About The Song
“Carrie Anne” is a song by The Hollies, written by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks. It was recorded on May 1, 1967, and released as a single the same month by Parlophone Records in the UK and Epic Records in the US. The song reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 4 on the Irish charts. It’s the opening track of the US edition of The Hollies’ 1967 album “Evolution”.
The song delves into the complexity of human emotions and relationships, becoming a classic due to its timeless melody and thought-provoking lyrics. “Carrie Anne” is rumored to be about British singer-actress Marianne Faithfull, who briefly dated Hollies singer-guitarist Allan Clarke. The name was changed from “Marianne” to “Carrie-Anne” to obscure the reference. The identity of the real Carrie Anne has been a mystery for decades, as the Hollies kept it secret.