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)

Now's The Time
The Hollies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now's the time to say that we're through
Now's the time because I'm through with you
You treated me so bad
What a time I had
With you oh yeah times are bad times are bad

I recall the times that used to be
We went out together happily

Then he came along
I knew that it was wrong
to treat me so oh yeah times are bad times are bad

I miss the times
I feel so blue Without you my heart
it's just runaway

verse 1

chorus

Overall Meaning

The Hollies’ song “Now’s The Time” is a deeply emotional track that deals with the theme of a failing relationship. The singer reaches a breaking point and decides that now is the time to say that they’re through with their partner. The reason behind this decision is that the partner has been treating them really badly, causing a lot of pain and sorrow. The singer reminisces about the times when they were happy together, but that all changed when the partner came into the picture. Despite knowing that their actions were wrong, the partner continued to mistreat the singer, making them feel lonely and miserable. Now, the singer is left feeling blue and lost without their partner, but they are still resolute that it’s better to be alone than to be with someone who causes them constant torment.

The song is a powerful portrayal of heartbreak with its simple yet poignant lyrics. The melody lays down a haunting and somber atmosphere that perfectly complements the melancholic lyrics. The song’s slow and steady pace provides an opportunity for the listener to deeply feel and empathize with the singer and their situation. The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of “times are bad,” only emphasizes the sense of despair that runs throughout the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Now's the time to say that we're through
It is time for me to express that our relationship has ended

Now's the time because I'm through with you
This is the perfect moment because I have made the decision to end things with you

You treated me so bad
Your behavior towards me was unpleasant and hurtful

What a time I had
I had a difficult and unpleasant experience with you

With you oh yeah times are bad times are bad
Being with you has resulted in a bad time for me and causes me to feel down

I recall the times that used to be
I remember the past when we were together and happy

We went out together happily
We used to enjoy each other's company and have a good time together

Then he came along
A third party was introduced into our relationship

I knew that it was wrong
I was aware that it was not appropriate to involve someone else in our relationship

to treat me so oh yeah times are bad times are bad
Your mistreatment of me has resulted in a negative experience for me

I miss the times
I long for the past when we were happy together