The Very Best Of Herman's Hermits

While not exactly bubblegum their songs were on the soft and sugary side, and from a variety of sources - Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote their first hit (and only UK No 1) "I'm Into Something Good", Graham Gouldman supplied "No Milk Today" well before his 10CC days, and the British hit factory that was Geoff Stephens and Les Reed penned "There's A Kind Of Hush", subsequently covered by the Carpenters. Whatever else they were, they were hugely catchy and sing-along.

The Americans went overboard for them, and particularly liked the jokey, British music-hall stuff such as "I'm 'Enerey The Eighth, I Am" and "Mrs Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter", both No 1 hits there but largely ignored over here (in fact they weren't released as singles here - producer Mickie Most thought they were "too British"!).

This collection gives us, in chronological order, all 22 British A-sides and all the Bs as well except that for "Oh You Pretty Thing". The B-sides all fall into the Unremarkable category, with the exception of "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", which was a hit in the US in its own right; some of them, written by the Hermits, do, however, suggest that they may have been closet rockers at heart.

Then follow the singles released only in the States, and finally five bonus tracks, including rather tame versions of famous Buddy Holly, Yardbirds and Hollies hits.

Nearly all the tracks have been digitally remastered - this helps with consistency of sound volume level if nothing else; surprisingly, only three of the tracks are in stereo.

As a complete record of the single releases of one of Britain's most successful pop groups of the 1960s, this album will not be bettered. The relatively weak B-sides mean that there's a lot of filler here, though, and I suspect that, when it comes to be played, most people will make much use of the shuffle/skip/program facility on their players.

Herman's Hermits began with I'm into something good (a cover of a song by Earl Jean of the Cookies), their only British number one hit, which also made the American top twenty. After that, single releases in Britain and America differed considerably. Six top ten American hits including two number ones were never released as UK singles, these being Can't you hear my heartbeat (a UK hit for Goldie and the gingerbreads), Mrs Brown you've got a lovely daughter, I'm Henry the eighth I am (an old music hall song), Listen people, Leaning on the lamp post (a cover of a George Formby song) and Dandy. Two UK singles - Show me girl, You won't be leaving - made the top twenty but were not released as singles in America.

Some singles were released in both countries, these being Silhouettes (a cover of a fifties song by The Rays), Wonderful world (a song that has also charted for both Sam Cooke and Louis Armstrong at different times), Just a little bit better and A must to avoid, This door swings both ways, No milk today and East west. They starred in a film, Hold on, and the title track is included here.

There's a kind of hush was a top ten hit in both charts although it was a bigger hit in America. Don't go out in the rain was never released as a UK single but made the American top twenty. Museum was a top forty American hit that didn't make the UK chart although it was released as a single. I can take or leave your loving just missed the UK top ten and just missed the American top twenty. After that, Herman's Hermits never again made the American top forty but continued to chart in Britain.

Their remaining major UK hits were Sleepy Joe, Something is happening, My sentimental friend, Years may come years may go, Lady Barbara and Oh you pretty thing, the last track being a Peter Noone solo written by David Bowie and featuring Bowie on piano. Here comes the star (an Australian song) and Bet your life I do (written by members of Hot Chocolate before they became famous for their own music) became lesser UK hits.

All the above hits are included along with many of their B-sides and a few bonus tracks, making this the most comprehensive collection of Herman's Hermits music yet released. The order is lightly strange, arranged with all the British singles (A and B sides, except that one of the British B sides is omitted) in chronological order, with the American-only singles (A sides only) sandwiched between the final British single and the bonus tracks on the second CD.

To those for whom a single CD of Herman's Hermits is not enough, this is a dream come true. If you only like them a little, you should choose one of the many single CD's instead - make your choice according to whether you are looking for their British or American hits.