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YMMV / The Hollies

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  • Broken Base: While the band did have several big hits after Graham Nash left (most prominently "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress", and "The Air that I Breathe"), the music from the post-Nash years is not nearly as popular or acclaimed as that which was recorded during Nash's tenure in the band. However, it still has a significant number of fans, some of whom will even argue that it's superior to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's output during the time period.
  • Covered Up: A country-specific version. "Yes I Will" was a Top Ten hit for the band in the UK, but American fans are more familiar with the cover version by The Monkees (under the title "I'll Be True to You").
  • First and Foremost: "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" has been recorded by many artists, but people continue to associate the song with the Hollies.
  • Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The band had a good amount of hits at home, but went on to have a surprising number of number-one hits in utterly random countries such as Switzerland, Malaysia, and Italy.
  • Growing the Beard: For Certain Because was the first album to consist of all original material, and was a huge leap forward in defining the sound that the group would become known for.
  • Retroactive Recognition: A pre-fame Elton John plays piano on "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." (Prior to hitting it big in his own right, Elton had a gig as a session pianist.)
  • They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: Starting in 1966 and continuing into 1967, the Hollies' music became more psychedelic and experimental, reflecting Graham Nash's increasing dominance within the band. The Butterfly album from late 1967 and the "King Midas in Reverse" single were the culmination of this trend; however, both sold poorly upon release, being deemed too strange. As a result, the group's next single, "Jennifer Eccles," reverted to the group's earlier poppy style, but Nash hated the song, and the overall rejection of his ideas precipitated his leaving the band. Ironically, Butterfly and "King Midas" are now usually considered to be among the band's finest works.
  • Signature Song: "Long Cool Woman" is their best known song overall.

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