Herman's Hermits fans?

[Lonely Summer]

About once a year, Peter Noone comes to my area with his touring version of Herman's Hermits. Always an enjoyable show, and he's got some great musicians in his band. In fact, two of the guys, Billy Sullivan and Rich Spina, used to back up Gary Lewis. Another member, Vance Brescia, wrote the Monkees 1986 hit "That Was Then, This is Now". Wish I had been around back in the 60's to see the original group, but the current band does a great job of playing the songs in a way that is faithful to the original recordings. And there was a dvd of the original band put out a few years ago. I know they're a band the snobs love to hate because of novelty tunes like "I'm Henry VIII, I Am", but most of the hits they had were great pop songs written by the top writers of the day like Graham Gouldman and (in one instance, anyway) Ray Davies. "I'm Into Something Good", "Silhouettes", "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", "No Milk Today", "Dandy", "There's a Kind of Hush" are still some of my favorite records of the 60's.

[JK]

Interesting topic, LS. I was heavily into US music at the time so they were anathema to me. I preferred the originals by Earl-Jean and Goldie and The Gingerbreads anyway. I warmed to other UK acts later but not HH. I do remember Peter doing "Oh! You Pretty Things" on TOTP with Bowie at the piano. I also recall (from a few years ago) that he was in another type of band called The Tremblers. This is one HH song I do like (lovely intro).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LesWfbkJJlQ

[NOLA BB Fan]

"I'm Into Something Good",  "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", "There's a Kind of Hush"

I'm Into Something Good is one of my favorite songs from the 60s. No wonder - Carole King said Brian and the Beach Boys were an inspiration for it . The other two listed are also favorites .
I can forgive them for that "Henry VIII" song. They probably did it for U.S. audiences thinking they'd like it - and yes, I remember hearing it a lot back then!
They did have one oddly named song - "She's a Must to Avoid." Not knowing the name of the song until fairly recently, I thought they were singing " She's a muscular boy! " 

[RangeRoverA1]

I like "Henry The 8th" - what's not to like, what's to "forgive"? Catchy singsongy song, cool guitar, good vocs. In fact, if I got into voice talent competition, I'd pick HT8 to sing.

Peter Noone is good chap, likeable, friendly & funny. In 80s program about Brian he said he's big BBs/ BW fan which I didn't even suspect. I'd seen few YT clips with his shows - they look fun, people like & Peter makes them sing & laugh at his various singers' impersonations. F.ex. he did cool Mick Jagger ("Jumpin' Jack Flash").

[NOLA BB Fan]

Henry the Eighth is a novelty song that is catchy. It's okay but I'd like it better if it had a second verse, and not just a "second verse, same as the first."

 Peter Noone is indeed likeable. He has a weekly program on the satellite 60s channel that I catch on occasion.  During the course of the show he usually plays a Beach Boys song.

[JK]

Henry the Eighth is a novelty song that is catchy. It's okay but I'd like it better if it had a second verse, and not just a "second verse, same as the first."

 Peter Noone is indeed likeable. He has a weekly program on the satellite 60s channel that I catch on occasion.  During the course of the show he usually plays a Beach Boys song.

I'm not sure there's much more you can add--the first verse says it all!

The mother of an online acquaintance of mine used to babysit Peter Noone.

[RangeRoverA1]

Henry the Eighth is a novelty song that is catchy. It's okay but I'd like it better if it had a second verse, and not just a "second verse, same as the first."

English speakers use "novelty" negatively. Can anybody tell why? What's bad about song being novelty?

Welp. Looks like to some, lyrics repeats is big deal. What if they did it to make Peter say "2nd verse, same as 1st", it's fun you know.

[JK]

Henry the Eighth is a novelty song that is catchy. It's okay but I'd like it better if it had a second verse, and not just a "second verse, same as the first."

English speakers use "novelty" negatively. Can anybody tell why? What's bad about song being novelty?

Welp. Looks like to some, lyrics repeats is big deal. What if they did it to make Peter say "2nd verse, same as 1st", it's fun you know.

I have no problem with novelty songs. But like most other genres, some appeal to me and some don't. Actually I prefer Joe Brown's original, with some nifty guitar work thrown in (some interesting images there too):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ROiYSNYYA

[NOLA BB Fan]

I didn't use the word "novelty" in a negative sense . That's simply what that type of song is known as . Novelty songs were quite popular in the early/mid sixties.
There are a number of them that I like - one of my faves is Allan Sherman's "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"

RR1 I wish I could hear your take on Henry the Eighth. Would be fun.

[JK]

I didn't use the word "novelty" in a negative sense . That's simply what that type of song is known as . Novelty songs were quite popular in the early/mid sixties.
There are a number of them that I like - one of my faves is Allan Sherman's "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"

I remember that one. You also had "On Top Of Spaghetti" (the less said about that the better!), "The Monster Mash" (of course), "Sukiyaki" (in Japanese), "Dominique" (in French) and of course the peerless "They're Coming To Take Me Away"!

