The Hollies are a well-respected British beat and pop band that formed in t… Read Full Bio ↴The Hollies are a well-respected British beat and pop band that formed in the early 60s. Initially they had a squeaky-clean image and were famous for their rich vocal harmonies, rivaling those of The Beach Boys. Between 1964 and 1969, only two Hollies songs failed to reach the UK Top 10. Their most famous member was Graham Nash, who left in 1968 to form the folk supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash. Two of the core members, drummer Bobby Elliott and lead guitarist Tony Hicks, still perform with The Hollies into the new millennium.

Frequent releases during the mid-60s included many cover versions of popular songs, as well as a few group-penned hits and many songs written especially for them by professional songwriters.

The Hollies were formed in 1962 in Lancashire, England. By 1965,the group had been established as one of Britain's pre-eminent singles bands. As part of the British Invasion, they enjoyed huge chart success in many countries in the mid-Sixties, releasing a string of classic harmony-pop hits including Bus Stop I'm Alive, a UK No. 1, I Can't Let Go, Stop Stop Stop, Carrie Anne, On A Carousel, Look Through Any Window, and Jennifer Eccles.

In 1972, the hit Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress reached #2 in the US. Their last mega hit was He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, hitting #1 in the UK in 1988 (albeit 19 years after its first release).

The band are noted for their longevity, with their 2006 tour chalking up 45 years. Despite numerous changes in line-up, Tony Hicks & Bobby Elliott have been with the band almost from its inception.

Lead singer Allan Clarke left The Hollies in 1971, though he rejoined the band at later times. He was eventually replaced by Carl Wayne, ex lead singer of The Move, who passed away in 2004. Wayne was replaced by Peter Howarth. The 2007 line up is, Ian Parker on keyboards, Ray Stiles (Ex Mud, remember 'Tiger Feet') on bass guitar and Alan Coates on guitar and vocals by Steve Lauri.

Original bass player Eric Haydock died in January 2018.

The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2010.

Allan Clarke (vocals, 1962-71, 1973-99), Graham Nash (guitar, vocals, 1962-68, 1983), Eric Haydock (bass, 1962-66), Vick Farrell (guitar, 1962), Don Rathbone (drums, 1962-63), Tony Hicks (guitar, banjo, mandolin, electric sitar, vocals, 1963-present), Bobby Elliott (drums, percussion, 1963-present), Bernie Calvert (bass, 1966-81), Terry Sylvester (guitar, vocals, 1969-81), Mikael Rickfors (vocals, 1971-73), Denis Haines (bass, 1981-86), Alan Coates (guitar, 1981-2004), Ray Stiles (bass, vocals, 1986-present), Ian Parker (keyboards, vocals, 1991-present), Carl Wayne (vocals, 2000-04), Peter Howarth (vocals, acoustic guitar, 2004-present), Steve Lauri (guitar, vocals, 2004-present)

Cable Car
The Hollies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(sylvester)
Cable car, flying high
Passing stars or wondering why
Did she go or did she die
I don't know

Mountainside, not so green
Snow is more than ever seen

Will she come back in a dream
I don't know

Thoughts of her reminding me
Of a time I couldn't see
Anything but you and me together

Colored cloud, on you go
To a land you may not know
If you see her
Tell her I'm so alone

Verse 4

Overall Meaning

The Hollies's song Cable Car is a poignant ballad that speaks of a person's melancholic yearning for a lost love. The lyrics describe the singer's journey on a cable car, reminiscing about his ex-lover who he is unsure if she disappeared or passed away. The cable car is a metaphor for the singer's journey through life, where he is searching for answers and insights on what happened to his lost love. The imagery of the mountainside and the snow represents the singer's emotional state, where he feels cold and barren, and the thoughts of his ex-lover remind him of a time when his life was filled with warmth and happiness.

The song's chorus - "If you see her, tell her I'm so alone" - encapsulates the singer's desperation and longing for his lost love, which he hopes to reconnect with in his dreams. The singer knows that the reality of finding his ex-lover is slim, and all he has left is his memories that are symbolized in the cable car ride. The song is a poignant reflection of how lost love can haunt and touch a person's life even after they have gone.

Line by Line Meaning

Cable car, flying high
Traveling aloft in the aerial tramway

Passing stars or wondering why
Observing the celestial bodies in the sky or contemplating the reason for her departure

Did she go or did she die
Uncertainty regarding her whereabouts or condition

I don't know
Admitting to a lack of knowledge or understanding

Mountainside, not so green
The terrain appears barren, lacking in verdancy

Snow is more than ever seen
The snowfall is unusually heavy

Will she come back in a dream
Hoping for a reunion, even if only in a dream state

I don't know
Still unsure of what the future holds

Thoughts of her reminding me
Recalling memories of her brings her back to mind

Of a time I couldn't see
Revisiting a period when feelings were unclear or confusing

Anything but you and me together
Focused solely on being together