Search - Herman's Hermits :: Original Hits

Mickie Most, You've Got A Lovely Herman

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 03/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Perhaps one exists, but I've yet to find a single disc that contains all of Herman's Hermits charting singles and 'B' sides. Even in the late Sixties, MGM issued THE BEST OF HERMAN'S HERMITS in three volumes, sprinkling top sellers among less-popular album tracks. Of the eighteen songs on HERMAN'S HERMITS * ORIGINAL HITS, only four ("My Sentimental Friend," "Something Is Happening," "Years May Come, Years May Go" and "Sleepy Joe") can be considered filler. That's a darn good ratio.



This band's story is familiar, and has direct parallels to the MONKEES. These Manchester lads (Manks) cashed in on BEATLEMANIA, even releasing the film HOLD ON! soon after the Fab Four's HELP! reached movie screens worldwide. Producer Mickie Most backed up the Hermits' vocals with hired musicians, and chose material from songwriters with proven track records (like the Goffin/King team). For a few years, Herman's Hermits were easily as popular as their prototypes, for reasons obvious from the songs in this collection.



A peculiarity of this set is the printed playlist doesn't match track order of the CD. The above program description is accurate. There's also no liner notes with this Dutch import compilation. Sound quality is very good.



TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 46:30



"

Mainly A European Perspective

George Stevens | 09/01/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Disky product from Holland is, I have to agree, disappointing to the North American fan who helped put 19 of their selections into the Billboard Pop Hot 100 between 1964 and 1968.



Tracks like 11, 12, and 16 may have been hits over there for Britain's Columbia outlet, but they were not for MGM who handled their releases in North America. Missing in that respect are the 1966 hits This Door Swings Both Ways [# 12] and East West [# 27], 1967's Don't Go Out Into The Rain (You're Going To Melt) which reached # 18, and Museum, a # 39, and from 1968 [and VERY hard to find in original form] I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving, which peaked at # 22.



But, since this does originate in Europe, after all, we can't quibble. There is also one page of liner notes written in 1995 by Arthur Davis, who informs us that Peter Noone [Herman] was working as a 16-year-old actor on the venerable British TV soaper Coronation Street when he formed part of a group known as The Cyclones, and then later The Heartbeats.



Not a bad buy, although I also have to agree with another reviewer who recommends taking Herman's Hermits in small doses. Let's face it, their popularity on this side of the ocean was born more out of their pretty-boy appeal [and the fact they were British] than the quality of their music. The Beatles or The Rolling Stones they most definitely were not."