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)
Love Is The Thing
The Hollies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It always comes back to love
In the end
Love is the thing
That brings you closer to a friend
In the end
Love takes you back
To the first love you had
Remembering
They say you can`t forget
Your first taste of love
Memories
Love, love, love
Love is the thing
It always comes back to love
Don`t try pretend
Love is the thing
That brings you closer to a friend
Don`t try pretend
[Verse 1]
[Verse 2]
The lyrics of The Hollies's song Love Is The Thing captures the essence of love and its ultimate importance. The song suggests that love is an everlasting force that remains at the heart of everything we do. It acknowledges that love brings people together, and that it's not possible to forget the first taste of love we experience. The lyrics suggest that love is not something to be hidden or repressed, but instead should be celebrated and embraced openly.
The lyrics of Love Is The Thing also evoke the idea that love is a force that connects people, particularly friends. The song suggests that friendship is intimately tied tolove, as the two go hand in hand. It is impossible to form deep connections with others without love, and without these connections, life lacks meaning and purpose. The song highlights the importance of not pretending when it comes to love and friendship, suggesting that honesty and openness are key components of these relationships.
Overall, the lyrics of Love Is The Thing are simple yet profound, exploring the importance of love in our lives and its power to transform us and bring us closer together.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is the thing
Love is the essence of life and the most important thing that we all seek.
It always comes back to love
No matter how hard life gets or how much we struggle, we always come back to love in the end.
In the end
Ultimately, everything in life boils down to love and our connection to others.
That brings you closer to a friend
Love is what brings us closer to others, especially our friends who become like family.
Love, love, love
Repeating love three times emphasizes its importance and centrality in our lives.
Love takes you back
Love has the power to transport us back in time and bring back the memories of past loves.
To the first love you had
Our first love is often the most powerful and memorable, and love has the ability to take us back to that time and feeling.
Remembering
Love helps us remember the important people and moments in our lives that have shaped us.
They say you can't forget
It is said that our first love is something we never truly forget or move on from.
Your first taste of love
The first time we experience love is often the most impactful and shape our understanding and perspective of love.
Memories
Love is often tied to our memories and feelings of nostalgia, reminding us of special moments in our lives.
Don't try pretend
Don't try to deny or ignore the power of love and its impact on our lives and relationships.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN CLARKE, TERRY SYLVESTER, TONY HICKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tessflores785
Simply romantic!
Allan Clarke, you sing like no other.
Lovely man, beautiful song.
@divinajoana1450
Esta voz é inigualável
@michellelambert8729
I enjoy your channel so much, yours and others like it inspired me to go on Amazon and buy a bunch of The Hollies music and also Allan Clarke's solo efforts. I have no regrets, that's for sure. I support bands I like by buying their product. But if it were not for the channels promoting this band I would never have known the true excellence of their entire catalogue! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
@brendanaschinski-bp9dj
So romantic and sweet what a song for the soul
@sapphiretaurus
Allan look so ethereal! This is another knockout performance by the Hollies. Thanks, Carole!
@roselynwest2604
Beautiful song and great band! Thank you for posting!
@1kiwidc
Hauntingly beautiful........ both the song and Allan Clarke. Memories.
@veraluciasc
Wonderful! Cute too! ALLAN's voice is masterful! Of losing your breath! Thanks for this gem of video.
@362436yy
Try listening to this song and watching at the starry sky at night... takes me back to my childhood. Awesome effect.
@veraluciasc
Simply wonderful! !!!!! Look at the face of ALLAN. It lives in the song.