4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)

The Hollies' cover version

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my baby

Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight
Forcin' a light to all those stony faces left stranded on this warm July
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers on the shore
Chasin' all those silly New York virgins by the score

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight, I promise I'll love you forever
Oh, I mean it, Sandy, girl
Oh, my baby
Hey, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my baby

Sandy, the waitress I was seeing has lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night, she said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do
For me this boardwalk life's through
You ought to quit this scene too, ooh

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my baby
Hey, Sandy, girl
Oh, my baby
Hey, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my, my, my baby
Hey, Sandy, girl
Oh, my baby
Hey, Sandy, girl
[fades out]

Page last updated: 25 Dec 2011

Info

The above lyrics are for The Hollies' cover version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY). It was recorded in August 1974 and released in February 1975 on their album Another Night. The track was also issued as a single in 1975 and it charted in North America and became a hit in Europe, better than any Springsteen single had done to that point. The track was titled "Sandy (4th Of July, Asbury Park)" on the single release, and sometimes shortened to just "Sandy".

The Hollies' version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is much shorter than Springsteen's version, leaving out about half of the original lyrics, including the complete middle verse. The instrumentation is radically different from Springsteen's studio version and the choruses feature the trademark Hollies harmonies.

Two studio versions of the track were released: an "Album Version" and a "Single Version". The first clocks at 4:00 and the second clocks at 3:30. The above lyrics are transcribed from the "Album Version".

Bruce Springsteen and The Hollies

In 1972, Bruce Springsteen signed a global publishing deal with then-manager Mike Appel, and Appel's company Sioux City Music handled it. Appel changed his publishing company's name to Laurel Canyon Music in the spring of 1973. The company only had a couple of employees and there was no way it could properly look after Springsteen's publishing worldwide. Appel decided to sub-contract out the non-USA publishing to companies much better positioned to promote Springsteen overseas, so he signed a deal with Intersong Music Ltd. (directly with the company's owner Adrian Rudge) in 1973. The UK company looked after Springsteen's publishing for all of Europe and many other parts of the world. Initially it was just Laurel Canyon and Intersong, but as the seventies progressed, Appel (later Springsteen & Co) did some further regional publishing sub-contracts; for example Australia's large publishing company, Jonathan Music, eventually got the subcontract to look after Australia, New Zealand, most of Oceania and parts of southeast Asia. Intersong Music handled Springsteen's song publishing in the UK up until 1982, and after Appel sold Springsteen his half of the publishing rights in 1983 (which he'd held since the original 1972 contract), a different group named Zomba Music Publishers Ltd. took over the UK publishing of Springsteen's music.

Terry Sylvester replaced The Hollies cofounder Graham Nash in 1969 as the band's singer-guitarist. In the early seventies, Sylvester's company Charlotte Music signed a publishing deal with Intersong Music, which was owned by Sylvester's friend Adrian Rudge. Rudge played Sylvester and The Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke some demos of the then-unknown Bruce Springsteen who was also signed to his company. This led Allan Clarcke and The Hollies to record several Springsteen songs in the mid-seventies. However, Clarke claims that it was him, who brought the song of Bruce Springsteen to The Hollies. "Bruce and I were both with the publishing company, Intersong," he told David Wells, author of the liner notes of the 2006 various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album If I Were The Boss: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen. "I had a good friend at Intersong called Adrian Rudge. He called me up one day and said he had about twenty demos from this new singer/songwriter by the name of Bruce Springsteen that he thought would interest me. As soon as I heard the demos, I thought that I could do really well with them."

Allan Clarcke recorded and released cover versions of IF I WAS THE PRIEST in 1974, BORN TO RUN in 1975, BLINDED BY THE LIGHT in 1976, and 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) with The Hollies in 1975. The Hollies also attempted to record BORN TO RUN in 1975, but they quickly abandoned it and Clarcke immediately cut his own version.

