Classic Pop Icons

Them’s “Here Comes the Night,” featuring Van Morrison on lead vocals, is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Here Comes the Night” was released on single in March 1965, backed with “All for Myself,” and became Them’s biggest hit.

Them had only been together a few months when they recorded their third single “Here Comes the Night.” Originally named The Gamblers (the change of name was inspired by the 1950s horror movie), the band were recruited by lead singer Van Morrison in April 1964 to play with him at a R&B club that he had established at the Maritime Hotel in Belfast. Slick local advertising and word-of-mouth endorsement meant that the band quickly achieved a strong local following which attracted the attention of Decca’s Dick Rowe. Within weeks of debuting at the club, they had a record contract and were in a recording studio in London to record their debut single “Turn On Your Love Light.”

The big breakthrough for Them was the release of the single “Baby Please Don’t Go,” backed with “Gloria” in November 1964. The band had already recorded “Here Comes the Night” at this point and were keen to release it, but Decca disappointed the band by choosing to release Lulu’s version of the song first. The disappointment was short-lived, as Lulu’s single peaked at a lowly number 50 on the UK singles chart and the decision was made to issue Them’s version.

“Here Comes the Night” opens with a simple but very catchy guitar intro and goes straight into the song’s chorus, which features a very Jagger-esque vocal from Van Morrison. At this point, we don’t know whether the singer is anticipating “the night” with a sense of trepidation or joy, but we aren’t in the dark for long. It soon becomes clear that this is a song about a man’s obsessive love for a woman who has rejected him and moved on to another. Lines such as “Whoa, it makes me want to die” tell us that he isn’t handling the rejection very well! The writer and arranger makes an interesting choice here, as the song’s darkest content is reserved for the verses, which feature a contradictory bright and cheery sounding melody. As a result, the depth of the protagonist’s obsession only reveals itself if the listener is paying close attention.

Them – “Here Comes the Night”

The group would release several more singles and two albums before Van Morrison left to embark on a solo career in 1966.

Authorship

“Here Comes the Night” was written by American songwriter Bert Berns (aka Bert Russell), who also produced Them’s version. Other notable tracks penned by Berns included “Twist and Shout,” “Piece of My Heart,” “Cry to Me” and “Hang on Sloopy.”

Berns would also produce Van Morrison’s first solo album, “Blowin’ Your Mind!” which featured the classic 1967 single “Brown Eyed Girl.”

Recording date/location

“Here Comes the Night” was recorded at Decca Studios in West Hampstead, London in October 1964.

Musicians

The song was recorded by a combination of Them’s core members and talented session musicians, including future guitar god Jimmy Page:

• Van Morrison – lead vocals
• Phil Coulter keyboards
• Billy Harrison – guitar
• Jimmy Page – guitar
• Alan Henderson – bass
• Andy White/Ronnie Millings – drums and backing vocals
• Tommy Scott – backing vocals.

Andy White was the session drummer who two years before had replaced Ringo Starr on the Beatles’ single “Love Me Do.”

Chart performance

“Here Comes the Night” was Them’s biggest hit in the UK, reaching number two in March 1965. It peaked at number 24 in the US on July 11 of that year.

Covers

Lulu – “Here Comes the Night”

As noted above, Lulu’s version was released first, so it isn’t strictly a cover. This is a slower, more dramatic reading of the song than the Them version, complete with a key change and effective use of strings. If Roy Orbison had covered “Here Comes the Night,” he might have used this arrangement.

David Bowie – “Here Comes the Night”

David Bowie featured “Here Comes the Night” on his 1973 covers album “Pin Ups.” Bowie’s arrangement is similar to Them’s, but his vocals seem a little manic in places and tend to overpower the song. Sometimes, less is more.

There will be a new Song of the Week on August 15.

“Here Comes the Night” is available on the 2007 release “Van Morrison: Still On Top – The Greatest Hits,” which was released as a 2CD set in the UK and a single CD in the US/Canada.

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