by Robert Wilkinson
April 5 was the birthday of Allan Clarke, founding member of the Hollies. This music's so good we start the dance early!
Allan Clarke (Apr 5, 1942) met Hollies co-founder Graham Nash (Feb 2, 1942) when they were kids and began singing together in skiffle groups, perfecting their tight high harmonies. They founded the Hollies in December 1962, added Tony Hicks in 1963, cracked the big time in the first British Invasion, and never looked back. With their ringing guitars and vocal harmonies, the Hollies were a vibrant sound, and gave us some memorable tunes! They had 23 chart singles in the US, of which 6 reached the Top 10, most of which were co-written by Clarke, Nash, and Hicks.
And now, the distinctive and beautiful voice of Allan Clarke!
Their first release in May 1963 which went to #25 in the UK! “(Ain’t that) Just Like Me”
Their second release hit #12, which was a remake of “Searchin’” and they finally cracked the Top Ten at #8 with another remake, this time of “Stay”
In February 1964 they took this next tune to #2 in the UK charts! Welcome to the British Invasion, where it’s obvious the Beatles set the performing style of the day! This one is an extraordinary live performance by the very young Hollies very live and at their best at the 1964 NME, looking sharp performing their very first hit, “Just One Look”
Here's both songs from that April 1964 NME show! "Rockin' Robin" and "Just One Look"
From that same breakthrough year, here they are on the BBC Top of the Pops television show lip-synching to the studio version of “Just One Look”
They followed that in May 1964 with this tune which went to #4 UK, “Here I Go Again”
They did a few more which hit the UK charts, and then in May 1965 scored a #1 UK hit with the next tune, which was when I became a huge fan! Here’s a fantastic performance on Shindig! in 1965 (done to a backing track), complete with the very choreographed Shindig dancers doing their second major hit “I’m Alive.” This looks like someone did a film of a performance and then used the original studio version to create this video of “I’m Alive”
In September 1965, they released this great one which went to #4 UK and a few months later to #32 US! Very much live at their peak in the London Palladium in October 1965, the Hollies performing their huge hit “Look Through Any Window”
From Hullabaloo (1965-66) with Graham and the Hollies lip-synching “Look Through Any Window”
From the Beat Club in 1966, the Hollies live performing their Feb 1966 hit (#2 UK, #42 US) “I Can’t Let Go”
Also from 1966, a lip synched music video of the Hollies doing “I Can’t Let Go”
I found it again! Here’s a great clip from Top of the Pops in 1966 with the Hollies lip-synching to their #5 hit “Bus Stop”
Hits in 1966! Here are the studio recordings of the #2 UK, #7 US hit “Stop Stop Stop” and “Bus Stop”
Closing out 1966, a real gem! The Everly Brothers went to England and cut an album that year featuring the Hollies, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Elton John! Welcome to those incredible harmonies cranking out British hits from the era! It begins with the great Spencer Davis hit “Somebody Help Me” and autoloads from there. For your enjoyment, Two Yanks in England
For the third hit from this era, the original audio-only studio version of their 1967 hit which made it to #37 “Pay You Back With Interest”
This is from their performance on the German Beat Beat Beat television show in 1967. The Hollies very live doing their #4 UK, #11 US hit “On A Carousel”
Continuing their 1967 run of hits, they followed “Carousel” and “Pay You Back” with the next tune which went to #3 UK and #9 US, “Carrie Anne”
The next tune sputtered on the charts and only made it to #18 UK, #51 US. Here they’re on the Top Gear segment of TOTP in October 1967 in a live performance of “King Midas In Reverse”
This is an obscure tune they released in 1967 which was played a lot on the radio where I lived. For your memory, “Dear Eloise”
On The Mike Douglas Show in 1967, they performed "On A Carousel," "Butterfly," and "Dear Eloise."
From August 1968 on the Bobbi Gentry Show, the Hollies performing "Blowing in the Wind," "Stewball," and "Louisiana Man"
Here’s a couple of live performances from their 1968 concert in Croatia! First, “On A Carousel” and then the last charting tune (#7 UK, #40 US) while Graham was still a member of the band, “Jennifer Eccles”
We’ll finish the era of the early Hollies with their entire 1968 show in Croatia! This clip will autoload the rest of the show, so enjoy The Hollies at the Yugoslavian Split Pop Festival (Set list: "Stewball," "On a Carousel," "Dang Me," "On The Very Last Day," "A Taste Of Honey," "Jennifer Eccles," and "Carrie Anne")
So of course, what to do after Graham left? Score a gigantic hit, of course! In 1969 Allan’s voice rang out on the airwaves around the world as this tune went to #3 UK and #7 US, the iconic “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”
From 1969 in Finland, a half hour live set! The Hollies - A Finland TV Special (Set list: "Stop! Stop! Stop!," "This Wheel's On Fire," "Quit Your Lowdown Ways," "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," "When The Ship Comes In," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "Sorry Suzanne," "Blowin' In The Wind")
In 1972, Allan and the Hollies scored another huge hit with this swamp rock classic which went to #2 US. This is a 1975 live performance of “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”
They followed that up with another swamp rock offering which didn't chart as well, making it only to #24 UK in 1973. Here the Hollies give us a live 1973 performance on TOTP of "The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee"
We’ll close with Allen’s final hit for the Hollies. He was already doing his solo career, but came back to do this which went to #6 UK, #2 US. He was apprehensive, since Phil Everly had already done this, and he didn’t think he could sing it like Phil. So his producer told him just to sing it as only Allan could, and he scored big with “The Air that I Breathe”
For the encore, you can’t beat this! It’s 158 Hollies tunes, released between April 1963 and October 1968. This is the Hollies as they began, right up to when Graham left. Great collection of tune showing off their remarkable harmonies! The Hollies: The Clarke, Hicks, and Nash Years
© Copyright 2025 Robert Wilkinson
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