For today’s classic song of the day, let’s get in the Wayback Machine and travel all the way back to the year 1967. Doesn’t matter what time it is, just turn on your handy AM radio and you’re likely to hear the latest tune from Herman’s Hermits, a catchy little ditty called “There’s a Kind of Hush.” Released as a single in January of 1967, this two-and-a-half minute piece of British Invasion goodness went all the way to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Cash Box Top 100. The tune peaked at #7 on the band’s native UK charts.
“There’s a Kind of Hush” was written by the team of Geoff Stephens and Les Reed, who were responsible, together and with others, of writing such tunes as “Daughter of Darkness” and “Delilah” for Tom Jones, “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” for Wayne Newton, “Here It Comes Again” for the Fortunes, and “Winchester Cathedral” for the New Vaudeville Band. In fact, Stephens and Reed originally intended “There’s a Kind of a Hush” for the New Vaudeville Band and that group included the song on their 1966 album, Winchester Cathedral. Herman Hermit’s, under the guidance of producer Mickie Most, recorded their version later in 1966 and released it as a single early the next year.
Herman’s Hermits were led by lead singer Peter Noone and became known for their “jaunty beat sound.” “There’s a Kind of Hush” was the last of their big hits, following “I’m Into Something Good” (#13 in 1964), “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” (#2 in 1965), “Silhouettes” (#5 in 1965), “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” (#1 in 1965), “Wonderful World” (#4 in 1965), “I’m Henry VIII, I Am” (#1 in 1965), “Just a Little Bit Better” (#7 in 1965), “A Must to Avoid” (#8 in 1965), “Listen People” (#3 in 1966), “Leaning on the Lamp Post” (#9 in 1966), “This Door Swings Both Ways” (#12 in 1966), and “Dandy” (#5 in 1966). That’s an incredible run. Basically, you couldn’t avoid hearing a Herman’s Hermits tune on the radio from the beginning of 1965 to the end of 1966.
Interestingly, there was nobody named Herman in the group Herman’s Hermits. They got their name from lead singer Peter Noone, who someone remarked bore a slight resemblance to Sherman (the boy) in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons. They shortened Sherman to Herman and became Herman’s Hermits.
“There’s a Kind of Hush” got a second lease on life a decade later, as “There’s a Kind of Hush (All Over the World),” when the Carpenters released a cover of the tune in February of 1976. Their version peaked at #12 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 but went all the way to #1 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. It was apparently one of Karen and Richard’s favorite songs.