Clarke was one of the first acts in Britain to champion the work of Bruce Springsteen, and the first ever to release a Springsteen cover. He and The Hollies did Springsteen quite a service by covering some of his songs during the period when he was a virtual unknown in most of Europe. Manfred Mann's Earth Band also helped in an even bigger way during the same period. Clarke released BLINDED BY THE LIGHT in 1976 on his fourth solo album, I've Got Time. According to him, "the record company did not agree that 'Blinded By The Light' was the kind of material that would be played on the radio." Manfred Mann was a neighbor of Clarcke in Hampstead, London, and Clarke told Mann that he was not going to release BLINDED BY THE LIGHT as a single. As a result, Manfred Mann's Earth Band did a version of the song which became a major hit in Europe the United States.

Allan Clarcke recalls that Springsteen came to see The Hollies when they played at The Bottom Line in New York City, and went out on the town with them later that night. "He wanted to thank us for recording some of his songs, and he said he'd come to see us when he played in England -- but it was about another twenty years before I saw him again!"

Single Release

The Hollies' version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was released as a single in February 1975 in North America and in Spring 1975 in Europe where it became a hit. The single was reissued in the U.S. in February 1977 but did not chart.

The single was released in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Philippines, with SECOND HAND HANG-UPS on the B-side.

The Hollies -- "Sandy [mono] / Sandy [stereo]" 7-inch - Epic (8-50086) - USA, February 1975 Promo only release, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [mono] Side B: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [stereo]

The Hollies -- "Sandy [mono] / Sandy [stereo]" 7-inch - Epic (8-50359) - USA, February 1977 Promo copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [mono] Side B: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [stereo]

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Epic (8-50359) - USA, February 1977 Stock copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Epic (8-50086) - Canada, 1975 Stock copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Polydor (2058 595) - UK, May 1975 Stock copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is misspelled "Sandy (4 thof July, Asbury Park)" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- Sandy 7-inch - Polydor (2058 595) - Holland, 1975 Stock copy, with picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- Sandy 7-inch - Polydor (2040 140) - Germany, 1975 Stock copy, with picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- Sandy 7-inch - Polydor (2058 595) - Belgium, 1975 Stock copy, with picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Parlophone (A-10780) - Australia, 1975 Stock copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is misspelled "4th Of July Ashbury Park (Sandy) on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Parlophone (NZP 3512) - New Zealand, 1975 Stock copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" 7-inch - Parlophone (PRO-3439) - Philippines, 1975 (Probably) promo copy, no picture sleeve. The song's title is spelled "Sandy" on the label. Side A: 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) Side B: SECOND HAND HANG-UPS

Other Official Releases

Besides its release on the Another Night album and as a single in 1975, The Hollies' version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was also included on many The Hollies compilations albums, including:

The Hollies -- The History Of The Hollies: 24 Genuine Top Thirty Hits 2 LP - EMI (EMSP 650) - UK, 1976 2 8-track tapes - EMI (8X2-EMSP 650) - UK, 1976 2 LP - Bovema EMI (5C 180-52301 2) - Holland, 1976 2 LP - Jugoton (LSEMI 75027/8) - Yugoslavia, 1976

The Hollies -- The Fantastic Hollies LP - Polydor/Litratone (2459.601) - Israel, 1976

The Hollies -- Goldene Serie International LP - Polydor (66 3757) - Germany, 1976

The Hollies -- Everything You Always Wanted To Hear By The Hollies But Were Afraid To Ask For LP - Epic (AS 138) - USA, 1977 This is a promo release.

