak, they still sound better live than other bands that released live LPs in the 60's such as the Kinks and Rolling Stones, IMO. I'm not convinced we've heard the full set - eight songs is not enough for an album and they're all standard length tracks (unlike the Kinks' Kelvin Hall LP that has the 8-minute long rendition of 'Milk Cow Blues' and the reprise of 'Sunny Afternoon' taking the track to over 5-minutes long and all the talking in between that stretches the album time out to fill two sides of an LP), the Hollies set sounds rather "staged" as there's so little audience interaction between tracks. But, having said that, their setlists at the time were only 8-10 tracks long and the shows still managed to last half an hour thanks to their humour and interaction with the audience in between the songs.

I guess EMI really saved their asses by issuing 'Hollies Greatest' which became their only Number One LP. So well was business, that they even turned to promoting it on Top Of The Pops! Perhaps that contributed to the final push for the blatantly commercial Hollies Sing Dylan project that finally pushed Graham over the edge? Who knows. But I can say for sure that after the Summer Of Love the year before and the bandwagon that everyone jumped on, the Hollies certainly weren't the only mainstream band not to release an album in 1968 as everyone tried to find their feet again.

[irelandcalling4]

The "Lost" Hollies album is an absolute favourite of mine also; compiled from the 'Clarke Hicks Nash' set, my ipod album "Hollies '68" is excellent.

Man with No Expression, Relax, Tomorrow when it Comes, Jennifer Eccles, Open up your Eyes, Like every time before, Do the Best you Can, Wings, A Taste of Honey, and Blowin' in the Wind.

Am I missing any tracks recorded after 'Butterfly' that should make the 'Hollies '68' opus?

[gee]

you can add 'Listen To Me' to your list

I tried to get the August 1968 Nash version of 'Survival of the Fittest' on "The CHN Years" set - but was told it was not in any releasable state (which might well mean it needs to be mixed & mastered) Bobby has said it IS complete.

I also tried to get the March 1970 'Sylvester version' of 'Wings' on the 'Changin Times' new set but got the same old reply...

we can only hope that Warners see fit to delve into The Hollies archive for the unissued material once they have (hopefully) concluded putting out sets of the released back catalogue songs

[cameron]

Jul 7, 2015 16:14:00 GMT irelandcalling4 said:

The "Lost" Hollies album is an absolute favourite of mine also; compiled from the 'Clarke Hicks Nash' set, my ipod album "Hollies '68" is excellent.

Man with No Expression, Relax, Tomorrow when it Comes, Jennifer Eccles, Open up your Eyes, Like every time before, Do the Best you Can, Wings, A Taste of Honey, and Blowin' in the Wind.

Am I missing any tracks recorded after 'Butterfly' that should make the 'Hollies '68' opus?

One can only hope, Gee. I'd love to hear the Nash version of Survival Of The Fittest. I've sort of deciphered that the left channel of the stereo mix is the original 1968 version and the right channel has some elements mixed to mono (like bass, drums) but overdubs like Tony's lead guitar and Allan's double tracked voice and Terry's harmony. Subtract the right track and you're left with a very basic 1968 version, possibly just missing Nash's harmony and a few finishing touches. Perhaps the "Lost 1968 Album" might be an interesting compilation release, sneaking out the Nash version of Survival Of The Fittest? It could even have a version of Marrakesh Express on it. Years ago, a VH1 documentary about Graham Nash was aired with a snippet of his original 1968 demo (just him and his guitar) and I've always suggested that this could be synced up with the "backing track" recorded by the Hollies to provide an idea of a finished take, a la Postcard or Butterfly with just Nash's voice on it. 

irelandcalling4, a little further up the thread I provided my version of the "Lost 1968 Album":

1. Open Up Your Eyes 2. Do The Best You Can 3. Relax 4. Tomorrow When It Comes 5. Man With No Expression 6. Like Every Time Before 7. Survival Of The Fittest 8. Wings 9. Jennifer Eccles 10. A Taste Of Honey 11. Blowin' In The Wind (Nash Version) 12. Listen To Me

[gee]

Tim Chacksfield told me he had listened to The Hollies 'backing track' of 'Marrakesh Express' and you would NOT recognise it as the CSN hit at all...!

