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"Here Come the Nice" is a song by English
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Small Faces Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The ...
. Written by guitarist
Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted pos ...
and bass guitarist
Ronnie Lane Ronald Frederick Lane (1 April 1946 – 4 June 1997) was an English musician and songwriter who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73). Lane formed Small Faces ...
, it was released as a
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
on 2 June 1967, through
Immediate Records Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder, and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene. History Immediate Records was started in 1965. Signed ...
. The song, which was the band's debut on Immediate, was their first promoted release of 1967, following feuds with Decca Records. It marked a distinct turning point for Small Faces' career, being their first single to deliberately venture into
psychedelia Psychedelia refers to the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic music and style of dress during that era. This was primarily generated by people who used psychedelic ...
, though they would previously done that on a few album tracks for Decca. The song's subject regarding a drug dealer somehow bypassed the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
censors, who did not ban it, which resulted in the song managing to chart at number 12 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
during the summer of 1967. The song received mostly good reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, with many positively noting the change of genres. The song is also known for its distinct outro, which was done through electro-mechanical studio processes, similar to how the band would experiment with
flanging Flanging is an audio effect produced by mixing two identical signals together, one signal delayed by a small and (usually) gradually changing period, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds. This produces a swept comb filter effect: peaks and no ...
on their follow-up single "
Itchycoo Park "Itchycoo Park" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, first recorded by their group, the Small Faces. Largely written by Lane, it was one of the first music recordings to feature flanging, an effect at that time made possible ...
", which was released shortly after. Nonetheless, "Here Come the Nice" became one of Small Faces' best known recordings and, although it failed to chart within the top 10 in the United Kingdom, the song ultimately led the band to continue producing
psychedelic songs Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
for the rest of their career. Despite not charting on either the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 or the ''Cashbox'' Top 100, the song was eventually included on the United States-only album ''
There Are But Four Small Faces ''There Are But Four Small Faces'' is a studio album by British rock group Small Faces, released in 1968 through Immediate Records and distributed by CBS Records. It was the band's first LP release in the United States, and is a modified version ...
'', released approximately ten months afterward, and was also included on the soundtrack of Peter Whitehead's '' Tonite Let's All Make Love in London'' in 1968.


Background and development

By 1967, popular musical genres had started changing, and Small Faces' initially strong mod following had begun decreasing as a result. Psychedelic drugs had become popular among both various subcultures and bands. Small Faces had by now been introduced to
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
, during a party at their residence on 11 May 1966, the same day as the release of their debut studio album ''
Small Faces Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The ...
''. On that day,
the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
, a regular visitor to the band, along with
The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The g ...
' drummer
Graeme Edge Graeme Charles Edge (30 March 1941 – 11 November 2021) was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder and drummer of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as ...
visited Small Faces at their residence, located at 22 Westmoreland Terrace in Pimlico, following a meeting with Edge at
Decca Studios Decca Studios was a recording facility at 165 Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, North London, England, controlled by Decca Records from 1937 to 1980. The building was once West Hampstead Town Hall, and had been converted to a recording studio b ...
in
West Hampstead West Hampstead is an area in the London Borough of Camden in north-west London. Mainly defined by the railway stations of the same name, it is situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage ...
. At the residence, Epstein passed
orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...
slices on a plate around to the various band members, who all accepted them, with the exception of drummer
Kenney Jones Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones (born 16 September 1948) is an English drummer best known for his work in the groups Small Faces, Faces, and the Who. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces/Faces ...
. Keyboardist
Ian McLagan Ian Patrick McLagan (; 12 May 1945 – 3 December 2014) was an English keyboardist, best known as a member of the rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. He was i ...
recalled that the band's reaction to the drug varied; he states that while Lane overlooked the river
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
, Marriott planned on going to
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
to visit his girlfriend. However, Marriott apparently had a bad trip under the drug and eventually Small Faces, along with Mick O'Sullivan, took Marriott to Euston railway station where he went on a train to Manchester. Although they had a negative first impression of the drug, it became an important factor for the band's music. Small Faces had begun composing new music, including some psychedelic tracks. These included "That Man", "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow", "
(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me? "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me?" (also known as "Tell Me Have You Ever Seen Me?" or "Have You Ever Seen Me?") is a song by English rock band Small Faces. It has a complicated release history and was issued by both Decca and Immediate Records in ...
", "
Green Circles "Green Circles" is a song by English rock band Small Faces first recorded in 1966. While not issued as a single in the United Kingdom, it was originally intended as the B-Side of "Here Come the Nice", their first single release on Immediate Rec ...
" and "
My Way of Giving "My Way of Giving" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Initially demoed by their band Small Faces in 1966, it was given to British singer Chris Farlowe, who released his version as a single in early 1967. It was Farlowe's first si ...
". However, during the composing time, they began to grow bitter with their
record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
Decca Records along with Manager
Don Arden Don Arden (born Harry Levy; 4 January 1926 – 21 July 2007) was an English music manager, agent, and businessman. He managed the careers of rock acts such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Air Supply, Small Faces, The Move, Black Sabbat ...
, who the band felt cheated them. The reason was because although he had given them a salary of £20 a week, along with accounts at
Carnaby Street Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in Soho in the City of Westminster, Central London. Close to Oxford Street and Regent Street, it is home to fashion and lifestyle retailers, including many independent fashion boutiques. S ...
clothing stores, Small Faces failed to see income from performances or royalties from any of their
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
. The two final straws came when their parents confronted Arden, to which he responded that the Small Faces were using drugs, and when the band heard " My Mind's Eye" on the radio, which was a
demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
they would sent in to Arden, not hoping to release it. However, hope came when Andrew Loog Oldham's label
Immediate Records Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder, and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene. History Immediate Records was started in 1965. Signed ...
decided to buy Small Faces' contract for £25 000 from Decca, which was announced on 11 February 1967 in a '' New Musical Express'' article. With Immediate, Small Faces were granted unlimited studio time and finally got the royalties they needed. Small Faces still owed Decca one more song, which eventually was released with " I Can't Make It", a song that they made no attempt in promoting; it stalled at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart.


