Herman's Hermits - East West (1966)

Originally known as Herman & The Hermits, this band out of Manchester, England originally found the majority of their success in the United States where teenage girls yearned for lead singer Peter Noone and his intentionally exaggerated his Mancunian accent. In 1965 alone, the band had three Top 3 songs in the United States: “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” (January), “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” (March), and “I’m Henry VIII, I Am” (June). The group continued to be successful in the United States all throughout 1966 and shortly into 1967 with their last big US hit “There’s a Kind of Hush.” After that song’s release in February 1967, the band’s popularity in the US began to sink as it simultaneously rose in the United Kingdom. They had seven songs in the Top 15 on the UK charts from January 1968 through November 1970, but they knew things were dwindling down. Noone split from the band in 1970 and the rest of the Hermits continued on until 1973, failing to have any success. These days, Peter Noone continues to tour and make guest appearances on both sides of the pond.

After releasing “No Milk Today” in October 1966 to the UK, Herman’s Hermits was looking for their next big single. Although they wouldn’t really shine again until 1967’s “There’s a Kind of Hush” in February, they released the song heard below in the interim. Written by Graham Gouldman (a future member of 10cc), this song was released in December 1966 and reached number twenty-seven in the US, thirty-three in the UK, and number five in New Zealand. It was backed by the B-Side “What Is Wrong-What Is Right.”



Herman's Hermits - East West (1966)

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Lyrics:

East, west over the ocean
Perpetual motion, traveling around
No rest, singing and playing
Night-out and day-in, doing the rounds
What a great life it must seem
(What a great life it must seem)

Swell joints, everything classy
Nothing that's passé, only the best
Lush girls ogling and eyeing
Crying and sighing, this is success
What a great life it must seem
(What a great life it must seem)

But when I hear young voices singing out
The bells at home come ringing out
When I feel all alone
Then I think of my home

Mom, dad all ‘round the fire
In festive attire, keeping the day
Aunts, kids, all the relations
Congratulations, this is success
What a great life it must seem
(What a great life it must seem)

But when I hear young voices singing out
Then the bells at home start ringing out
When I feel all alone
Then I long for my home

Herman's Hermits - Silhouettes (1965)

Coming out of Manchester, England in 1963 as an R&B band, this group was put together as a clean cut and non-threatening band in hopes of gaining the approval of teenagers’ parents. Most of their hits were aimed at American audiences, where Peter Noone, their lead vocalist, intentionally exaggerated his British accent.

This song was originally a doo-wop hit for The Rays in 1957. It’s been a long standing mystery as to who actually played the guitar on this track. Some claim it was Jimmy Page (later of The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin); others claim it was Vic Flick (who played the famous guitar rift in the James Bond theme); but the original members there that day seem to remember that it was actually Derek Leckenby (the band’s lead guitarist). I guess we’ll never know for sure.



Herman's Hermits - Silhouettes (1965)

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Lyrics:

Took a walk and passed your house late last night
All the shades were pulled and drawn way down tight
From within, the dim light cast two silhouettes on the shade
Oh, what a lovely couple they made

Put his arms around your waist- held you tight
Kisses I could almost taste in the night
Wondered why I'm not the guy who's silhouette's on the shade
I couldn't hide the tears in my eyes

Lost control and rang your bell; I was sore
“Let me in or else I'll beat down your door”
When two strangers who have been two silhouettes on the shade
Said to my shock, "you're on the wrong block"

Rushed out to your house with wings on my feet
Loved you like I'd never loved you, my sweet
Vowed that you and I would be two silhouettes on the shade
All of our days, two silhouettes on the shade