Customer Reviews

The Midas Touch

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read the other reviews of this item, and I'm totally lost. I had this on original vinyl and absolutely LOVED it, and some of the tracks mentioned in the first review did NOT exist on the original LP, which was correctly issued in 1974. I consider this LP to be one of the best the Hollies ever did, as it showcased the musical style they developed far better than most of their previous work, which sometimes included covers of other persons' material. True, it's not the stuff one may expect, if they consistantly think of the Hollies as doing only songs like Stop, Stop, Stop, or Carrie Anne, but I doubt anyone could honestly say this LP/CD is not one of their best.

This is neither a reunion LP or a reissue of the 1965 album/ This is compilation CD based on a 1987 cassette release on tyHour of Pleasure series. I have it, the cover matches the picture and the track list set forth above is accurate. Don't be misled.

Kusically. it's a mixed back of singles, B-sides, album cuts and EP tracks, with a few cignificant hits and a bunch of early covers. A real smorgasbord.

When, oh when will someone come out with a definitive box set for this group? The three disc set is out of print, and you have to find what you can where you can in a piecemeal fashion...like this.

1997 UK reissue (UPC 724385657528) of 1965 album with 12 tracks in mono and the same 12 tracks in different stereo mixes. 24 tracks total. In Digipak sleeve.

Mono Mixes
1: Very Last Day 3:00
2: You Must Believe Me 2:10
3: Put Yourself in My Place 2:43
4: Down the Line 2:07
5: That's My Desire 2:29
6: Too Many People 2:44
7: Lawdy Miss Clawdy 1:53
8: When I Come Home to You 2:29
9: Fortune Teller 2:31
10: So Lonely 2:38
11: I've Been Wrong 1:58
12: Mickey's Monkey 2:34

Stereo Mixes
13: Very Last Day 3:00
14: You Must Believe Me 2:10
15: Put Yourself in My Place 2:43
16: Down the Line 2:07
17: That's My Desire 2:29
18: Too Many People 2:44
19: Lawdy Miss Clawdy 1:53
20: When I Come Home to You 2:29
21: Fortune Teller 2:31
22: So Lonely 2:38
23: I've Been Wrong 1:58
24: Mickey's Monkey 2:34

The information provided by both the professional and customer reviewers for this album does not pertain to this specific title. Although I recommend Distant Light instead of this title, this one features the vocals of Allan Clarke in a similar vein and context to two albums that appeared a few years earlier: the aforementioned Distant Light and Romany.

Clarke's vocal work here is admirable; the group itself appears to have shed its Top Pop radio persona (although The Air That I Breathe did do well on the charts), and offer a more mature and thoughtful collection of tunes.

Amazon's review is wrong; this 1974 LP often gets confused with their 1965 LP, mainly because they are both simply titled "Hollies". This one is the band's reunion LP with Allan Clarke, and is one of their best from the '70s, with delightful tunes such "Falling Calling" and "Down on the Run", both featuring harmonica. Why this LP only generated one hit, "The Air that I Breathe" is a mystery; everything here is equally commercial-sounding. Unfortunately, the happy atmosphere here was short-lived, as the albums that followed were workmanlike affairs, with a general lack of musical direction. No matter; The Hollies are one of the great pop bands, and this is one of their best moments.

The Hollies made numerous albums titled "Hollies" or "The Hollies".First there was "The Hollies"(their 3rd UK album from 1965,presently availableon EMI/UK CD with both the mono & stereo album on one CD),then there was the 1973 album "Hollies"(including the hit "The Air That I Breathe",available on both U.S. EPIC & UK EMI CD's),then there was a 1985 British L.P. compilation "The Hollies" on EMI/Music For Pleasure(including 1964-66 hits + previously unreleased tracks "Little Bitty Pretty One","Zip a Dee Doo Dah" and a rendition of "Poison Ivy" which is different than the one on the group's Australian debut album).This EMI/MFP compilation later turned up on CD in Australia on EMI 432005-2.However,the CD pictured here on Amazon's website is a 1988 UK EMI/Compacts For Pleasure budget priced CD-only compilation whose unique feature is an accidentally released, rejected,previously unreleased take of the group's 1963 UK single "Searchin'",in which lead singer Allan Clarke growls the lead vocal(as if trying to sound black),and when Graham Nash takes lead vocal on the middle eight of this old Coasters hit,he accidentally sings "Sherlock Holmes and old Sam Sneed...and old Blackie",instead of the correct "Sherlock Holmes and old Sam Spade and old Boston Blackie".As a rarity for avid fans,it warrants Amazon's ... asking price...if they can find it for you.