The Hollies -- 20 Greatest Hits LP - Tee Vee International (TA-1037) - Canada, 1977

The Hollies -- The Story Of The Hollies 2 LP - Polydor (2664 177) - Germany, 1977

The Hollies -- The Best Of The Hollies LP - Polydor (2459 135) - Germany, 1977

The Hollies -- Clarke, Hicks, Sylvester, Calvert, Elliot LP - Epic (PE 34714) - USA, 1977

The Hollies -- Very Best Of The Hollies 1974-77 LP - Parlophone (PCS 6130) - New Zealand, 1977

The Hollies -- Everyone's Invited!: Their Greatest Hits LP - Polydor (2672 098) - South Africa, 1977

The Hollies -- Hallo! The Hollies! LP - Polystar (0060 222) - Germany, 1978

The Hollies -- Up Front LP - St. Michael (2102/20201) - UK, 1979

The Hollies -- Gigantes Del Pop Vol. 8 LP - Polydor (24 86 205) - Spain, 1981 Cassette tape - Polydor (unknown catalogue number) - Spain, 1981

The Hollies -- Historia De La Musica Rock LP - Polydor (28 61 320) - Spain, 1982 Cassette tape - Polydor (34 33 338) - Spain, 1981

The Hollies -- The Hollies LP - Amiga (8 56 126) - East Germany, 1985

The Hollies -- All The Hits & More: The Definitive Collection 2-LP - EMI (EM 1301) - UK, 1988 2-CD - EMI (CD EM 1301) - UK, 1988 2-CD - EMI (CP20-5741-42) - Japan, 1988

The Hollies -- The Hollies CD - Sony Special Products (A 21204) - USA, 1989

The Hollies -- Epic Anthology: From The Original Master Tapes LP - Epic (EGT 46161) - USA, 1990 CD - Epic (EGK 46161) - USA, 1990

The Hollies -- The Very Best Of The Hollies CD - EMI Electrola (CDP 564-0777 7 81092 2 8) - Germany, 1992

The Hollies -- The Midas Touch CD - Sony Special Products (A 21204) - USA, 1993

The Hollies -- Four Hollies Originals 4 CD - EMI (HOLLIES 1117) - UK, 1994

The Hollies -- The Hollies 2 CD - Platinum (A2 28052) - USA, 1996

The Hollies -- Premium Gold Collection CD - EMI (unknown catalogue number) - Europe, 1996

The Hollies -- The Best Of The Hollies: Centenary Collection CD - EMI (CTMCD 311) - UK, 1997

The Hollies -- Original Gold 2 CD - Disky (HR 853092) - Holland, 1998

The Hollies -- At Abbey Road (1973-1989) CD - EMI (CD 496 4342) - UK, 1998

The Hollies -- The Hollies Collection Vol. 2 CD - Platinum Disc (25353) - USA, 1999

The Hollies -- Best Of The 70's CD - Disky (7243 8990282 3) - Holland, 2000

The Hollies -- Orchestral Heaven CD - Disky / EMI (7243 5260912 3) - Holland, 2000

The Hollies -- Super Hits CD - Sony Legacy (EK 85349) - USA, 2001

The Hollies -- Here I Go Again CD - Disky/Pure Gold (GO 793492) - Holland, 2002

The Hollies -- Greatest Hits 2 CD - EMI (7243 5 82012 2 2) - UK, 2003

The Hollies -- The Long Road Home (1963-2003): The 40th Anniversary Collection 6 CD - EMI (5848562) - USA, 2003 Also contains a live version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY).

The Hollies -- Finest 2 CD - Parlophone / EMI Gold (391 1272) - UK, 2007

The Hollies -- The Dutch Collection CD + DVD - EMI (0946 3584989 9) - Holland, 2008 The DVD also contains a promo video for 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY).

The song also appeared on many various artists albums, including four Bruce Springsteen tribute albums:

Various artists -- 20 Poly Star Hits 2 LP - PolyStar/RSO (9299 728) - Germany, 1975 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Ripper! 20 Original Smash Hits LP - Ripper (RIP20) - New Zealand, 1975 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Cover Me LP - Rhino (RNIN 70700) - USA, 1986 Audio cassette - Rhino (RNIC 70700) - USA, 1986 This is a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Cover me CD - Rhino (R2 70700) - USA, 1989 This is the CD reissue of the above various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies. This reissue contains two additional tracks not available on the LP and audio cassette releases of this album.

