The Connells - '74-'75

The Connells are an American band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They play a guitar-oriented, melodic, power pop style of rock music with introspective lyrics that reflect the American South. The band continues to play to this day. Quite popular in Europe, the band has produced several hit songs over the years.

Guitarist Mike Connell formed the band in 1984 along with his brother David Connell on bass, Doug MacMillan on vocals, and future filmmaker John Schultz on drums. This initial four-person line-up was quickly supplemented by the addition of George Huntley on second guitar, keyboards, and vocals. Around the same time, former Johnny Quest drummer Peele Wimberley replaced Schultz, finalizing the "classic" line-up of the band.

From the beginning of the group, Mike Connell wrote both the music and the lyrics of the majority of the band’s songs, although he was not the band's primary lead singer. Connell’s influences included the 1960s guitar pop of his childhood, including The Byrds and The Beatles.

"'74–'75" is a 1993 single from the album Ring by the American band The Connells. The song became a big hit in Europe, particularly in Sweden and Norway where it topped the singles charts in 1995.

The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Pellington. It was shot at Needham B. Broughton High School in the band's hometown Raleigh, North Carolina in 1993, and featured members of the Class of 1975, juxtaposing yearbook pictures with footage of the same people as they appeared in 1993.

While not becoming a big hit in the band's native United States, the song became a Top 20 hit throughout Europe in early 1995, eventually spreading to the UK, where it became their first hit, peaking at number 14 in August. A re-release of the single there in March 1996 only managed number 21.