The musical football matches between the Beatles (Liverpool) and the Hollies (Manchester) in the golden age 1965-1967.

Before this series of musical football matches the Beatles entered the arena with 5 albums. In 1963 came Please please me and With the Beatles, both containing 6 cover songs. The film soundtrack album A hard day’s night (64) was totally self composed, while Beatles for sale (64) again had 6 cover songs. Help (65) included 2 cover songs. In all, the group recorded 20 cover songs on these albums.

The Hollies entered the scene somewhat later than the Beatles, but struck hard with two albums in 1964, Stay with the Hollies (no.2 in UK) and In the Hollies style. The very important third album Hollies came out in 1965 and managed a fine no. 8. Would you believe was released in 1966 and entered the top 20 as well. The number of self-composed melodies was totally 17, while 33 were cover songs.

We let the competition begin with the albums that include nothing but self-composed songs, a precondition for competing in the Premier League.

 

1st match: Rubber soul/Beatles - For certain because/Hollies 5-3.

 

Ballad period. For certain because was out late in 1966 but corresponds in style to Rubber soul, even though the latter was finished one year earlier. The Beatles, with their earlier experience from the top league with A hard day’s night are obviously better trained and take the offensive. Beatles score beautifully sticking the ball past Hollies’ goalkeeper Bobby with Norwegian wood. 1-0.  Allan tries too hard during the next blow and John is fouled while running forward. Allan is booked. Paul taking the free kick in Beckham style sends Michelle in the net with a stunning left-footed curler into the top left corner. 2-0. The Hollies seem vulnerable just outside the box – Tony sends a dangerous pass across to Graham, the ball gets picked up by John, who scores with Girl, sticking the ball neatly past Bobby once again. 3-0. The away crow is silenced – how is this going to end? The Hollies seem totally unorganized, compared to the more experienced Beatles. I’m looking through you is headed in by Paul after a corner. 4-0. Centre-half George does an unchallenged run and passes to striker John who sends a cannonball from the midfield with In my life going straight in the net. 5-0. Is there any hope at all for the Manchester team? The Beatles keep their dominance long into the second half, when they seem to relax and take their victory in advance. Then we see a turnaround of the match. Allan Clarke (do not confuse with Alan Clarke) tricks Ringo with Pay you back with interest. 5-1. Tell me to my face, a majestic lob also goes straight in behind the goalkeeper. 5-2. Tony dribbles everyone all over the pitch sending the massive hit Stop!Stop!Stop! in like a gun shot. 5-3. The Hollies supporters cry out in ecstasy. Then the match calms down again. The Beatles play defensively and block every effort from Clarke-Hicks-Nash, fools the Hollies by giving away If I needed someone, and we get no more goals.  After the match You’ll never walk alone roars over the arena and the Manchester fans go home with the tail between the legs playing No milk today (the song the Hollies said no thanks to) on a cassette recorder in the supporter bus.

 

2nd match: Revolver/Beatles - Evolution/Hollies 3-3 (4-4 after extra time).

 

No doubt Revolver corresponds to Evolution, they were released in 1966 and 1967 respectively. This was the psychedelic period. The Beatles gets Klaus Voormann who also played for the Hollies to design their album cover. Can we please have a more equal match this time? The Manchester team certainly looks better trained this turn around. The Hollies open with Have you ever loved somebody, a goal the other Liverpool team the Searchers later copied. 0-1. The Beatles respond with elegant playing, the equalizer Eleanor Rigby is drilled in. 1-1.  The Beatles stimulated by the no.1 goal add a second one playing the ball everywhere around the pitch with Here, there and everywhere. The Hollies block John, fight Paul energetically on the midfield and get a nice equalizer with When you’re light’s turned on. 2-2. Once again the Beatles wake up, play strategically, lure the Hollies to attack and strike back with a crossover, Got to get you into my life. Just the way the Norwegian Liverpool player Bjørneby used to do. 3-2. Then the Beatles get a yellow card when playing Yellow submarine and George is dismissed with Tomorrow never knows. The Hollies uses the advantage of having more players and the long punt The games we play flies in from 40 meters. 3-3. The match goes to extra time. The newly promoted team the Hollies begin to get exhausted but play effectively. Tony blocks John superbly with Stop right there and the ball is sent in behind Ringo by Allan after a long put forward. 3-4. At the end of the second part of the extra time the Beatles get a free kick, when Bernie brings Paul down clumsily. Taxman sneaks in just inside the bar having changed direction via Graham. Bobby throws himself towards the ball, but has no chance. The Beatles’ supporters believe they have won. But during added time and in spite of the distorted sound Lullaby to Tim hits the goal with a stroll past John who already is sitting down to meditate. (Inspired by an early version of the  lyrics written by Paul to his fellow bandmate John’s son Hey Jude – in fact Hey Jules.)

 

3rd match: Sgt. Pepper/Beatles - Butterfly/Hollies 3-3 (4-5 after extra time).

Sgt. Pepper’s lonely hearts club bandcame on the streets in 1967, and Butterfly was released the same year (The Hollies really got the engine going with 2 albums both in 1966 and 1967!) Both bands brought orchestras to the supporter tribunes. The Beatles get their face up when the coin is flipped. They seem the more confident force and secure an early – but maybe a somewhat easy –  goal with their title track. 1-0. Then John dribbles the ball from their own box all the way up to Bobby who is puzzled by the strange text to Lucy in the sky with diamonds and John drills the ball in. 2-0. Are the Beatles back in old good form? Paul snatches the ball from Graham and hoists a loose ball forward and once again into the net with When I’m 64. Then the Manchester team wake up. They answer with a shining pearl of a scoring, Dear Eloise. 3-1. Manage a reduction to 3-2 with harmonic singing beautifully backed by the supporter orchestra with the heavy ballad Would you believe. The equalizer comes with Step inside, a nice maneuver by Allan surprises George and also strolls past Paul. 3-3. Once again the match goes to extra time.  When the next 15 minutes start the rain comes down and the ball moves quickly on the wet grass. The Beatles score early with the help of a biased referee (With a little help from my friends), a cheap free kick from just outside the box. 4-3. Shortly after the Hollies reply with a beautiful long bender, Butterfly. 4-4. We are back to equal again, are we getting a draw like in the last match? Then the Hollies’ producer Ron Richards does a genius move just before the end of the match. (One should think it was Ferguson who often set in Solskjær like this.) King Midas in reverse from the US album version of Butterfly comes in surprisingly. Graham sends this ball into the far left end of the bin, while there is full chaos in front of Ringo. 4-5. George Martin tries to obtain a reduction with a reprise of Sgt. Pepper, but does not succeed. The Manchester team has won an historic victory!