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)

I Thought Of You Last Night
The Hollies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I thought of you last night
I thought of you and thought of you
Until the morning light
I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep last night

I wanted you last night
I wanted you and wanted you
And wished with all my might

You'd come to me, you'd come to me last night

Darling, my darling, I can't live without you
I'm lonely, so lonely when you're out of sight

I'll wait for tonight
I'll wait for you and wait for you
And long to hold you tight
Bring your love to me, your love to me tonight

I'll wait for tonight
I'll wait for you and wait for you
And long to hold you tight

Bring your love to me, your love to me tonight
Bring your love to me, your love to me tonight

Overall Meaning

The Hollies's song I Thought Of You Last Night is a love song about longing and desire for someone special. The lyrics express the intense emotions of a person who can't stop thinking about their love all night long until the early morning hours. The singer reveals that they are unable to sleep because they are so consumed by their thoughts of their beloved. The repetition of the phrase "I thought of you, and thought of you" emphasizes the intensity of the singer's longing, and the fact that they can't seem to shake these thoughts no matter how much they try.

In the second verse, the singer further confesses their desire for the person they are thinking of. They express that they wanted them, wished for them with all their might, and longed for them to come to them. The chorus then features the singer addressing their beloved and telling them that they can't live without them. They feel intensely lonely and incomplete when their beloved is not near them.

The final lines of the chorus reveal the urgency and desperation of the singer's longing, as they proclaim that they will wait for their love tonight and long to hold them tight. The repetition of these lines drives home the point of the singer's overwhelming desire, and their plea for their love to come to them tonight.

Overall, The Hollies's song I Thought Of You Last Night is a poignant and emotive expression of the consuming power of love and desire.

Line by Line Meaning

I thought of you last night
I couldn't stop thinking about you last night

I thought of you and thought of you
You were constantly on my mind

Until the morning light
My thoughts lasted all night

I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep last night
Your absence kept me restless all night

I wanted you last night
I desperately craved your presence last night

I wanted you and wanted you
My desire for you grew stronger and stronger

And wished with all my might
I prayed that you would come to me

You'd come to me, you'd come to me last night
I yearned for you to be by my side

Darling, my darling, I can't live without you
You are essential to my happiness and well-being, my love

I'm lonely, so lonely when you're out of sight
Your absence leaves an unbearable void in my life