INSIDE POP: THE ROCK REVOLUTION

with Leonard Bernstein

_

HERMAN'S HERMITS

"Can't You Feel My Heartbeat?"

On this day in music history: January 19, 1965 - “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” by Herman’s Hermits is released. Written by John Carter and Ken Lewis, it is the second US single for the pop band from Manchester, UK. Making a splash with their cover of the Carole King and Gerry Goffin penned song “I’m Into Something Good” (#1 UK, #13 US Pop), Herman’s Hermits quickly establish themselves as one of the biggest acts of the British Invasion. In the UK, “Show Me Girl” (#19 UK) is issued as the follow up, but not released in the US. For their next single, the band cut a pair of songs for the A and B-sides. The first features them covering The Rays’ 50’s doo wop classic “Silhouettes”, and one titled “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat”. Written by British songwriters John Carter and Ken Lewis also members of The Ivy League (“What More Do You Want?”), “Heartbeat” is initially recorded by the American all female band Goldie & The Gingerbreads. Their version is produced and arranged by Animals keyboardist Alan Price. Though all competant musicians in their own right, producer Mickie Most at times augments Herman’s Hermits with outside studio musicians, or in the case of “Silhouettes” and “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat”, replaces them virtually altogether on the session (with the exception of lead singer Peter Noone). Recorded on December 1, 1964 at De Lane Lea Studios in London, the two tracks feature future Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Bobby Graham (drums), Big Jim Sullivan (rhythm guitar), and Ken Lewis and John Carter (backing vocals). Though in later years it is claimed that Jones’ Zeppelin band mate Jimmy Page played lead guitar on the two songs, the actual guitarist is Vic Flick, best known for playing the signature guitar riff on composer John Barry’s famed “James Bond Theme”. When the two songs are released, “Heartbeat” is regulated to the B-side of the single by their UK label EMI/Columbia, while in the US MGM Records immediately realizes its hit potential, issuing as an A-side and holding “Silhouettes” back for future release. The move proves to be a shrewd one, as “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” takes off even faster than its predecessor in the US. Entering the Hot 100 at #85 on January 30, 1965, it races up the chart, peaking eight weeks later at #2 on March 27, 1965. It becomes the first of eleven top ten singles that Herman’s Hermits rack up over the next two years. They are the only act to match The Beatles who also score eleven US top ten hits in the exact same time period, from early 1965 to mid 1967. Despite the interest of being involved with John Paul Jones and the possibility of Jimmy Page playing on this they were soon to lose their lustre. Within those two years they were done, a spent force and reduced ever after to tour banging out their previous hits like a sad showband and still Peter didn't quite get why . . . . . . .

"(Something Tell's Me) I'm Into Something Good" was a great song that I bought when it came out (1965?) and well sung too but Peter Noone was never a hero, too poppy and too cutesy pie to make it big with the guys I guess but later got to enjoy his exchanges with Graham Nash in chats in the sixties and rarely have you seen someone get so left behind in front of your very eyes. A conservative with right wing political overtones, he merely makes a fool of himself . Check out this classic CBS documentary about contemporary music as "a symptom and generator" of social unrest and the generation gap

Inside Pop -- The Rock Revolution is a CBS News special, broadcast in April 1967. The show was hosted by Leonard Bernstein and is probably one of the first examples of pop music being examined as a "serious" art form. The film features many scenes shot in Los Angeles in late 1966, including interviews with Frank Zappa and Graham Nash, as well as the now-legendary Brian Wilson solo performance of "Surf's Up." Quite why Herman's Hermits were given quite such an inordinately large part of the airtime is beyond me w but it is worth viewing

Music of that time featured The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Bob Dylan, Beach Boys, Zappa, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Rush, Sabbath, Velvet Underground, The Doors, Mamas & Pappas, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and the beat goes on. Interesting to hear that Leonard Bernstein knew Tim Buckly's work

It might also be worth noting that the second half of the film was the films director TV producer and inveterate classicist, David Oppenheim not Bernstein showing his ignorance and intolerant behaviour and attitude to what was happening in music and Bernstein who acts as host singing Beatles references shows a man who 'got it'!


If you wish to check out the uncomfortable moments between Noone and Nash check out the film at about 35.50. It's sad to reflect that Herman's Hermits were largely an oldies band by late 1967 which was when they had their last U.S. Top 40 hit