The rich harmonies of 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Hollies will be celebrated by the Parlophone label on September 22 in the U.K. and October 21 in the U.S. with the release of 50 at Fifty, a new 3-CD career-spanning anthology of 50 songs originally released between 1963 and the present day (including one previously unissued recording).
The new anthology, officially announced on The Hollies’ website, includes material from the band’s various lineups as originally released on the Parlophone, Polydor, EMI, WEA and Columbia labels. The first disc handily chronicles the band’s classic line-up of Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Bobby Elliott and Tony Hicks with bassists Eric Haydock and Bernie Calvert, with the remaining two CDs spotlighting the important contributions of future Hollies like Terry Sylvester and Mikael Rickfors. The collection kicks off with every one of the group’s U.K. A-sides between 1963’s debut single “(Ain’t That) Just Like Me” and 1974’s “The Air That I Breathe” save one: 1966’s quirky Burt Bacharach/Hal David film theme “After the Fox,” a duet with Peter Sellers released on the United Artists label. The first six A-sides are presented in mono; every other track on this set is in stereo.
“The Air That I Breathe” was the band’s final U.K. Top 10 hit until 1988, when the reissued “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” reached the chart’s zenith. So from that point on, 50 at 50 offers a selection of key A-sides, flips, live versions and album tracks including a 1976 live performance of “Too Young to Be Married,” Tony Hicks’ hit which wasn’t even released as a single in the U.K.; the reunion single “Stop! In the Name of Love” with Graham Nash and its comparatively rare New Zealand B-side “Let Her Go Down”; tracks from two recent albums featuring current (since 2004) lead vocalist Peter Howarth; and one brand new song, “Skylarks.”
After the jump, we have more details including the complete track listing with discographical annotation and pre-order links!
50 at Fifty follows past Hollies anthologies such as 2003’s rarities-packed 40th anniversary box set The Long Road Home 1963-2003 and 2011’s The Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years: The Complete Hollies, April 1963-October 1968. As the new set is U.K.-centric, some minor U.S. hits have been overlooked including “Dear Eloise,” “Do the Best You Can,” “Long Dark Road” and “Another Night.” In addition, later U.K. hits such as “Find Me a Family,” “The Woman I Love” and the 1981 “Holliedaze” medley are all absent from this retrospective.
The track listing as currently displayed on Amazon U.K. appears to indicate that 50 at Fifty has primarily been sourced from the 2003 remasters by Peter Mew at Abbey Road for The Long Road Home. The collection is due from Parlophone, now part of Warner Music Group, on September 22 in the U.K. and one month later stateside. You can check out the track listing just below!
The Hollies, 50 at Fifty (Parlophone/Rhino, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )
CD1
- (Ain't That) Just Like Me (Parlophone R 5030-A, 1963)
- Searchin' (Parlophone R 5052-A, 1963)
- Stay (Parlophone R 5077-A, 1963)
- Just One Look (Parlophone R 5104-A, 1964)
- Here I Go Again (Parlophone R 5137-A, 1964)
- We're Through (Parlophone R 5178-A, 1964)
- Yes I Will (Parlophone R 5232-A, 1965)
- I'm Alive (Parlophone R 5287-A, 1965)
- Look Through Any Window (Parlophone R 5322-A, 1965)
- If I Needed Someone (Parlophone R 5392-A, 1965)
- I Can't Let Go (Parlophone R 5409-A, 1966)
- Bus Stop (Parlophone R 5469-A, 1966)
- Pay You Back With Interest (from For Certain Because, Parlophone LP 7011, 1966)
- Stop! Stop! Stop! (Parlophone R 5508-A, 1966)
- On A Carousel (Parlophone R 5562-A, 1967)
- Carrie Anne (Parlophone R 5602-A, 1967)
- King Midas In Reverse (Parlophone R 5637-A, 1967)
- Jennifer Eccles (Parlophone R 5680-A, 1968)
- Listen To Me (Parlophone R 5733-A, 1968)
- Sorry Suzanne (Parlophone R 5765-A, 1969)
CD2
- He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Parlophone R 5806-A, 1969)
