Song Lyric Sunday – May 24 2020 – End /Finish /Over /Stop

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

This weeks prompt gives me the chance to pick one of my favourite groups again, The Hollies. I bet I’m not alone in choosing this song either!

“Stop Stop Stop” is notable for being one of the few recordings by the group that feature Tony Hicks playing the banjo, and was the only song with that instrument to be performed live by the group. Actually, for the original recording, the banjo was tuned to the standard guitar tuning and a delay was introduced which made it sound like a balalaika. Only later did Tony learn to play the traditionally tuned banjo.

Here, Graham Nash explains how the song came about:

I can empathise totally, having encountered an alluring Turkish belly dancer in my youth – and that’s all the details you’re going to get folks!

Here it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Stop, Stop, Stop

The Hollies

See the girl with cymbals on her fingers
Entering through the door
Ruby glistening from her navel
Shimmering around the floor

Bells on feet go, ting a ling a linging
Going through my head
Sweat is falling just-a-like-a tear drops
Running from her head

Now she dancing, going through the movements
Swaying to and fro
Body moving, bringing back a memory
Thoughts of long ago

Blood is rushing, temperature is rising
Sweating from my brow
Like a snake, her body fascinates me
I can’t look away now

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Give me time to breathe
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Or I’ll have to leave

Now, she’s moving all around the tables
Luring all in sight
But I know that she cannot see me
Hidden by the light

Closer, closer, she is getting nearer
Soon she’ll be in reach
As I enter into a spotlight
She stands lost for speech

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Give me time to breathe
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Or I’ll have to leave

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Give me time to breathe
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Or I’ll have to leave

Now I hold her, people are staring
Don’t know what to think
And we struggle knocking over tables
Spilling all the drinks

Can’t they understand that I want her?
Happens every week
Heavy hand upon my collar
Throws me in the street

Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Give me time to breathe
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing
Or I’ll have to leave, leave

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Alan Clarke / Graham Nash / Tony Hicks

Stop, Stop, Stop lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group