Written 1910 | ||
Writer(s) Fred Murray, R. P. Weston | ||
"I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am" (also "I'm Henery the VIII, I Am" or "I'm Henry VIII, I Am"; spelled "Henery" but pronounced "'Enery" in the Cockney style normally used to sing it) is a 1910 British music hall song by Fred Murray and R. P. Weston. It was a signature song of the music hall star Harry Champion. In 1965, it became the fastest-selling song in history to that point when it was revived by Herman's Hermits, becoming the group's second number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The lead solo on the Hermits' version was played by the group's lead guitarist Derek "Lek" Leckenby.
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In the well-known chorus, Henery explains that his wife had been married seven times before:
Background
According to one source, Champion "used to fire off [the chorus] at tremendous speed with almost desperate gusto, his face bathed in sweat and his arms and legs flying in all directions." In later versions recorded by Champion, "Willie" is changed to "William" because the former is a British slang term for the penis.
The song is often sung in a Cockney accent.
This song was recorded (in 1963) and extensively performed live by the British star. Joe Brown, who revived the song and made it largely known in the pop world. His version has two choruses either side of his guitar solo. (B-side, Piccadilly Records 7N 35005) He performs it live still today.
The Herman's Hermits version consists of the chorus sung three times. Between the first two choruses, Peter Noone calls out, "Second verse, same as the first!". The background singers on the version recorded by Connie Francis for her 1966 album Connie Francis and The Kids Next Door use this call as well.
Earlier sources usually spell the name "Henery" (as do some old sources when referring to the historical King of England), and the music requires the name "Henery" (or "'Enery") to be pronounced as three syllables. The sheet music for the 1965 Herman's Hermits revival, however, presented the name as "Henry", as do sources referring to this version.