Pan Times
The Hollies - Carry Anne
The Hollies

First - First

1967 - It was British band The Hollies which first used steel pans in pop music in its 1967 single ‘Carrie-Anne’. Since the use of steel pans in ‘Carrie-Anne,’ the instrument has been used in numerous genres including Hip Hop, R&B, Rock, Dance, Country, and Jazz. The player may have been Ralph Richardson.

In a 3-35-2020 conversation with When Steel Talks, band leader and musician Brian Henderson said "I’m not sure whether it was Mario (Gibbins) or Ralph Richardson.... in the 60’s I had a band, and we used to record for EMI. Our producer, Ron Richards also produced the Hollies , and I vaguely remember Ron asking me about Ralph, because we had used pan on one of our tracks...Ralph also played bass...Mario was also a friend.. I used to do 3 pan gigs with him. I seem to remember thjs discussion years ago on Pan times.... I think it was Ralph, but, it could have been Mario."

Below is a list of notable examples from throughout the decades and from around the world. List prepared by Danny Friar - author of “Gone Troppo – Steel Pans In Pop Music.” List republished with permission from the author. | see more |

   Listen to The Hollies perform “Carrie-Anne’ - First Pan in major Pop song -1967

  1. Love The One You’re With – Stephen Stills (1970)

  2. Apeman – The Kinks (1970)

  3. Salmon Falls – Harry Nilsson (1975)

  4. Island Girl – Elton John (1975)

  5. Uh Oh, Love Comes To Town – Talking Heads (1977)

  6. Every Kinda People – Robert Palmer (1978)

  7. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) – John Lennon (1980)

  8. The Street Parade – The Clash (1980)

  9. Just The Two Of Us – Bill Withers (1981)

  10. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police (1981)

  11. Gone Troppo – George Harrison (1982)

  12. Come Dancing – The Kinks (1982)

  13. Right By Your Side – Eurythmics (1983)

  14. Side By Side – Earth, Wind & Fire (1983)

  15. Shot In The Dark – Belinda Carlisle (1986)

  16. New Position – Prince And The Revolution (1986)

  17. Agadoo – Blacklace (1987)

  18. Kokomo – The Beach Boys (1988)

  19. We Kinda Music – Andy Narell (1989)

  20. Venus As A Boy – Bjork (1993)

  21. Bananas And Blow – Ween (2000)

  22. Pass This On – The Knife (2003)

  23. P.I.M.P – 50 Cent (2003)

  24. Bingo – M.I.A. (2004)

  25. Crank That (Soulja Boy) – Soulja Boy Tell’em (2007)

  26. I Can’t Stay – The Killers (2008)

  27. Far Nearer/Beat For – Jamie xx (2011)

  28. I Follow Rivers – Lykke Li (2011)

  29. Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas) – Regina Spektor (2012)

  30. Flashbulb Eyes – Arcade Fire (2013)

  31. I’m Not You – Clipse (2014)

  32. When The Beat Drops Out – Marlon Roudette (2014)

  33. Rum Is The Reason – Toby Keith (2015)

  34. Me & The Rhythm – Selena Gomez (2015)

  35. Close – Nick Jonas (2016)

| see more |

The Hollies - Carrie-Anne
The Hollies

 


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