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COURAGE OF MY CONVICTIONS
1°) The Hollies are one of the greatest vocal bands in the world with the Beatles, the Beach Boys,Crosby Stills Nash and Young and Poco .
2°) Almost all the Hollies albums are masterpieces full of beautiful harmonies and magnificent Songs . The Hollies represent the Eternal Youth, the Beauty and Enthusiasm .
Their first LP’s are excellent compilations of old hits which they rejuvinated with talent . Very
Often, their own versions of these classics were superior to the original ones ! Listen to them In the prophetic « Very Last Day » of 1965 : just great ! And their remake of « That’s My Desire » is a delicate beauty . A flower with divine perfume . And « Honey and Wine » is full of magic and mystery .
But not only comps : their own compositions were astounding . Magnetic . Transcendent .
Romantic .
In 1966, The Very Special Year Of The Double Six, three centuries after the Great Fire in
London, our Heroes did record a chiming version of « I Am A Rock » and a
Burning one of « I Take What I Want » with an incessant rhythm .
They did a raucous and speedy version of « Sweet Little Sixteen » and created another
Little masterpiece called « Oriental Sadness » which reminds me of Van Dongen’s Little
Darlings .
And in the Spring of 1967, you couldn’t stop listening to « Stop Stop Stop » . The Fantastic
Hollies were alive and well and you couldn’t resist them ! They took you away in Dreamland
With their carousel sound . Wow !
June 1967 saw the release of EVOLUTION with two great tracks that Epic put aside :
« When your light’s turned on » and « Leave Me » . But British November came with a
Regression . BUTTERFLY was a real sub-Pepper with an horrendous front cover . Nevertheless, four songs in this pseudo-psychedelic gimmickry were great : « Dear Eloise » , « Away Away Away », « Postcard » and « Charlie and Fred » . « Would You Believe », too . The rest is atrocious .
And then, in 1969, HOLLIES SING DYLAN . The LP starts off with « When The Ship Comes In » and its Joyous Banjology . The album is a true gem . A Master record by Masterful Artists .What can I say ? It’s shining . Every song is a poem . Every Poem is a jewel . Not less than 12 masterpieces magnificently sung by our Lads of Manchester . The interpretations and arrangements are sublime . What a Marvelous Tribute to the Great Bobby !
At the end of the year, another splendid LP saw the light of day on the Epic label :
HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER . This one is a gas, too . It’s joyful, grave and even
Dramatic . The title track is a splendor . It’s their « Long and Winding Road » . And
There’s even a touch of Classical with « Reflections of A Time Long Past » . It’s a kaleidoscope of great songs .
I must confess I like the next LP very much, too ! CONFESSIONS OF THE MIND is a Black
Beauty . The side One is just marvelous with « Little Girl » and its super riff and strident
Harp, « Isn’t It Nice ? » with its super guitar riff , « Perfect Lady Housewife » with its
Reminiscences of ABBEY ROAD and « Confessions Of The Mind », a galloping tune with
A guitar riff à la « Pinball Wizard », divided in several sections : classical, rock’n’roll,
Spanish guitar and violins and finale with choir and rhythmic .
But my preferred song is starting off side Two : « Lady Please ». It’s joyous, melodic,
Exuberant, punchy and bouncing : it’s Hollies !
DISTANT LIGHT was the following album . It appeared in 1972 . It’s a gospel-favored LP
With choirs and organ . « Look what we’ve got » with its piano introduction is sublime .
Great sax solo, too . « Hold On » is vibrant . Screeching . And « To Do with Love » is
Joyful . « Promised Land » is a Gospel Beauty .
After that, we find a milestone . Rolling Songs . Magnificent Harmonies flowing over . Its
Title : ROMANY . Mikael Rikfors was their singer at the time and he did a wonderful job .
This Great LP is full of Beauty . It’s quartz and crystal . A Cathedral of Glass in the Lights
Of Dawn . All the songs are fabulous, but the greater ones are on side Two . « Slow Down » is a rollicking track, « Blue in the Morning » is Blue-tiful and «Jesus Was A Crossmaker » is The Most Beautiful Song they EVER recorded .
HOLLIES was another marvel in 1974 . A splendid LP full of great songs and ballads .
« The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam Mc Gee » would make the world
Dance around !
In 1975, ANOTHER NIGHT was out in the stores . It’s an excellent record with great
Ballads such as « Sandy » and « Give Me Time » . The other songs are really good
And funky-sounding .
The Princes of Manchester embarked on a World Tour in 1976 and the results are on
LIVE HITS . A Fantastic album !
They did A CRAZY STEAL the next year and this one is a Beautiful LP, too .
Finally, I’m gonna close with BUDDY HOLLY, another true masterpiece on its own .
It’s a synthesized tribute to the Late Great Pioneer of Rock’n’Roll . Magnificent in
Each and every way . It’s unbelievable ! Listen to « Take Your Time », « Wishing »
And « Maybe Baby » . It’s Out of Sight ! It’s Sheer Beauty with Pure Harmonies .
The back cover shows the Hollies’ profiles and we know now for sure that One of
Them was decidedly Cyrano De Bergerac !
Pierre ( DreamPoems )
( 1992 )
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