Them – Here Comes the Night: A Haunting Anthem of Longing
Here Comes the Night stands as a shimmering example of the dramatic and soulful artistry of Them, anchored by the magnetic presence of Van Morrison. Written by the legendary Bert Berns and released in March 1965, this track became one of the band’s most enduring hits, reaching No. 2 on the UK charts and breaking into the Top 40 in the United States. With its brooding melody, impassioned vocal delivery, and richly atmospheric production, the song captures the anguish and vulnerability of unrequited love in a way that feels both timeless and intensely personal.
The song’s evocative opening immediately sets the tone, as a shimmering tremolo guitar line slices through the darkness like moonlight on a desolate street. The instrumentation is lush yet restrained, with bursts of brass accentuating the song’s melancholy. A gently pulsing rhythm section provides a hypnotic backdrop, creating a sense of inevitability and longing. This combination of drama and subtlety reflects Bert Berns’ genius as a songwriter and producer, merging elements of pop, soul, and R&B to create an emotional tapestry that resonates deeply.
At the heart of the track is Van Morrison’s vocal performance. His voice is raw and unguarded, conveying the torment of watching a love slip away into the shadows of the night. He masterfully balances moments of soft vulnerability with bursts of anguish, his phrasing and tone painting a vivid portrait of heartache. Lines like “Here it comes again, that feeling that I’m not sure” ache with sincerity, drawing listeners into the narrator’s emotional turmoil.
Though Here Comes the Night had been previously recorded by Lulu in 1964, her version lacked the emotional weight and dynamic intensity that Them brought to the song. With Morrison’s powerful delivery and the band’s atmospheric arrangement, Them’s version transformed Berns’ composition into a bona fide classic. The song’s cinematic quality and sophisticated production also hinted at Morrison’s future trajectory, foreshadowing the introspective and poetic style that would define his solo career.
Commercially, Here Comes the Night solidified Them’s position as one of the leading acts of the British Invasion, standing alongside their breakout hit Baby Please Don’t Go. It also furthered Bert Berns’ reputation as a hitmaker, building on his previous success with tracks like Twist and Shout. Despite its success, however, the song’s chart performance belied its deeper significance—it became a defining moment for the band and a stepping stone for Morrison’s artistic evolution.
In retrospect, Here Comes the Night is more than just a standout hit from the mid-1960s; it is a poignant reminder of the emotional depth that pop music can achieve. Its haunting melody, evocative lyrics, and Morrison’s impassioned performance make it a song that lingers long after the final note fades. Whether experienced as a snapshot of youthful heartache or as a timeless piece of musical storytelling, Here Comes the Night remains an essential entry in Them’s catalog and a testament to the enduring power of well-crafted music.