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)
I'M Down
The Hollies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The early bird's been up all morning
But I've got no notion of moving from where I am
Though my legs won't move I feel disabled
I'm on a shelf an article labeled
Waiting for someone to fetch me from lost and found
I'm down, no one to hear me calling
I'm down
Had my ways with days of sunshine
Life came easy, it all fell in line
But then again I didn't realize
When you're used to one thing it's hard to accept another
Like the woman who brought you up well
She ain't your mother
How do you cope with a thing like that
I'm down, no one to hear me calling
I'm down, no one to see me falling
I'm down
I always thought it was my dad who went to war
Thought it was my sister who fell off the wall
My pseudo brother Billy emigrated long ago
Someone went through' pain to have me
Someone I should know, I'm down
I'm down
To the folks who brought me up I'm not ungrateful
Kept the secret from me they thought it was shameful
It hurt me so to be the last one to know
Maybe someone's out there looking for me
Left on their own couldn't afford to clothe me
And I, I don't even know my real name
I'm down, no one to hear me calling
I'm down, no one to see me falling
I'm down, I'm down, I'm down
The Hollies’s 1974 song “I'm Down” is a reflection on the difficulties of life, particularly when one feels lost and disconnected from those around them. The lyrics describe a person who is in a state of confusion and helplessness, unable to move forward or connect with others. The opening lines, “Shook my head out of dreams reality's calling / The early bird's been up all morning / But I've got no notion of moving from where I am,” suggest a person who is struggling to come to terms with the demands of everyday life. The singer feels “disabled” and stuck, as if waiting for someone to come and rescue him.
The song goes on to explore themes of identity, family, and loss. The singer reflects on his past, recalling a time when “Life came easy, it all fell in line.” However, he soon realizes that things are not as they seem. He speaks of a woman who raised him but who is not his biological mother, and of a family secret that has been kept from him. The final lines of the song, “Maybe someone's out there looking for me / Left on their own couldn't afford to clothe me / And I, I don't even know my real name,” leave the listener with a sense of sadness and longing.
Overall, “I'm Down” is a poignant reflection on the challenges of life and the importance of connection and identity. It explores themes of loss, family, and the search for meaning in a world that can often feel confusing and overwhelming.
Line by Line Meaning
Shook my head out of dreams reality's calling
I woke up from a dream and realized that it's time to face reality.
The early bird's been up all morning
Everyone else has been up for a while already and I'm still here.
But I've got no notion of moving from where I am
Despite knowing that I should probably get going, I can't seem to motivate myself to move.
Though my legs won't move I feel disabled
I physically can't get myself to move, and it's making me feel helpless.
I'm on a shelf an article labeled
I feel like an object that's been put on display and labeled as if I'm not a person with feelings.
Waiting for someone to fetch me from lost and found
I'm waiting for someone to come and rescue me or help me find my way.
I'm down, no one to hear me calling
I feel alone and no one seems to be there to support me or listen to me.
Had my ways with days of sunshine
I used to have a happy life, filled with simple pleasures and good memories.
Life came easy, it all fell in line
Everything used to be easy for me, and I never had to face any major challenges.
But then again I didn't realize
I was naïve and didn't know how good I had it until it was gone.
When you're used to one thing it's hard to accept another
It's difficult to adjust when life suddenly becomes different or unexpected.
Like the woman who brought you up well
People who you thought were important in your life may not actually be who you thought they were.
She ain't your mother
I realize that the person who I thought was my mother isn't actually my biological mother.
How do you cope with a thing like that
I don't know how to deal with this new information and it's overwhelming me.
I always thought it was my dad who went to war
I had a certain belief about my family history that turned out to be incorrect.
Thought it was my sister who fell off the wall
I thought I knew what happened to my family members, but my information was wrong.
My pseudo brother Billy emigrated long ago
Even the people who I thought were close to me and part of my family aren't actually related to me.
Someone went through' pain to have me
I know that someone gave birth to me, but I don't know who that person is.
Someone I should know, I'm down
I feel like I'm missing an important piece of my identity, and it's making me feel lost and alone.
To the folks who brought me up I'm not ungrateful
I appreciate the people who raised me, but I'm still struggling with the new information I've learned.
Kept the secret from me they thought it was shameful
The people who raised me kept the truth about my biological parents a secret because they were embarrassed or ashamed.
It hurt me so to be the last one to know
Knowing that everyone else knew the truth about my past and kept it from me hurts me deeply.
Maybe someone's out there looking for me
I hope that someone is trying to find me and reunite with me.
Left on their own couldn't afford to clothe me
The people who gave birth to me may not have been able to keep me because they couldn't afford to take care of me.
And I, I don't even know my real name
I don't know who I am and it's a painful and confusing realization.
I'm down, I'm down, I'm down
I feel overwhelmed, lost, and alone.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN CLARKE, TONY HICKS, TERRY SYLVESTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Carrie Anne
A nice and catchy song by The Hollies.
Philip Kassabian
on Bus Stop
Yet another great Hollies song.
Philip Kassabian
on Stop Stop Stop
One of the best bands from the 60's no doubt.