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)
Say It Ain't So Joe
The Hollies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
That's not what I wanna hear, Joe
And I got a right to know
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
I'm sure they're telling us lies, Joe
Please, tell us it ain't so
They told us that our hero has played his trump card
He doesn't know how to go on
We're clinging to his charm and determined smile
The good old days have gone
The image and the empire may be falling apart
The money has gotten scarce
One man's word held the country together
But the truth is getting fierce
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
We pinned our hopes on you, Joe
And they're ruining our show
Ooh baby, don't you think
We're gonna get burned?
Ooh baby, don't you think
We're gonna get burned?
We're gonna get turned
We're gonna get burned
Yes, we're gonna get turned
We're gonna get burned
We're gonna get turned
Yes, we're gonna get burned
We're gonna get burned
We're gonna get burned
Yes, we're gonna get turned
We're gonna get burned
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
That's not what I wanna hear, Joe
And I got a right to know
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
I'm sure they're telling us lies, Jo
Please tell us it ain't so
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
That's not what I wanna hear, Joe
And I got a right to know
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
I'm sure they're telling us lies, Joe
Please, tell us it ain't so, say it ain't so
The lyrics of The Hollies' "Say It Ain't So Joe" express the disillusionment of a society whose hopes were betrayed by their leader. The singer of the song is pleading with Joe, presumably their leader, to deny the rumors they have been hearing about his inability to continue leading. The lyrics repeatedly implore Joe to say that what they are hearing is not true and to give an assurance that they have not invested their hopes in a failed leader. The verse "They told us that our hero has played his trump card/He doesn't know how to go on/We're clinging to his charm and determined smile/The good old days have gone" highlights the disappointment of losing hope in a leader who has been the symbol of their dreams.
The song's chorus "Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so/I'm sure they're telling us lies, Joe/Please tell us it ain't so" shows that the singer is not ready to accept the reality of losing faith in Joe. The lyrics suggest that Joe's regime was built on "one man's word," and even his charismatic personality may not be enough to keep his followers loyal. The lines "The image and the empire may be falling apart/The money has gotten scarce" express the dwindling power of Joe's regime, indicating that people are losing faith in his ability to lead them to success.
Line by Line Meaning
Say it ain't so Joe, please, say it ain't so
The singer is begging Joe to deny what they have heard.
That's not what I wanna hear, Joe
The singer is disappointed with what they are hearing and wants Joe to say it's not true.
And I got a right to know
The singer believes they have a right to know the truth.
I'm sure they're telling us lies, Joe
The artist doubts the information they are receiving and suspects it may be false.
Please, tell us it ain't so
The artist is desperately hoping that Joe will confirm their suspicions are incorrect.
They told us that our hero has played his trump card
The singer was informed that their hero has exhausted their resources and options.
He doesn't know how to go on
Their hero is unsure of what to do next and may be struggling.
We're clinging to his charm and determined smile
Despite their hero's struggles, the artist and others continue to admire him for his personality.
The good old days have gone
The artist is nostalgic for a time that no longer exists and may be facing a challenging present and future.
The image and the empire may be falling apart
The artist is worried that their hero's reputation and influence may be diminishing.
The money has gotten scarce
There may be financial difficulties facing the singer's hero or the people around them.
One man's word held the country together
The artist's hero played a significant role in maintaining the unity of their nation or community.
But the truth is getting fierce
The singer suspects that the reality may be more serious than anyone knows, and the consequences may be severe.
We pinned our hopes on you, Joe
The singer and others believed that Joe could make everything better or solve significant problems.
And they're ruining our show
The singer is frustrated that events or people are ruining their plans, hopes, or expectations.
Ooh baby, don't you think
The artist is trying to persuade someone else to share their concern or opinion.
We're gonna get burned?
The artist is worried that they will suffer negative consequences or worse if they do not take action or receive help.
We're gonna get turned
The singer believes that they will likely experience a significant change or be affected by external events or people.
Yes, we're gonna get burned
The singer is convinced that negative consequences or outcomes are inevitable.
We're gonna get turned
The artist is emphasizing their belief that they are facing significant changes or challenges.
Yes, we're gonna get burned
The artist is repeating their conviction that negative consequences are unavoidable.
Contributed by Liam I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.