December 30, 2011

The Staccatos - Where Did Holly Go? (1968)

Wanting to attract a young market, the Canadian Coca-Cola company made the choice to release a record featuring two moderately successful bands. One of the bands was The Guess Who?, which would have great success in the coming years. The other group was this one, which went on to have the hit “Signs” (1971) after changing their name to the Five Man Electrical Band in 1969.

This song comes from the Coca-Cola record mentioned above, titled A Wild Pair. In comparison to the group’s later work, this song (and the other songs by them) is much more relaxed.

album cover

The Staccatos - Where Did Holly Go? (1968)

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Lyrics:

Spirit alive
Secrets of life
Understood she was straight
She was solid good
She took her light away
They called her ‘Holly’

(Where did Holly go?)
Did she (have to fly away?)
If I knew where she was goin’
I’d be goin’ that way (too)

Holly had a way of smiling
That could turn the sunshine on you
(Holly had a way of smiling)
And she could make the morning glories
Come out any time she wanted
Nothing stayed outside her beauty

(Where did Holly go?)
Did she (have to fly away?)
If I knew where she was goin’
I’d be goin’ that way (too)

Holly lived in ways forgiving
Ways in which I could not follow
(Holly lived in ways forgiving)
Spoke about the land she knew of
But a place she could not take me
I could never walk the circle

(Where did Holly go?)
Did she (have to fly away?)
If I knew where she was goin’
I’d be goin’ that way (too)

Tonight the wind might carry me
To the place where I will find her
If I spend my lifetime chasing myself
(Chasing myself…)
Holly spoke of San Francisco
Said it was a nice place to die

4 comments:

  1. What a lovely piece of Baroque Pop. When it started, though, I thought I was listening to a song from 1958, not '68. But then all those harmonies came in, and I remembered: "Ah yes, 1968 – when a lot of pop music became very pleasant and ornate."

    I wouldn't be surprised if somebody said "Where Did Holly Go?" was a song originally written for The Association, but they didn't want it so The Staccatos took it.

    Or, maybe someone in The Staccatos decided they wanted to write a song that sounded like The Association. ("Hey guys, I've just written a song. You'll never guess who it sounds like...")

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    Replies
    1. I find this song to be a little too mellow for me, but I figured I'd post it for the fact that the group became The Five Man Electrical Band. I can definitely hear some of The Association on there, too, now that you mention it!

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  2. I forgot to mention... "Where Did Holly Go?" reminded me of The Beatles' "Yes It Is".

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  3. I first heard this when I wasn't even ten. My brother had an autographed copy of this album - now in my possession.
    I've always considered it to be the highlight of either side of the album.
    Always one of my favourite songs.

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