JENNIFER ECCLES

With the possible exception of female minor members of the royal family there are not many girls’ names that haven’t been the subject of a decent pop song or two.

It probably explains why les belles Beatrice and Eugenie are yet to feature in the best sellers whilst Sue. Suzie Suzanne, Mary, Jane, Eloise, Barbara et al have cropped up regularly over the years and why the Jennifers of this world are blessed with two of the finest tributes – Jennifer Eccles by The Hollies and Jennifer Juniper by Donovan. Not forgetting, of course, some lesser items such as Jennifer She Said (Lloyd Cole), Jenny From the Block (Jennifer Lopez), Jenny Jenny (Little Richard) and Jenny Take A Ride (Mitch Ryder).

Top of the crop though has got to be The Hollies with their March 1968 number seven hit. It was greeted with a sigh of relief by the band’s fans who had been a tad disturbed by their first trip down something deeper (King Midas In Reverse which peaked at 18 the previous September).

Things got worse again later – for goodness sakes whose idea was The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGhee (number 24 in 1973)? – but for now jaunty Jennifer was a return to the chirpy nature the band had established as their own – even though they got perilously close to voyeurism with Look Through Any Window (September 1965) and could even wax lyrical about the joys of queuing at a Bus Stop (June 1966).

Lyrically Jennifer Eccles was simplicity itself and with the exception of her much repeated first name there’s barely a three syllable word to be found:
“White chalk, written on red brick
Our love, told in a heart
It’s there, drawn in the playground
Love, kiss, hate or adore

I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me
I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me

(((((La la la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la)))))))

I used to carry her satchels
She used to walk by my side
But when we got to her doorstep
Her dad wouldn’t let me inside

One Monday morning, found out I’d made the grade
Started me thinking, had she done the same?

I used to carry her satchels
She used to walk by my side
But when we got to her doorstep
Her dad wouldn’t let me inside

I hope Jennifer Eccles
Is going to follow me there
Our love is bound to continue
Love, kiss, hate or adore. Singing:

I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me
I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me

I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me
I love Jennifer Eccles
I know that she loves me

I used to carry her satchels
She used to walk by my side
But when we got to her doorstep,
Her dad wouldn’t let me inside.”

Still, it was brownie points all round as it turned out to be the band’s biggest American hit to date. Not only that but the title is a combination of the names of band founder members Allan Clarke’s wife Jennifer nee Bowstead and Graham Nash’s wife Rose nee Eccles.
The same “girl” – Jennifer Eccles (who by now had “terrible freckles”) – also features in the song Lily the Pink by comedy/poetry group The Scaffold.
The reference there is an in-joke, as Graham Nash, who left the Hollies in December 1968 and joined supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young), sang backing vocals on the recording.

As a song it was certainly lightweight in the context of fellow 1968 singles such as The Beatles’ Hey Jude and The Rolling Stones’ Street Fighting Man. But it was still good and has endured as one of The Hollies best remembered pop outings.

For a while The Hollies had all the potential to be one of the best ever bands to emerge from the Beat Boom era. Their pioneering and distinctive three part harmonies were an update on the Everly Brothers’ vocals and in turn went on to influence the likes of The Eagles.

Despite not being great creators of their own material they had a keen ear for a good cover (eg Bruce Springsteen’s early gem Sandy (4th of July, Asbury Park) they weren’t afraid to surprise listeners with the occasional banjo and mandolin break or the hint of a pedal steel guitar. And who can resist the now taboo wolf whistle aimed at Jennifer and her freckled frame?

Singalong maybe, but the band spent 231 weeks on the UK singles charts during the 1960s (the ninth highest of any artist of the decade) and into the mid 1970s.

The band was formed by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash in 1962 as a Merseybeat-type group in Manchester, although some of the band members came from towns further north in East Lancashire.
For example Graham Nash may have grown up in Manchester but in his solo song Military Madness he says he was born “in an upstairs room in Blackpool.”

Despite regular personnel changes and the occasional death (not to mention court ordered spin off groups with similar names they are one of the few British groups of the early 1960s (along with the Rolling Stones) that have never disbanded and continue to record and perform. In recognition of their achievements, The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.