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)

My Island
The Hollies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sailing on a summer breeze, going back to my island
Nearly done my time, my life will be mine once again
The distant past so far behind
And I hope there hasn't been many changes
'Cause I haven't seen my island for such a long time

Oh, I want to breathe the air that's free
Oh, I want to feel the warm sand beneath my feet

And the sun on my face, oh

Couldn't say goodbye through no fault of mine to my loved ones
But sent a message through from my first port of call
I was pressed into time by the men from the line
They didn't tell me where I was going
And I haven't seen my island in such a long time

Oh, I've sailed upon the seven seas
Oh, you wouldn't believe the things I've seen
When I get home I'll tell you, oh

Oh, I want to breathe the air that's free
Oh, I want to feel the warm sand beneath my feet
And the sun on my face, yeah, oh

Sailing on a summer breeze, going back to my island
Nearly done my time, my life will be mine once again
The distant past so far behind

And I hope there hasn't been many changes
'Cause I haven't seen my island for such a long time, oh, oh, oh, oh

Overall Meaning

"My Island" by The Hollies is a song that captures the emotions of a sailor who is finally sailing back to his island after being away at sea for a long time. The lyrics are filled with a sense of longing and a strong desire to return home to the place where he feels the most at ease. The first verse highlights the sailor's excitement about going back to his island and reclaiming his life again. He hopes that things haven't changed too much since he left, and he's eager to be reunited with the familiar sights and sounds of home. The sailor sings about wanting to breathe the air that's free, feel the warm sand beneath his feet, and the sun on his face, all the things that make him feel alive.

The second verse is a bit more melancholic, as the sailor reflects on the fact that he wasn't able to say goodbye to his loved ones before he left. He sent a message from his first port of call to let them know he was okay, but he's still sad that he didn't get to see them one last time. The sailor sings about being pressed into time by the men from the line who didn't tell him where he was going, highlighting the uncertainty and unpredictability of life at sea. However, he remains optimistic about returning home and sharing his experiences with his loved ones.

Overall, "My Island" is a beautifully written song that captures the essence of homecoming and the longing for a sense of familiarity. The sailor's desire to reconnect with his past, his loved ones, and the place that he calls home is something that many people can relate to.

Line by Line Meaning

Sailing on a summer breeze, going back to my island
I am sailing smoothly towards my cherished island, my happy place.

Nearly done my time, my life will be mine once again
The moment I've been waiting for is finally here, and I can reclaim my life.

The distant past so far behind
The memories of my past struggles and hardships are now a thing of the past.

And I hope there hasn't been many changes
I pray that my beloved island hasn't undergone significant changes since I was last there.

'Cause I haven't seen my island for such a long time
It's been a while since I last visited my island, and I can't wait to go back and reconnect with it.

Oh, I want to breathe the air that's free
I long to experience the freedom and beauty that comes with breathing the fresh air of my island.

Oh, I want to feel the warm sand beneath my feet
I crave the feel of the warm sand particles trickling down my feet as I walk along the beach.

And the sun on my face, oh
The warmth of the sun on my face will remind me of the happy moments spent on my island.

Couldn't say goodbye through no fault of mine to my loved ones
It was impossible for me to say goodbye to my loved ones due to circumstances beyond my control.

But sent a message through from my first port of call
I sent a message to my loved ones once I arrived at my first port of call, informing them of my journey.

I was pressed into time by the men from the line
I was rushed by the men responsible for my schedule and travel arrangements.

They didn't tell me where I was going
The travel organizers didn't give me any prior knowledge of my destination.

Oh, I've sailed upon the seven seas
I've had the opportunity to travel and explore many different parts of the world.

Oh, you wouldn't believe the things I've seen
I've experienced so many unbelievable things during my travels.

When I get home I'll tell you, oh
When I get back home to my island, I'll share my adventurous travel stories with my loved ones.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN CLARKE, TERRY SYLVESTER, TONY HICKS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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