Tim said it's just an attempt at the tune but it's incomplete, has NO 'guide vocal' at all and wasn't releasable even as an instrumental version as such just a 'run through' that you could not even put a guide vocal over...(Tim said if it had been remotely useable he'd have put it out like a shot !)

- unless anything else crops up re 'Marrakesh Express'  I guess we'll have to accept Tim's view on it....(pity)

Graham's original acoustic guitar/vocal demo WOULD be worth a release I think.

Tim also told me then that 'Cry Me A River' was NOT in the tape box marked thus...

most of the others are just classed as: 'not releasable' so maybe it's all a question of studio time (& of course money !) needing to be spent on making them releasable (hopefully)

but we are still waiting a proper sonic overhaul of the back catalogue (notably the four sixties albums with that ultra primitive stereo mix)

If The Beatles 'Help !' album still has not been properly remixed to clarify the sound quality (it still sounds a very rushed & 'muddy' mix as it was in 1965, particularly the stereo mix) then what realistic hope for The Hollies albums ?

the crucial sales figures of the new CD set out on 10 July may be a pointer towards anything further we get from Warners re The Hollies

[cameron]

Time will tell I guess. The Hollies have to be the only major 60's band to not have a back catalogue overhaul. The 1999 remasters were just transfers to CD from the master tapes with "noise shaping". It seems to me that someone pressed play and left the album to convert to digital rather than tweak each individual track (again, time and money...) but they could approach it like the Kinks and release three albums per year in deluxe form. In fact, fans might appreciate that more as it will be less of a financial burden unlike say the Beatles remasters. When I bought the boxset, it was £190!!!

There's still plenty in the vaults. And even if Tony and Bobby are adamant that there's "nothing left worth releasing", their back catalogue just needs someone with an imagination to create new mixes from the mastertapes. Just like the ones tagged on to the end of the Kinks' remasters, new stereo mixes with session chatter that present the songs in a sonically beautiful way (far clearer than the original mixes, even after very good remastering) and unearth some nice surprises like parts that were recorded but didn't make the final mix.

Such a shame about Marrakesh Express. I had hopes that just a basic rhythm track survived. But then again, the Hollies did have a habit of "running through" tracks at the end of sessions etc... but I guess Marrakesh Express seemed different as they devoted an entire session to recording it. I've heard of some demos cut during recording sessions, but these are usually very bad rushed takes, not worthy of release at all just to get an idea down on tape. Perhaps, sadly, Marrakesh Express comes under that heading.

[irelandcalling4]

Thank you for the response Cameron; I'd forgotten to add 'Listen to Me'.

This is the 11-track album I have on my ipod known as "Hollies '68"; I know 'Survival of the Fittest' could be included also to make it 12.

1. Open Up Your Eyes 2. Do The Best You Can 3. Relax 4. Tomorrow When It Comes 5. Man With No Expression 6. Like Every Time Before 7. Wings 8. Jennifer Eccles 9. A Taste Of Honey 10. Blowin' In The Wind (Nash Version) 11. Listen To Me

What an album; serious quality.

[cameron]

Looks like we can add the infamous Marrakesh Express to the album now!

I'm working on an entirely new mono mix of the 1968 album and have been for a few months. I'll share it when I'm finished. I'm taking every stereo mix, mono mix and alternative take to combine my vision of a "finished" album version of the song by pulling apart elements and sticking them back together in a different way. We know the Hollies sporadically recorded in 1968, so there were no final album sessions to lay down the final overdubs to complete songs. So I've edited together a new mix to give an idea of how it could have sounded had it been finished and released at the time.

[dirtyfaz]

Finally got my copy today.
Packaging is poor with a single sheet front cover.
Several tracks have incorrect titles.
Haven't listened to the CD fully yet but I am expecting the usual Magic sound.
The bonus tracks are interesting if nothing else. Sound wise on the 2 previously unavailable tracks are average especially Snow On Heather Moor.
All in all I had to get it because of the 2 tracks previously not on an official (?) CD.