THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

762-Them-Here Comes the Night.

1965-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.26. ‘Them’ recorded ‘Here Comes the Night’ first, but their label ‘Decca Records’ chose to release the version by fellow label mate Lulu instead, leaving the band bitterly disappointed. It has been said that when Lulu’s version only reached Number 50, the band had a ‘certain grim satisfaction.’

‘Them’ were formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1964, by Van Morrison, (lead vocals, saxophone, and harmonica) Alan Henderson, (1944-2017) (bass) Billy Harrison, (guitar) Ronnie Milling, (drums) and Eric Wrixon (1947-2015) (keyboards.) ‘Them’ remained active until 1966, when a split which was partly caused by money problems, led the group members to branch out in different directions, with two of the group forming the ‘Belfast Gypsies.’ In 1979 there was a one off reunion, and group members formed ‘The Belfast Blues Band’ between 1990-2015. In total there have been 26 different members of ‘Them,’ and it’s offshoots. As ‘Them,’ and with Van Morrison as a member, they released two studio Albums ‘The Angry Young Them.’ in 1965, and ‘Them Again,’ in 1966, they also issued 10 singles between 1964-1967, with two of those tracks reaching the UK top 40,’Baby Please Don’t Go,’ (1964-Number 10) and ‘Here Comes the Night’ (1965-Number 2.) While in America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, they also charted twice, with ‘Here Comes the Night’ reaching Number 24, and ‘Mystic Eyes’ making Number 33 in 1965. Although ‘Them,’ who took their stage name from the 1954 science fiction horror film ‘Them,’ were only active in their original form for a short while, they are considered to be one of the most influential acts in the development of ‘Rock Music,’

Van Morrison was born George Ivan Morrison, on August 31st, 1945, in Bloomfield, Belfast, Northern Ireland, he is known affectionately to his fans as ‘Van the Man.’ In 1996 Morrison who has been known as ‘Van’ since primary school, received an ‘OBE,’ and in 2015 he was ‘Knighted’ by the then Prince Charles, for his services to the music industry, and to tourism in Northern Ireland. As a solo artist Van Morrison has at the time of writing released 44 studio Albums between 1967-2023, and 80 singles between 1967-2018, there are also nine official compilation Albums, and seven live Albums available. Van Morrison has always had far more success commercially with his Albums, rather than his singles releases, with 34 of his Albums making the UK top 40, with ‘Magic Time’ from 2005 peaking the highest at Number 3. On Billboard in America, 19 of his Albums have reached the top 40, with ‘Keep Me Singing,’ from 2016, charting the highest at Number 9. In the UK his only two top 40 singles are ‘Whenever God Shines His Light,’ with Cliff Richard, (1989-Number 20) and ‘Gloria’ with John Lee Hooker, (1993-Number 31) while on Billboard in America he has had five top 40 hits, with ‘Domino’ from 1970, peaking the highest at Number 9.

‘Here Comes the Night’ was the third single released by ‘Them’ in March 1965, and can be found on ‘The Angry Young Them,’ the debut studio Album from the band from June 1965. ‘Here Comes the Night’ was written and produced by Bert Berns, who was born Bertrand Russell Berns, on November 8th, 1929, in New York City, United States, Berns, who had a history of cardiac trouble as a result of his heart being damaged from rheumatic fever contracted during childhood, died in his New York apartment of heart failure on December 30, 1967, at the age of 38. Some of the classic songs that he wrote and produced include ‘Twist and Shout,’ ‘Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,’ and ‘Piece of my Heart.’ Bert Berns also produced ‘Blowin’ Your Mind!’ the debut studio Album of Van Morrison in 1967, which included one of Morrison’s signature songs, ‘Brown Eyed Girl.’

‘Here Comes the Night’ tells of the narrator jealously watching his ex lover showing her affection for a new partner. He realises how lonely he now is, and wishes that she was still with him.

‘I could see right out my window walkin’ down the street, my girl with another guy, his arm around her like it used to be with me. Whoa, it makes me want to die, yeah yeah yeah. Well, here it comes, here comes the night.’