There's a Kind of Hush

Infobox Single
Name = There's a Kind of Hush


Caption =
Artist =Herman's Hermits
from Album =
A-side =
B-side ="Gaslight Street" (UK) "No Milk Today" (US)
Released = February 1967
Format = 7" single
Recorded =
Genre = Pop
Length =
Label =
Writer = Geoff Stephens; Les Reed
Producer = Mickie Most
Certification =
Chart position = * #4 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100)
* #7 (UK)
Last single = "East West"
(1966)
This single = "There's a Kind of Hush"
(1967)
Next single = "Don't Go Out Into the Rain (You're Going to Melt)"
(1967)
Misc = Infobox Single
Name = There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)


Caption = Cover to the Carpenters' single, "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)"
Artist = The Carpenters
from Album = A Kind of Hush
A-side = "There's a Kind of Hush"
B-side = "I'm Caught Between (Goodbye and I Love You)"
Released = February 12, 1976
Format = 7" single
Recorded = 1976
Genre = Pop
Length = 03:04
Label = A&M Records
Writer = Geoff Stephens; Les Reed
Producer = Richard Carpenter
Certification =
Chart position = * #12 (U.S. Billboard Hot 100), #1 (U.S. AC)
Last single = "Solitaire" (1975)
This single = "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" (1976)
Next single = "I Need to Be in Love" (1976)
Misc = | Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = A Kind of Hush
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "There's a Kind of Hush"
# "You"
# "Sandy"
# "Goofus"
# "Can't Smile Without You";Side two
# "I Need to Be in Love"
# "One More Time"
# "Boat to Sail"
# "I Have You"
# "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"

"There's a Kind of Hush" is a popular song written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephens.

Herman's Hermits version

The best-known version of the song is by Herman's Hermits, who took it to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967, eclipsing a cover version which had been released by Gary and the Hornets that had garnered regional success in the United States. It was the group's last Top 10 single.

The Carpenters version

Nine years later, the song was a worldwide smash for The Carpenters, who extended the title to include almost the entire first line of the lyric: "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)". However, Richard Carpenter explained in the liner notes to the Carpenters' 2004 best-of compilation, "Gold", that although he and Karen Carpenter loved the song, he was not particularly pleased with how their remake turned out:

"...one of Karen's and my favorite songs from the '60s. In hindsight, however, even though our version was a hit, I wish we'd never recorded it. Here are three reasons why: (1) The original was, and is, perfectly fine. (2) Our foray into the oldies should have ended with the medley featured on side 2 of [the duo's hit LP] "Now & Then", 1973. (3) The use of a synthesizer in some of our recordings has not worn well with me, on this track, or just about any other track on which I used it."

The Carpenters took "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" to #12 on the Hot 100 chart in 1976 (see 1976 in music). The single also became their thirteenth #1 on the adult contemporary chart.

Other versions

In 2006, the experimental rock band Deerhoof covered the song on their self-released, internet-only Untitled E.P..

Barry Manilow also recorded a version of this song for his 2006 album, "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties".

Cultural references

*In episode 8F19 of "The Simpsons" ("Colonel Homer"), Homer's co-worker Lenny sings this song to his bowling ball after he notices Homer is bowling extremely well while singing a song to his own ball.