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)
Years May Come Years May Go
Herman's Hermits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And see what we can find
Last year has gone for everyone
Passed with time
What happened to us then
Can't happen once again
And what's now all to me?
Years may come (Many years are still ahead)
Years may go (Many years have passed)
Some go fast (They belong to yesterday)
Some go slow (Still the memories last)
Some are good (Couldn't stop the laughter flowing)
Some are bad (Couldn't stop the tears)
For each one (Thank the Lord that we have been)
Just be glad (Together through the years)
Whenever I review
The lovin' times with you
I wouldn't change a single page
We've lived through
It wasn't always smooth
Sometimes we'd jump the groove
We've shed some tears and then
Loved again
Years may come (Many years are still ahead)
Years may go (Many years have passed)
Some go fast (They belong to yesterday)
Some go slow (Still the memories last)
Some are good (Couldn't stop the laughter flowing)
Some are bad (Couldn't stop the tears)
For each one (Thank the Lord that we have been)
Just be glad (Together through the years)
Heartaches I don't doubt
Life's sure to dish us out
We'll beat the lot and that is what
Life's all about
Whatever may come true
Ahead for me and you
Some day it all will be
Memories
Years may come (Many years are still ahead)
Years may go (Many years have passed)
Some go fast (They belong to yesterday)
Some go slow (Still the memories last)
Some are good (Couldn't stop the laughter flowing)
Some are bad (Couldn't stop the tears)
For each one (Thank the Lord that we have been)
Just be glad (Together through the years)
The song "Years May Come Years May Go" by Herman's Hermits reflects on the passing of time and the memories that are left behind. The lyrics encourage the listener to reflect on the past and appreciate the good and bad experiences that have shaped their lives. The first verse reflects on the inevitability of time passing and how the events of yesterday are now simply history. The chorus emphasizes that while some years have passed quickly and others more slowly, each year has had its own mixture of good and bad moments that have contributed to the memories of the past. The second verse touches on the ups and downs of life and how love and perseverance can help overcome the hurdles. The final chorus touches on the inevitability of change and how one day all experiences will become memories.
"Years May Come Years May Go" is an introspective song that invites the listener to reflect on their own life experiences. It encourages one to appreciate the ups and downs of life and view them with a sense of gratitude. The song also speaks of the enduring nature of memories and how they remain with us even when time passes.
Overall, the sentiment expressed by the song is one of appreciation for the journey of life and the memories that are created along the way. It encourages the listener to embrace both the good and the bad, the fast and the slow, and cherish each experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's take a look behind
Let's reflect upon the past
And see what we can find
And analyze what we have experienced
Last year has gone for everyone
Time has passed for everyone, including us
Passed with time
The year ended as time moved forward
What happened to us then
What we experienced during that year
Can't happen once again
Cannot be repeated
And what's now all to me?
And what do I have now?
History
Just a memory now
Years may come
Many years are still ahead
Years may go
Many years have passed
Some go fast
Some years flew by
Some go slow
Some years felt longer
Some are good
Some years were full of happiness
Some are bad
Some years were full of pain
For each one
For each year
Just be glad
Let's be grateful for what we have
Whenever I review
Whenever I reminisce
The lovin' times with you
The good times we shared
I wouldn't change a single page
I am content with our past
We've lived through
We experienced together
It wasn't always smooth
It was not always easy
Sometimes we'd jump the groove
Sometimes we struggled and overcame the obstacles
We've shed some tears and then
We experienced some hardships but persevered
Loved again
We continued to love and support each other
Heartaches I don't doubt
I am sure we will face more difficulties
Life's sure to dish us out
Life will surely bring us challenges
We'll beat the lot and that is what
But we will overcome them and that's what matters
Life's all about
That's what life is about
Whatever may come true
No matter what happens in the future
Ahead for me and you
For both of us
Some day it all will be
One day it will all be
Memories
Just a memory
For each one
For each year
Just be glad
Let's be grateful for what we have
Lyrics © BUDDE MUSIC FRANCE, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDRE CHARLES JEAN POPP, JACK FISHMAN, JEAN CLAUDE MASSOULIER
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.