Any Love For The Hollyridge Strings?

The Hollyridge String's "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was also going to be the opening theme of the unreleased followup to "The Beatles Story" made in 1965 of late Chicago disk jockey Jerry G. Bishop's very revealing interviews with the Beatles. Apparently, the Capitol folks really loved this "DOO DOO DOOOOOOOOO!" opening chords of the Hollyridge Strings song. It would have been put on both "Beatles Story" records. BTW: Seek out this acetate. Unlike "The Beatles Story", it's really worth listening to -- Paul speaks about getting beat up and beating up other kids in Liverpool. Great stuff!

 

I have 3 of the Hollyridge Strings Beatles Songbook albums (Vol. 3,4, and 5). I especially like their versions of the later stuff like Strawberry Fields Forever and I Am the Walrus. Volumes 4 and 5 have really cool cover art, too.

 

Yes, I love this album. I hate to admit it, but for years I thought it was the Hollywood Strings even after seeing the albums many times.

 

With the upswing in collective cultural awareness brought on by the 2009 Beatles remasters, and the recently reissued Beatles U.S. albums, another '60s artifact is ripe for reevaluation in the 21st century. I'm talking, of course, about famed composer/conductor Stu Phillips' Capitol studio "band" The Hollyridge Strings and their infamous "Beatles Songbook" LPs.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but these albums achieved minor popularity despite being an obvious cash in on the huge success of The Beatles. Perhaps due to their squareness, The Hollyridge Strings' albums became something of a novelty in their day and can now be viewed as a definite footnote in The Beatles history book, especially when it comes to The Beatles' impact on American audiences. Yes, some may find them a bit schmaltzy, but Stu was no hack arranger and he had the utmost respect for The Beatles and their songs. His versions of their most popular tunes play more like mini-symphonies and deserve a better fate than the one they've been dealt.

If ever there was a time these two (or three) tribute LPs could be reissued on CD, it's now. Their mere existence would no doubt make many people curious enough to listen to these reverb-drenched renditions of The Beatles' best compositions. I know I'd love to have a proper reissue of at least the "iconic" first "The Hollyridge Strings Play The Beatles Songbook" LP on CD. Rock on the rocks? It happened once, it could happen again!

 

I'd like to see a Hollyridge Strings Beatles box-all the albums reissued in a set.

 

I just listened to the first one over the weekend! Not nearly as fun as George Martin's instrumentals, but still pretty good. There's at least four or five of them aren't there? I know I've got one with Magical Mystery Tour on it. I'd buy them on CD. And that first LP was even advertised on the back of Beatles '65 along with the other Capitol Beatle LPs.

 

I actually like the Hollyridge Strings better than George Martin's versions of Beatles songs. I do like his stuff
on Yellow Submarine.

 

There is also one of solo material.

 

Then there are albums of the Beach Boys, Elvis, 4 Seasons, Nat Cole among others. Even a Christmas album.

 

Only if they use the UK mixes...

 

Yep! Collectors' Choice Music reissued The Hollyridge Strings' Beach Boys, Elvis, and Nat "King" Cole songbook LPs on CD, in addition to their WONDERFUL "Christmas Favorites" LP. I have them all but what was sorely missing from that reissue campaign were The Beatles songbook albums.

 

It's been on CD (and in a multi-disc set) more than once.

 

So I've been told. A little research reveals some Japanese disc circa 1980-something, a budget European (?) multi-disc set, and a single disc best-of on Varese Sarabande. But where are those discs now? If music lovers/Beatles fans didn't care for The Hollyridge Strings' take on The Beatles, then there'd be a plethora of used copies for sale on eBay and Amazon Marketplace. However, after a quick search, I see very few available - and at high prices, to boot!

 

Seems like a no brainer for Capitol to capitalize on the recent reissue of The Beatles' U.S. albums by reissuing The Hollyridge Strings' Beatles songbook LPs on CD. Or at least include The Hollyridge Strings albums in conjunction with some Beatles reissue as an extra/bonus disc(s).

If ever the iron was hot and ready for striking, it's now, right?

 

Seems like a no brainer for Capitol to capitalize on the recent reissue of The Beatles' U.S. albums by reissuing The Hollyridge Strings' Beatles songbook LPs on CD. Or at least include The Hollyridge Strings albums in conjunction with some Beatles reissue as an extra/bonus disc(s).

If ever the iron was hot and ready for striking, it's now, right?

More Hollyridge Strings love, here: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/any-love-for-the-hollyridge-strings.219406/

 

Always loved their version of "Strawberry Fields Forever". Cozy.

 

And always thought it was cool they covered this.

 

According to Wikipedia:

Stu Phillips, Mort Garson, and Perry Botkin, Jr. were among those who produced, arranged, and conducted the group's recordings.

 

I'm most familiar with Stu Phillips' work with The Hollyridge Strings, since he arranged and conducted the early Beatles and Beach Boys songbook albums as well as the Christmas album (all favorites of mine).

 

In pulling out Capitol Beatles to sell,I found I own this,and most of The Hollyridge Strings.All the Beatles.These I keep.I even have their Beach Boys record.as an original German stereo pressing,as well as the Four Seasons album.

This one,however,I was not aware of until YouTube.

 

I quite like these albums and enjoy them. I have the first two Beatles Songbook titles in stereo. Any need to seek out the mono LPs?

 

One of the reasons I love The Hollyridge Strings is because of the huge quantity of reverb and the ultra wide Stereo (the Christmas LP is a good example). I would imagine the Mono LPs sounding as "fun". Maybe it's just me, of course. Those LPs along with the Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass LPs define for me the sound of the 60's Pop instrumental music just like Percy Faith and Jackie Gleason did for the 50's. Love the stuff!

When I saw Brian Wilson perform Smile in concert, I was pleasantly shocked to hear that all the pre-show music consisted of instrumental covers of The Beach Boys' music. I did a search and discovered that most of the tracks I'd heard were from The Hollyridge Strings' second Beach Boys album. I picked it up and (Mike) loved it. (my apologies for the bad pun but I just had to do it )

I also love their Christmas album and play it every year.

Now honestly, how many of us here will be digging for those missing HS LPs in the bins over the next few weeks because of this thread? I know I will.

 

There's enough reverb to keep even Dave Dexter happy!