B-side "It's You" Length 2:47 | Format 7" 45 RPM | |
Released 7 October 1966 (1966-10-07) Recorded 20 June & 17 August 1966, EMI Studios, London Genre Pop rock, folk rock, psychedelic pop | ||
"Stop Stop Stop" is a song by British pop group The Hollies that was written by group members Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, and Graham Nash, and was a rewrite of an earlier song by the group. It was first released as a single and later appeared on the album For Certain Because in the United Kingdom.
Contents
The song was released as a single by the Parlophone label in October 1966 and was released around the same time in the United States by Imperial Records. It was the last single that The Hollies released that year (see 1966 in music) and became a worldwide hit reaching the top 10 of the singles charts in 8 countries, including at #1 in Canada. There is also an Italian version, made by Rita Pavone. The song was covered by Minneapolis Celtic-punk group Boiled in Lead on their 1989 album From the Ladle to The Grave, also interpolating a traditional Egyptian melody into the song.
Background and recording
"Stop Stop Stop" was a rewrite of the song "Come On Back", which was released as the B-side of "We're Through" in September 1964. "Come On Back" was also written by Clarke, Hicks, and Nash but was issued under the pseudonym L. Ransford, which the three used until 1966.
"Stop Stop Stop" is notable for being one of the few recordings by the group that feature Tony Hicks playing the banjo, and was the only song with that instrument to be performed live by the group. The song – like most others by the group – feature a three-part vocal harmony between Clarke, Hicks, and Nash. The song was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, England and was produced by Ron Richards.
Reception
The reception for the song in North America was so strong that the group's record labels in the United States (Imperial) and Canada (Capitol) released a studio album by the group titled Stop! Stop! Stop!, which was originally released in the United Kingdom as For Certain Because.