Composition and recording

The title "Here Come the Nice" comes from the comedian Lord Buckley monologue, "Here Comes Da Nazz". Marriott had first heard the phrase in 1965 when he, original keyboardist
Jimmy Winston James Edward Winston Langwith (20 April 1945 – 26 September 2020), known professionally as Jimmy Winston, was an English musician and actor. He was the original keyboard player with Small Faces. Winston had apparently previously worked under th ...
and Winston's girlfriend spent time together at her apartment. According to McLagan, Marriott had an extremely
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
taste of music, deriving inspiration from several artists and sources, and he also says that Buckley "rapped" it. He further states that "Nazz" was slang for
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
. The song features a line which alludes to drug use; "He makes me feel like no-one else could, He knows what I want, He's got what I need, He's always there if I need some speed." The phrase "speed" is a synonym for the
central nervous system The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system consisting primarily of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is so named because the brain integrates the received information and coordinates and influences the activity of all p ...
stimulant drug Amphetamine. However, in a 2014 interview with ''
Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...
'', McLagan stated that it refers to
Methadrine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Metham ...
, an alternate form of Methamphetamine, which McLagan said was one of "all kinds of chemicals" they were using, with him wanting to express about what drugs were being used by him at the time.''Here Comes The Nice: Immediate Years box set 1967–69'' (liner notes pg. 34). Caiger, Rob. Flood, Tosh. Small Faces.
Charly Records Charly Records is a British record label that specialises in reissued material. Among the labels whose original releases are reissued by Charly are Vee-Jay, Sun, Immediate, BYG, Tomato, and Fania. History Charly Records was founded in Fra ...
. 2013. The song also references a dealer in the opening verse, which McLagan admitted was written as a nod towards them. Although it was called a
psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included "trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...
song by
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
critic Lindsay Planer, Hewitt and Hellier identified it as a "swaggering
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
-pop" record that contains trademarks of their earlier music. Bruce Eder of AllMusic attributes this to the increased amount of studio time that they had received after signing Immediate, which eventually "loosened" their sound. For the song, McLagan had purchased a Hammond M102 specifically to record it, drawing inspiration from
Booker T. Jones Booker Taliaferro Jones Jr. (born November 12, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.'s. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known art ...
' playing on Booker T. & the M.G.'s 1962 single "
Green Onions "Green Onions" is an instrumental composition recorded in 1962 by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Described as "one of the most popular instrumental rock and soul songs ever" and as one of "the most popular R&B instrumentals of its era", the tune is a ...
". Small Faces recorded the song during sporadic sessions at Olympic Studios between 8 and 12 May 1967, with
Eddie Kramer Edwin H. Kramer (born 19 April 1942) is a British recording producer and engineer. He has collaborated with several artists now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin ...
and
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English musician, recording engineer and record producer. Biography Early history Johns was born in Epsom, Surrey, England. He had three siblings, two older sisters and a younger brother, Andy ...
assisting as studio engineers.''Here Comes The Nice: Immediate Years box set 1967–69'' (liner notes pg. 51). Caiger, Rob. Flood, Tosh. Small Faces. Charly Records. 2013. Marriott and Lane handled production of the song. "Here Comes the Nice" has also been noted for its innovative ending – instead of the customary
fade out Fade out, Fade-out or Fadeout may refer to: Technical engineering * Fade-out or fade, a gradual decrease in sound volume * Fade (lighting) or fade-out, a gradual decrease in intensity of a stage lighting source * Dissolve (filmmaking) or fade-o ...
, it uses a combination of studio effects to simulate the inevitable "come-down" from the speed "high". The effect was created by editing two elements together – the first element was created by using the variable speed control on the
master tape Mastering, a form of audio post production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master), the source from which all copies will be produced (via me ...
recorder to slow down the playback of the song's final chord, which slides down rapidly in pitch before an abrupt cut to the second element, a sequence of crashing, chaotic sounds created by striking and strumming on resonating piano strings. The mono and stereo mixes of the song differ slightly in the timing of the effect, with the 'pitch drop' effect coming in slightly earlier on the mono mix than in the stereo mix. Jones attributes this to "their four arses sitting down together on the keys of an old upright".


