Song:I'm Into Something Good
Album:Their Greatest Hits
Though I'm Into Something Good wasn't their biggest hit, it was Herman's Hermits' first hit in 1964. They went on to have a total of 11 top ten hits and two number one hits. For a couple of years they were one of the most popular British Invasion groups. The group was from Manchester, England and were originally called The Heartbeats in 1963 with bassist Karl Green, guitarist Derek Leckenby and drummer Barry Whitwam. The lead singer didn't show up one night and 16 year old Peter Noone filled in and was made the new lead singer. He was a child actor on British TV. Green thought Noone looked like Sherman of the Mr. Peabody cartoons so Noone was first called Sherman and eventually they became Herman's Hermits. Their big break came when Animals producer Mickie Most was invited to see them. He liked their clean cut image and Noone's voice. He signed them to EMI Columbia in England and MGM Records in the US. I'm Into Something Good was their first single. It topped the British charts and reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. When you consider the domination of the British Invasion at the time, it's ironic that I'm Into Something Good was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin and was a top 40 hit for Earl-Jean McCrae of The Cookies in 1964. The Brill Building sound lives. Herman's Hermits became much bigger in the US than in England. Their two number one hits Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter and I'm Henry VII, I Am were not released as singles in England and both are throwbacks to 50s British music halls. It earned the group criticism for not being rock musicians. The other thing Herman's Hermits is criticized for is not playing on their own records. Peter Noone and Mickie Most have both said this. I should point out that Most used studio musicians with all his groups, not just Herman's Hermits. And Barry Whitwam refutes this. He says they played on most of the records and sang on all of them. It's probably a little overblown. This budget comp is a good intro to their music. Herman's Hermits faded by 1967 and Noone left to go solo. He's still around but has never had the same success as a solo artist. He's also done a lot of acting. Barry Whitwam leads a version of Herman's Hermits today. Hopwood and Leckenby were partners in a music production company until Leckenby's 1994 death. Hopwood continues to compose music for TV. Karl Green is a sound engineer. Here's Herman's Hermits performing I'm Into Something Good on Shindig 1965.
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