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)

Don't You Know
The Hollies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
When I met you
I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around
Turned you into someone new
Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet
Success has been so easy for you
But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now
And I can put you back down too

Don't
Don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't
Don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

It's much too late to find
When you think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, oh

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me, oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Hollies' song "Don't You Know" tell the story of a man who met a woman while she was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar. He "picked her out, shook her up, and turned her around," transforming her into someone new. Five years later, the woman has achieved great success, but the singer reminds her that it was him who put her where she is today, and he is capable of taking it away.

The song is essentially about power dynamics in a romantic relationship. The singer is asserting his dominance over the woman, and the chorus ("don't you want me?") is a plea for her to continue valuing him and their relationship. However, there is an underlying sense of desperation to the singer's words - he can't believe it when he hears that the woman won't see him and doesn't need him. He's willing to do whatever it takes to keep her, even if it means manipulating her.

Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too invested in someone else's success. The singer thought that he had control over the woman's life, but in the end, her success meant that she no longer needed him. The song suggests that it's important to value yourself and not rely too heavily on others for validation.

Line by Line Meaning

You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
When we first met, you were working as a waitress in a bar that served mixed drinks.

When I met you
At the time when I came across you there.

I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around
I chose you and made a significant impact on your life henceforth.

Turned you into someone new
I transformed you, making you become someone different from your previous self.

Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet
After five years, you've achieved great success and attained a position of influence.

Success has been so easy for you
You didn't have to put in much effort to attain your current success.

But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now
Remember that I played a crucial role in your success and the position you're in now.

And I can put you back down too
Be aware that I have the power and ability to bring you back to where you started.

Don't
Please don't.

Don't you want me?
Do you still have feelings for me and want me like before?

You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
It's hard for me to accept that you don't want to meet me anymore.

Don't
Please don't.

Don't you want me?
Do you still have feelings for me and want me like before?

You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me
I find it hard to believe that you don't require my presence in your life anymore.

It's much too late to find
It's too late to realize.

When you think you've changed your mind
When you think you have made up your mind differently.

You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry
It's best to change your mind back to what it was, or we'll both regret it later.

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you still have feelings of love for me, my dear?

Don't you want me, oh
Don't you still want me with all your heart?

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you still have feelings of love for me, my dear?

Don't you want me, oh
Don't you still want me with all your heart?

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John William Callis, Philip Oakey, Adrian Philip Wright

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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