Release and commercial performance

Although "Here Come the Nice" was first announced as a single through ''New Musical Express'' and '' Melody Maker'' in their 27 May 1967 issues, "Green Circles" was initially announced by ''Melody Maker'' to most likely become the band's debut Immediate single, scheduled to eventually be released later that same month. This was a contrast from initial plans, when either "Something I Want to Tell You" or "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me?" were planned to become their debut singles on Immediate. However, when May 1967 eventually came, ''NME'' listed "Green Circles" as the B-side of "Here Come the Nice", while ''Melody Maker'' correctly listed " Talk to You" as the B-side. On 26 May of that year, "
Patterns A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated li ...
", backed by "E Too D", was released by Decca Records. The release was only conceived by Decca in order to capitalize on Small Faces' success, along with deliberately attempting to hinder the band's chart success with "Here Come the Nice". The song, comparable to the music they made in 1966, was quickly publicly denounced by Small Faces; similarly to "I Can't Make It", they did not promote it. "Here Come the Nice" was eventually released as a single on 2 June 1967; this time "Green Circles" was replaced by "Talk to You". It was the Small Faces' first single to be released through Immediate Records, which most likely made it susceptible of release; under the stricter Arden, it is likely that the track would not have been issued as a single since it contained subtle drug references, alluding to the incident with their parents; however
Andrew Loog Oldham Andrew Loog Oldham (born 29 January 1944) is an English record producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1967, and was noted for his flamboyant style. Early life Loog Oldha ...
at Immediate had no problems with the song's release. The song features several references to the band's dealer, through lyrics such as "He's got what I need, he's always there if I need some speed". The release of "Here Come the Nice" came to be a tense moment for Small Faces, as the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
had banned "I Can't Make It" for unknown reasons, which led to a sense of uncertainty regarding the single. However, the single managed to bypass the censors, something that Hewitt and Hellier attributed to guilt, while Jones believed it slipped through Mary Whitehouse. In doing this, "Here Come the Nice" managed to reach the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, entering on 14 June 1967 at a position of 37; it peaked at number 12 on 11 July. The song spent nine weeks on the chart, six of which it appeared in the top 20. It did better in other pop magazines, including ''Melody Maker,'' where it reached number 8, ''
Disc & Music Echo ''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into ''Record Mirror''. It was also known for periods as ''Disc Weekly '' (1964–1966) and ''Disc and Music Echo '' (1966–1972). ...
'' where it reached number 10, which it also did in ''New Musical Express.'' In Europe, the single further reached number 24 on the
West German West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
Media Control Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
chart and number 28 on the Dutch Top 40 during that same summer. Like all the band's singles prior to "
Itchycoo Park "Itchycoo Park" is a song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, first recorded by their group, the Small Faces. Largely written by Lane, it was one of the first music recordings to feature flanging, an effect at that time made possible ...
" (1967), it did not chart on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 nor the ''Cashbox'' Top 100, although '' Billboard'' had predicted for the song to reach the Hot 100. The United States issue of the single was delayed because of issues with distribution along with the American master tape being an alternate take. The single would eventually be released through
United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...
a month later in July 1967. "Here Come the Nice" was not included on any of Small Faces' three British studio albums, although the B-side "Talk to You" was released on their second album (also titled ''Small Faces'') about two weeks after the single was released. In the US however, following the huge chart success of "Itchycoo Park", previous singles released in the United Kingdom and some tracks from the album were issued on the North American exclusive album ''
There Are But Four Small Faces ''There Are But Four Small Faces'' is a studio album by British rock group Small Faces, released in 1968 through Immediate Records and distributed by CBS Records. It was the band's first LP release in the United States, and is a modified version ...
'' on 17 March 1968. In the UK, the song first appeared on an LP when it was included on the soundtrack of '' Tonite Lets All Make Love in London'' on 18 July 1968. The film was made by Peter Whitehead, who Small Faces had previously worked with when making
promotional films Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or ...
for their 1967 songs "Just Passing", "Itchycoo Park" and their 1968 song " Lazy Sunday". Nonetheless, "Here Come the Nice" became a staple on most compilation albums released by Small Faces, and was included as the opening track of the double album '' The Autumn Stone'' in 1969. The song was later utilized as the title track of a Small Faces box set that details their material recorded between 1967 and 1969.