- I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top (Parlophone R 5837-A, 1970)
- Gasoline Alley Bred (Parlophone R 5862-A, 1970)
- Hey Willy (Parlophone R 5905-A, 1971)
- The Baby (Polydor 2058 199-A, 1972)
- Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) (Parlophone R 5939-A, 1972)
- Magic Woman Touch (Polydor 2058 289-A, 1972)
- The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee (Polydor 2058 403-A, 1973)
- The Air That I Breathe (Polydor 2058 435-A, 1974)
- Lonely Hobo Lullaby (from Another Night, Polydor LP 2442 128, 1975)
- 4th Of July Asbury Park (Sandy) (Polydor 2058 595-A, 1975)
- I'm Down (Polydor 2058 533-A, 1974)
- There's Always Goodbye (from Write On, Polydor LP 2442 141, 1976)
- Boulder To Birmingham (Polydor 2058 694-A, 1976)
- Too Young To Be Married (Live) (from Live Hits, Polydor LP 2383 428, 1976)
- Daddy Don't Mind (from Russian Roulette, Polydor LP 2383 421-A, 1976)
CD3
- Hello To Romance (Polydor 2058 880-A, 1977)
- Amnesty (Polydor 2058 906-A, 1977)
- Soldiers Song (Polydor 2059 246, 1980)
- Heartbeat (Polydor POSP 175, 1980)
- If The Lights Go Out (First Version) (rec. 1980, re-recorded for What Goes Around, 1983)
- Take My Love And Run (First Version) (rec. 1980, released Polydor POSP 379, 1981, re-recorded for What Goes Around, 1983)
- Stop! In The Name Of Love (WEA single U 9888, 1983)
- Let Her Go Down (B-side of “Stop! In the Name of Love” New Zealand single, 1983)
- Too Many Hearts Get Broken (Columbia DB 9110, 1985)
- Laughter Turns To Tears (Columbia 12DB 9110, 1985)
- So Damn Beautiful (from Staying Power, EMI 0946 355983 2 2, 2006)
- On A Carousel (Live) (TBD)
- Then, Now Always (Dolphin Days) (Live) (original song from Then Now Always, Parlophone, 2009)
- Skylarks (New 2014 Recording) (previously unreleased)
Tracks 1-6 in mono; all other tracks in stereo
Bill says
Given the volume of Hollies reissues and compilations already available, this seems pretty pointless. Sorry.
John H says
Yeah, a sadly pointless collection for a great group. I never like how labels (or the artists themselves) try to give something like vaguely even attention to all chapters of a band's career even when some chapters were clearly better and more popular. About 30% to 40% is sub-par, with lots of amazing tracks left off.
Steve Bruun says
I love the Hollies' early material, but the band definitely suffers from compilation fatigue. The most remarkable thing I notice about this collection is that it includes "Stop In The Name Of Love," which I haven't seen on any other compilation. The new set also leaves out 2003's "How Do I Survive," thus omitting the Carl Wayne years (not that the track was particularly evocative of the "Hollies Sound.")
kenny says
I own over 100 Hollies cd's so you might say I was a fan. Key omissions here are Long Dark Road, Dear Eloise. and Another Night. These were not singles in the UK. Jesus Was a Crossmaker and So Lonely are lesser omissions.
Sam says
Pretty ugly artwork...
Sean Anglum says
You beat me to the punch on that, Sam. Artwork? Yuck! As ugly and pointless as the Beatles" "Rock'n'Roll" album was. Probably indicative of the entire design package. How unfortunate. Loved the cover photo on "The Clarke, Hicks and Nash Years." Of course they've stuck "Skylarks" on there for completists...damn!
mark schlesinger says
1. Exactly who needs this thing?
2. Also excluded "Right On", one of the best tunes from the ;80s.
3. How about some live concerts instead of the humpteenth box set/compilation of the same ol' stuff.
4. Unlike most Hollies fans, I prefer the group with Terry Sylvester to the "classic" lineup with Nash, who is an indifferent guitarist and not much of a writer. Sylvester and Hicks were a great guitar combo.
Magnus Hägermyr says
"The Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years" 6-CD box which I found on the internet for £8 must be hard to compete with for any other Hollies collections.
John says
I see about 5 minutes was spent on the cover...
Matt says
I like the artwork. The images in the 50 are interesting. The booklet is nice and the new track 'Skylarks' is brilliant! Something new, stand out. Not middle of the road guff!