[Wrightfan]

I like them. My late Uncle was a huge fan. Would love to meet Peter Noone as the man looks like he has barely aged from the videos I've seen.

[RangeRoverA1]

I didn't use the word "novelty" in a negative sense . That's simply what that type of song is known as . Novelty songs were quite popular in the early/mid sixties.

You may not but many do - which is the point I made. They say these songs cringy & lame or make it seem like it's just ditties, talk about novelty songs like sth. Z-grade. Why - is the question. What's really bad about novelties? Define "novelty song" - what's it that makes people use it when describing lesser throwaway ditty?

2 Wrightfan - Yes, Peter even joked about him looking like kid.

Didn't know "Henry The 8th" is cover. Figured it's song specifically written with HH in mind.

[JK]

Didn't know "Henry The 8th" is cover. Figured it's song specifically written with HH in mind.

I knew a couple of their other big hits weren't originals ("I'm Into Something Good" and "Silhouettes") but it turns out seven of HH's first eight US 45s were covers. Nothing wrong with that, of course. And Peter had the personality to carry it off.

While we're in the mid sixties, Cool Cool Water, who also posts here from time to time, is a big fan of the deeper cuts, often B-sides, by Freddie and the Dreamers, who are best known as a sort of bug-eyed comedy act.

[NOLA BB Fan]

"Novelty song" is a category for songs that are usually comedic in nature. It was considered to be a separate category from ballads or dance music.
And to say once again - I have nothing against this music. I used to listen to the Dr Demento Show every week, which was nothing but wacky novelty songs.

Getting back to HH, I have no problem with most of their early hits being composed by others. Don't know how anyone else could have done a better job than what they did with "I'm into Something Good."
 Found out that "Henry the Eighth" was an English music hall song from 1910.
I do remember reading about how some British were wondering about why they would cover "Mrs Brown You Have a Lovely Daughter" which was well known there. However it wasn't known in the US, and they did a good job with it.

[JK]

Getting back to HH, I have no problem with most of their early hits being composed by others. Don't know how anyone else could have done a better job than what they did with "I'm into Something Good."
Found out that "Henry the Eighth" was an English music hall song from 1910.

Interesting about "Henry" (read him up at Wikipedia). So Joe revived it but Harry championed it, so to speak. I had to laugh at why HC changed Willie to William! Joe and Peter were clearly less prudish.

As for "IISG", this is the original by Earl-Jean, former singer with The Cookies, whose song "Chains" was covered by The Beatles (small world). I heard this first, which is probably why I prefer it. I love her low notes at 1:10 and at the end! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M45K92SMcxA     

[JK]

Found out that "Henry the Eighth" was an English music hall song from 1910.

To take us even further off-topic (but surely that's what threads are for)...

Since this topic started I've been confusing "Henry the Eighth" in my mind with the WWI marching song "Pack Up Your Troubles (In Your Old Kit Bag)". I suppose the tunes are quite similar. I couldn't find a rocked-up version of it though, just an unrelated song of that name by Slade.

[RangeRoverA1]

2NBBF - Can't you tell why many people use "novelty song" negatively? Think I made it clear that the others do, not you. I say it now 3rd time. I'm really curious about it, y'know, why people use it negatively, dismiss these type songs "Z-grade ditties". Ta in advance.

[JK]

2NBBF - Can't you tell why many people use "novelty song" negatively? Think I made it clear that the others do, not you. I say it now 3rd time. I'm really curious about it, y'know, why people use it negatively, dismiss these type songs "Z-grade ditties". Ta in advance.

Can't you take this to PMs, RR? I love reading your stuff but this is getting a bit tedious.

[RangeRoverA1]

I shall say anything I want, folks. I'll keep replying in this thread. Okey-dokey? Okey-dokey.

[NOLA BB Fan]

Answer to your question can be found with OP first post, referring to those who disdain novelty songs as "snobs." They can't lighten up.

[wilsonart1]

Might as well hit the water too!  Sentimental Friend my fav. by Mr. Noone.  Playing a bandshell at Mn. State fair this fall.  Wildest State Fair of them all.

[RangeRoverA1]

I still didn't get the best answer, despite NBBF pointing at the OP's OP. Anybody got the real definitive answer to why novelty songs looked at as "Z-grade ditties"?
I read that people use "novelty" negatively. Anybody know why they're considered "Z-grade ditties"? People in youtube & elsewhere use "novelty" negatively. Any detailed well-written answer why is it people use it negatively? Anybody? Thanks in advance.
If need be, I shall be getting back to this question to remind everybody kindly about it. Maybe 10 times, maybe 15 times.