HERMAN'S HERMITS - JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER

JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER

HERMAN’S HERMITS

SONGWRITER: KENNY YOUNG

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: THEIR GRESYEST HITS

LABEL: ABKCO MUSIC & RECORDS

GENRE: FOLK

YEAR: 1973

 

       Herman's Hermits are an English pop group formed in 1964 in Manchester and fronted by singer Peter Noone. Known for their jaunty beat sound and Noone's tongue-in-cheek vocal style, the Hermits charted numerous transatlantic hits in the UK and in America, where they ranked as one of the most successful acts in the Beatles-led British Invasion. At the pinnacle of their popularity in 1965, the group logged twenty-four consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the US Billboard chart, and reached number one with the singles "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am". Their other international hits include "I'm Into Something Good" (their sole UK number-one), "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", "Silhouettes", "Wonderful World", "A Must to Avoid", "There's a Kind of Hush", "I Can Take or Leave Your Loving", "Something's Happening" and "My Sentimental Friend", all of which were produced by Mickie Most. They also appeared in four films, two of which were vehicles for the band.

         Their chart debut was a cover of Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "I'm into Something Good" (a then recent US Top 40 hit for Earl-Jean). In September 1964 it replaced the Kinks' "You Really Got Me" at number one in the UK singles chart and in December reached nº 13 in the US. The Hermits never topped the British charts again, but in America in 1965—when Billboard magazine ranked them America's top singles act of the year (with the Beatles at nº 2)—they topped the Hot 100 with two non-UK releases: "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I’m Henry VIII, I Am” (a cover of the 1910 Cockney-style music hall song "I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am"). The nº 12 debut of "Mrs. Brown" on the Hot 100 in April 1965 was the decade's third highest (behind the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and "Get Back").

      Between late 1964 and early 1968 Herman's Hermits never failed to reach the Top 40 in the States. Six of their 11 US Top Tens were not released as A-side singles in their native UK, including the two afore-mentioned number ones plus "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" (nº 2), "Listen People" (nº. 3), a cover of Noel Gay's 1937 song "Leaning on a Lamp-post" (no. 9, under the title "Leaning on the Lamp Post") and their version of Ray Davies's "Dandy" (nº 5). Conversely they hit big in Britain between 1968 and 1970 with several major hits which failed to register in America, among them the four Top Tens "Sunshine Girl" (nº 8), "Something's Happening" (nº 6), "My Sentimental Friend" (nº 2) and "Years May Come, Years May Go" (nº 7). Their final UK hit, "Lady Barbara" (nº 13), released in the autumn of 1970, was credited to 'Peter Noone & Herman's Hermits'.

He may send you flowers

Baby, every single day

Buy you fancy clothes from Paris

And have sweet things to say

 

But I can give you love

Sweet, sweet love

Now ain't that just a little bit better

 

And he'll take you to night clubs

In a shiny limousine

Buy you furs and diamond bracelets

Make you look just like a queen

 

But I can give you love

Sweet, sweet love

Now ain't that just a little bit better

 

Love, love, love

Is what I can give ya

True, true love

As long as I may live

 

But I can give you love

Sweet, sweet love

Now ain't that just a little bit better

 

Love, love, love

Is what I can give ya

True, true love

As long as I may live

 

Well, he may want to buy

A fancy mansion on a hill

Will you live with him forever?

Baby, that ain't such a thrill

 

'Cause I can give you love

Sweet, sweet love

Now ain't that just a little bit better.