| Carrie Anne | |
| Cover: | Hollies - Carrie Anne US.jpg |
| Caption: | US Picture Sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | the Hollies |
| B-Side: | Signs That Will Never Change |
| Released: | [1] |
| Recorded: | 1 May 1967 |
| Studio: | EMI, London |
| Genre: | Pop rock, soft rock[2] |
| Label: |
|
| Producer: | Ron Richards |
| Prev Title: | On a Carousel |
| Prev Year: | 1967 |
| Next Title: | King Midas in Reverse |
| Next Year: | 1967 |
"Carrie Anne" is a song written by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks and released by British pop rock group the Hollies. It was recorded on 1 May 1967 and was released as a single in the same month by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and Epic Records in the United States. It became a hit in 1967, reaching No.3 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also a hit in the US and Canada, peaking at No.9 on both pop charts. It also reached No.4 in the Irish charts.
According to Allan Clarke the song was written during a concert the group did with Tom Jones; Graham Nash and Tony Hicks were the main composers, with Allan Clarke supplying the lyrics for the middle eight. The introduction features vocal harmonies strongly influenced by the Beach Boys. A steelpan solo is featured, probably the first use of the instrument on a pop record. The solo (mostly a harmonized restatement of the vocal melody) was probably played by Trinidadian Ralph Richardson,[3] though others argue it may have been Mario Gibbins.[4] The track was recorded in only two takes on 1 May 1967 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios. The first take was a false start and can be heard on the compilation The Hollies at Abbey Road: 1966 to 1970.
Cashbox called it "a gently driving, pulsating, soft-rock venture that is likely to stir up a lot of activity with the teens".[5]
The song is a shy tribute to Marianne Faithfull, as was Gene Clark's "My Marie".
"Carrie Anne" appeared on the soundtrack of Michael Apted's 1974 movie Stardust. It was also used in the HBO series The Sopranos, episode "Down Neck" (Season 1, Episode 7), during one of Tony's flashbacks.
| Chart (1967) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Go-Set)[6] | 7 | |
| Finland (Soumen Virallinen)[7] | 32 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Singles Chart)[8] | 4 | |
| Norway (VG-Lista)[9] | 7 | |
| United Kingdom (UK Singles Chart)[10] | 3 | |
| United States Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
Actress Carrie-Anne Moss reportedly was named (by her mother) in honour of the song, which was released three months before her birth.