3 Songs Nash, Clarke, and Hicks Wrote for the Everly Brothers Later Released

Longtime fans of the Everly Brothers, bandmates Graham Nash and Allan Clarke were determined to meet their heroes who were then touring the UK in 1960. The duo, who had already modeled themselves after the Everly Brothers, performing under the moniker Ricky and Dane Young—later The Fourtones with the addition of a rounded-out band—stood on the steps of the Midland Hotel in Manchester, England, waiting for Don and Phil Everly to return from their concert.

“It was 1:20 in the morning, and instead of patting these two young kids on the head and signing an autograph and going to their bedrooms, they stood and talked to me and Allan Clarke for what seemed to be hours, but what actually was several minutes,” remembered Nash in 2014. “My heroes were looking me in my eyes and calling me by name,” added Nash. “I realized when you meet a hero or someone you admire, to have a perfect moment of actual contact can change your life. And they did mine that night.”

Shortly after, Nash and Clarke formed the Hollies in 1962. Nash, Clarke, and Tony Hicks were writing songs for other artists and had a chance to work with their heroes, serving as the backing band for the Everly Brothers’ 1966 album Two Yanks in England.

The Hollies are also credited for eight of the 12 tracks credited under their earlier collective songwriting pseudonym of L. Ransford, named after Nash’s grandfather. The down-tempo “So Lonely” and “I’ve Been Wrong” (retitled “I’ve Been Wrong Before” on Two Yanks in England) were previously released by the Hollies on their 1965 self-titled album, while “Don’t Run and Hide” was released on their album Bus Stop from 1966, and the melancholy closer “Hard Hard Year” and “Fifi the Flea” were featured on the band’s 1966 release Would You Believe?

Although the Hollies only played on six of the songs from the album that were recorded in London—the remainder were recorded in Los Angeles with another set of musicians, including Glen Campbell—the group wrote eight of the twelve tracks on the album. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones are also purportedly on the album but were never credited.

Though the Hollies collaborated with other artists, as Ransford and individually, their work with the Everly Brothers remains one of the greater standouts in their songbook. Here’s a look at four songs Nash, Clarke, and Tony Hicks wrote for the Everly Brothers and later recorded as the Hollies.

1. “Signs That Will Never Change” (1967)

After the Everly Brothers’ Two Yanks in England, the Hollies recorded several more songs from the album, which made their way out as B-sides and on LPs. “Signs That Will Never Change” made its way out a year later as a B-side to the band’s hit single “Carrie Anne,” their ode to Marianne Faithfull that peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Leaves come falling on a winter’s day

Robins weep and watch them sail away

Floating on the water now, is autumn’s last farewell

These are signs that will never change

Signs that will never change

Rivers once were frozen now they’re free

Showing winter’s going rapidly

Tadpoles turning into frogs is winter’s last farewell

These are signs that will never change

Signs that will never change

2. “Have You Ever Loved Somebody?” (1967)

When the Hollies were working on their first of two albums in 1967, Evolution, they incorporated the mid-tempo “Have You Ever Loved Somebody?” The lyrics follow the one-sided regrets and longing for a broken romance.

You say that you want me and now that you’ve got me you’re gone

Think what you’re doing or else you’ll regret what you’ve done

Don’t come back tomorrow and say what we did wasn’t right

You’ll cry on your pillow and find it hard to sleep at night

Have you ever loved somebody?

Don’t you know just what it’s like?

Hurting someone that you’re close to

Have you ever loved all night, all night?

Remember what happened the last time that you said goodbye

Remember the saying that once bitten I’ll be twice shy

It’s no use me crying, there is no denying it’s right

When thinking has ruined the feeling that we had to fight

3. “Like Every Time Before” (1968)

After the Hollies released Evolution and Butterfly in 1967, they revisited “Like Every Time Before” and released it as a B-Side to “Do The Best You Can.” The Hollies had already recorded their version of the song a year after the Everly Brothers first released it in ’66.

If you’d only realize

I’d been happy with you once before

Can’t you let it be the same and more

Without you fighting me, fighting me

If you could only look into my eyes

Then you would see the truth within them lies

That I am trying hard to bring us back together

You try so hard to complicate our love

But underneath it all it’s pride my love

That’s hurting us and keeping us apart

Source: Rolling Stone