英國合唱團The Hollies成軍於1962，但直至1966才以一首《Bus Stop》打進美國告示牌排行榜前10名( #5)，也算是成為國際級樂團的成名曲。1969，推出的《He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother》( 他不重,他是我兄弟 )，當年曾在台灣大大的流行，也是首經典的西洋歌曲。

1971，The Hollies推出了一張專輯《Distant Light》，成績還算不錯，在美國專輯排行榜拿下第21名，其中一首由主唱Allan Clarke與人所合寫的《Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress》，更是勇奪美國排行榜的第2名，而問題是Clarke之前才離團單飛，雖然有找到了替代團員，但也無法唱出這首歷來成績最佳歌曲的味道，這對樂團的巡演是個大問題，也因此Clarke在1973年中又重回到了The Hollies。

Allan Clarke

說到這裡，來穿插一段八卦。Clarke之所以想離團單飛，是受到The Hollies另位創始團員Graham Nash的影響，Nash於1968離團與David Crosby ( 原The Byrds團員 )、Stephen Stills ( 原Buffalo Springfield團員 ) 共組Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN)樂團 ( Neil Young 在之後加入，成為CSNY )，成績相當不錯，但由於Stills、Nash和女歌手Rita Coolidge間的三角感情問題，造成了CSN於1970的分裂，一般認為是Coolidge搞垮了一個樂團，Coolidge自己當然不承認，認為他們之間早有問題，她只是恰好身處其中，但Crosby卻斬釘截鐵的認為就是Coolidge惹的禍。Coolidge的父母均為印地安人 ( 母親有英國血統 )，此混血的外型，對某些男性有「致命的吸引力」吧！1973，Coolidge嫁給了音樂人Kris Kristofferson。

左至右：Young、Crosby、Stills & Nash

Rita Coolidge & Kris Kristofferson

回到前述專輯，專輯中的另一首單曲，即為此首《Long Dark Road》，由吉他手Tony Hicks與人合寫，仍維持The Hollies一貫三部合音的風格，在美國排行榜拿下第26名，也是該樂團非常受歌迷喜愛的一首歌。

延伸閱讀：
亂談(281) Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
https://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/tabidog01/post/1328524717

影音中的女生是Jayne Mansfield ( 珍‧曼絲菲 )，當年被稱為是「金髮尤物」，也是「肉彈級」的性感象徵。1967因車禍過世，僅享年34歲。

It's over, well over
In my mind and in my heart
It's over, well over
But then again, it didn't have a good start
You'd tell me, try to sell me
It could have been all I asked
It's over, well over
It's there and flows away a distant past
Now it's a long, dark road
Yes, a long, dark road
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
Now it's a long, dark road
Yes, a long, dark road
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
It's over, well over
And we can't revive what's past
It's gone now, moved on now
But then again it didn't have a chance to last
No, no, no, a chance to last
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road) (Baby, I need you, I need you)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)