Various artists -- Songs From The Boss LP - Dover Records (ADD 3) - UK, 1988 CD - Dover Records (CCD 3) - UK, 1989 Audio cassette - Dover Records (ZDD 3) - UK, 1988 This is a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Rock Artifacts: 27 Cut Preview CD - Legacy (SK-04925) - USA, 1993 This is a promo various artists album. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Swingin' Singles: Greatest Hits Of The '70s CD - Risky Business / Sony (AK 66662) - USA, 1995 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Swingin' Singles: Greatest Hits Of The '70s 6 CD - Disky (BX 850092/102/112/122/132/152) - Germany, 1998 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- On The Border 2 CD - Disky (DO 886592) - Holland, 1999 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- L'Amour: More Than I Can Say 2 CD - Disky (DO 994602) - Holland, 2000 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Born To Run 2003: The Best of The Boss, Volume Two CD - Uncut (UNCUT 2003 04B) - UK, 2003 This is a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. It's a free CD (volume 2 of 2) issued exclusively with the April 2003 issue of Uncut magazine. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- If I Were The Boss: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen CD - Castle (CMQCD1422) - UK, 2006 This is a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Various artists -- Pop Icons CD - St. Clair (unknown catalogue number) - USA, 2007 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is performed by The Hollies.

Available Versions

List of available versions of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) on this website:

• Album version
• Original studio version
• Early draft
• Live 23 Jul 1973 (early show) version
• Live 31 Jul 1973 (late show) version
• Live 31 Oct 1973 (late show) version
• Live 03 Mar 1974 version
• Live 09 Apr 1974 version
• Live 29 Oct 1974 version
• Live 05 Feb 1975 version
• Live 02 Oct 1975 version
• Live 18 Nov 1975 version
• Live 07 Apr 1976 version
• Live 04 Nov 1976 version
• Live 09 Aug 1978 version
• Live 29 Dec 1980 version
• Live 31 Dec 1980 version
• Live 30 Jul 1992 version
• Live 10 Aug 1992 version
• Live 24 Nov 1996 version
• Live 26 Nov 1996 version
• Live 15 Feb 1997 version
• Live 11 Aug 1999 version
• Live 12 May 2003 version
• Live 18 Jul 2005 version
• Live 20 Mar 2008 version
• Live 22 Apr 2008 version
• Live 04 Jul 2008 version
• Live 30 Aug 2008 version
• Live 07 Nov 2009 version
• The Hollies' cover version
• Ben E. King's cover version

Credits / References

Thanks Pierre Oitmann, Eden (at Greasy Lake), Michael Simpson (Walklikeasupercaley at Greasy Lake), and Peter (from Lost In The Flood) for the help on this page.

Info for some of the above releases is taken from the Nebraska website.

Requests

Please contact me if you have scans or info about any official release containing The Hollies' cover of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) that's not mentioned on this page. I also need scans for the following releases:

• The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" || 7-inch - Parlophone (A-10780) - Australia, 1975
• The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" || 7-inch - Parlophone (NZP 3512) - New Zealand, 1975
• The Hollies -- "Sandy / Second Hand Hang-Ups" || 7-inch - Parlophone (PRO-3439) - Philippines, 1975
• The Hollies -- The Fantastic Hollies || LP - Polydor/Litratone (2459.601) - Israel, 1976
• The Hollies -- Up Front || LP - St. Michael (2102/20201) - UK, 1979
• The Hollies -- The Hollies || CD - Sony Special Products (A 21204) - USA, 1989

The Hollies' single version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is edited down to three minutes and a half. If you have that version, please let me know what portions of the song are edited.

In 2008, EMI Holland released The Dutch Collection, a CD+DVD set by The Hollies. The set includes all the Dutch hits by The Hollies as well as a DVD with performances and promo videos. A promo video of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is also featured. Please contact me if you have that set.

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