Their first hit, "I'm Into Something Good", was produced by Mickie Most, reaching #1 in the UK (1963) and #13 in the US (1964). Other hits followed such as "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" (1965) and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am". The last was said at the time to be "the fastest-selling song in history". The band played on these singles but many of their subsequent singles employed session musicians, including Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, with contributions from the band. The band's singles were written by top songwriters of the day. Regardless of how the records were made, the guitar player, Lek Leckenby, was a gifted guitarist. Indeed, all the other members were capable players and Peter Noone was a charismatic front man. The band was nominated for two Grammy awards in 1965, both for "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter". Noone and the band deliberately emphasized their Manchester accents on the record, which was never intended to be a single.
Born in Manchester, England, Noone was a child TV star in Coronation Street and in other TV work. He was still only 15 when he achieved international fame as teenage heart-throb as leader of the Hermits.
Herman's Hermits, whilst hugely successful in the mid-1960s, never topped the British charts again after their first hit, "I'm Into Something Good". However, they had two US No. 1's with "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am". The band disliked both songs, and never released them as singles in Britain. They appeared in several movies, including When The Boys Meet The Girls (1965) and Hold On! (1966). They also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show and The Jackie Gleason Show.
They enjoyed consistent success in Britain throughout the rest of the decade but they were even more popular in America for a while. Their hits continued until 1967's "No Milk Today". Soon, however, the Monkees had replaced Herman's Hermits as the simple pop rock act, and the Hermits' career declined. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" engendered a revival, but the Hermits never again cracked the top 10 in the U.S. This song was, however, successfully covered by The Carpenters in their album "A Kind of Hush", released in 1976. The band continued releasing records throughout the 1970s with little success. In the end, Herman's Hermits were a band which were both blessed and cursed by the 'niche' in which originally they found success.
(Adapted from Wikipedia)
Silhouettes
Herman's Hermits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 shadeI couldn't hide the tears in my eyes
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
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
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
The lyrics of Herman's Hermits' Silhouettes tell a story of unrequited love and jealousy. The singer goes for a walk late at night and passes by the house of his love interest only to see the shades of the windows pulled down tight; however, the dim light from within casts two silhouettes on the shade, which is an indication of a couple being together. He wishes he could be that guy with his arms around her waist and giving her kisses, but he couldn't hide the tears in his eyes because he is not that person. He then gets so upset that he rings her bell loudly although he is not welcome, and when the strangers in the house tell him he is on the wrong block it further compounds his misery.
Line by Line Meaning
Took a walk and passed your house late last night
I walked by your house late at night
All the shades were pulled and drawn way down tight
The curtains were closed tightly
From within, the dim light cast two silhouettes on the shade
Through the curtains, I saw two shadows on the wall
Oh, what a lovely couple they made
The two people looked perfect together
Put his arms around your waist, held you tight
He hugged you tight from behind
Kisses I could almost taste in the night
Their kisses were so passionate, I could almost feel them
Wondered why I'm not the guy who's silhouette's on the shade
I wished I was the one with you, making those shadows
I couldn't hide the tears in my eyes
I cried because I couldn't be with you
Lost control and rang your bell I was sore
I couldn't take it anymore and rang your doorbell angrily
Let me in, or else I'll beat down your door
I demanded to be let in or else I would break down your door
When two strangers who have been two silhouettes on the shade
To my surprise, the people making the shadows were strangers
Said, to my shock, "you're on the wrong block."
They told me I was at the wrong house
Rushed out to your house with wings on my feet
I ran to your house as fast as I could
Loved you like I'd never loved you, my sweet
I loved you passionately
Vowed that you and I would be two silhouettes on the shade
I promised that we would make those shadows together
All of our days, two silhouettes on the shade
We would be together forever, making those shadows
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Crewe, Frank Slay
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter
A great and classic song by Herman's Hermits.