The Quick Pop Ditty Graham Nash and Allan Clarke Wrote for the Hollies While Sitting Outside on a Bench

Before getting their first big hit in the U.S. with “Bus Stop” in 1966, the Hollies had a string of charting singles in the UK, including their 1963 cover of the Coasters’ 1961 single “(Ain’t That) Just Like Me.” Written by Billy Guy and Earl Carroll and released in May 1963, “(Ain’t That) Just Like Me” was the group’s debut single and peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart.

Before it could go, they still needed a B-side to “(Ain’t That) Just Like Me,” and Graham Nash and bandmate Allan Clarke used a song they had written while sitting on a bench one day in their hometown of Salford, England.

“Sitting on a park bench opposite Regent Road Baths in Salford with our guitars, we were on our way to some pub gig, and we decided we should write something,” recalled Nash. “We realized when you put out a single there’s always a B-side that makes as much money as the A-side.”

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[RELATED: 3 Songs You Didn’t Know Graham Nash Wrote for Other Artists]

‘I Know Our Love Could Never Be Now’

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios on April 4, 1963, “Hey What’s Wrong With Me” ran just under two minutes, and was a simple pop song, leaning on its reprise of unrequited love.

Hey just what’s with me
You’ve been looking far too good to me
I know our love could never be now

My heart it keeps on beating
I know that you’ve been cheating
I know our love could never be now

I tried how I tried
to keep you satisfied
by me, oh gee
you go from me and how I cried

I know our love could never be now

The Hollies’ second single in ’63 was another Coasters cover, “Searchin’,” which went to No. 12 in the UK. Before releasing their 1964 debut, Stay With the Hollies, they had another hit, a top 10 (No. 8), with their cover of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs’ “Stay,” which made it onto the album.

“Hey What’s Wrong With Me” later made its way onto the Canadian version of Stay With the Hollies.

Photo: The Hollies (l to r) Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, Bobby Elliott and Eric Haydock, during a visit to Hollywood, California, October 1966. (Archive Photos/Getty Images)