Critical reception

The song was met with mostly positive feedback from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, who liked the direction the band took. In the magazine's 3 June 1967 issue, ''New Musical Express'' critic Derek Johnson stated that unlike previous singles, it is more subdued with a good melody along with great
harmonies In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
, noting the blues influenced sound, while also liking the ending to the song. Chris Hayes from ''Melody Maker'' said that the song had a great chance of reaching the top 10, noting McLagan's organ, while simultaneously noticing the band members have retained their personalities, despite a shift in genres. When reviewing singles for ''
Disc & Music Echo ''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into ''Record Mirror''. It was also known for periods as ''Disc Weekly '' (1964–1966) and ''Disc and Music Echo '' (1966–1972). ...
'', fellow musician
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...
stated that while she initially thought it was a female singing, she liked the innovative ending and called the track a better song than "Patterns", but thought it sounded similar to a track from the Beatles' '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (1967). Peter Jones of ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...
'' thought the song has a " ght-edged vocal line", which then builds up to "Marriott bluesily selling over the group backing". He did, however, find the song less commercial than Small Faces' previous records, but thought it has clever lyrics.During a
blindfold A blindfold (from Middle English ') is a garment, usually of cloth, tied to one's head to cover the eyes to disable the wearer's sight. While a properly fitted blindfold prevents sight even if the eyes are open, a poorly tied or trick blindf ...
test for ''Melody Maker'', guitarist Jimi Hendrix heard the song. Despite initially thinking it had a female vocalist, he liked them and realized it was Small Faces. He stated that the drumming, beat and backing vocals were great and spoke of a "
Mrs. Miller Elva Ruby Miller (October 5, 1907 – July 5, 1997), who recorded under the name "Mrs. Miller", was an American singer who gained some fame in the 1960s, for her series of shrill and off-tempo renditions of popular songs such as "Moon River ...
trick" regarding the
tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
. Hendrix considered the song to be a step up from material recorded in 1966, and wanted to write with them, despite being unsure on whether or not the song would be a hit. However, not all reviews of the songs were positive. When Allan Clarke of
the Hollies The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the band ...
reviewed the single through ''Disc & Music Echo'' he negatively noted that Marriott seemed to write the same type of music all the time, and longed for a change in their music. He ended by stating that it was nothing remarkable. Upon release in the US, the single also garnered primarily positive reviews. ''Billboard'' magazine had incorrectly predicted it to reach the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, noting the soul influence on the song. In ''Cash Box'' magazine it is described as "a tempting tune that could catch sales fire via wide-spread pop spinning". They note the "off-beat" opening chords of the song and states that it transforms into a "mid-tempo song" that features a great group backing while praising Marriott's vocal input. The review ends by stating that "Here Come The Nice" is an "English influence on an r&b song".


Legacy

Retrospectively, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called "Here Come the Nice", along with "Itchycoo Park" and "
Tin Soldier Tin soldiers are miniature figures of toy soldiers that are very popular in the world of collecting. They can be bought finished or in a raw state to be hand-painted. They are generally made of pewter, tin, lead, other metals or plastic. Of ...
", the best singles the band recorded. Lindsay Planer considered the track a "druggy ditty", noting the influences of psychedelic and baroque pop on it. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' critic
David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...
called the song a " Motown-like concision". Dave Swanson of ''
Ultimate Classic Rock Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wi ...
'' labelled it "a wonderful little song", noting the nods to drug dealers. He later added it on his list of the top ten songs by them at number seven, stating that it was a "psychedelic yet soulful" song. Small Faces themselves have stated mixed opinions regarding the song. While Jones stated that it was recorded and released during a time period in which their compositions became meaningful, he "bracketed" the song together with "Tin Soldier" due to them having similar arrangements. McLagan thought it was odd that the BBC did not ban it, while stating dismay with the ending, which he called "crap". "Here Come the Nice" might have inspired the naming of Keith Emerson's band
the Nice The Nice were an English progressive rock band active in the late 1960s. They blended rock, jazz and classical music and were keyboardist Keith Emerson's first commercially successful band. The group was formed in 1967 by Emerson, Lee Jack ...
. Upon signing with Immediate, Marriott suggested for the band the Little People to change their name to the Nice, which Oldham turned down, considering it rubbish. Marriott would occasionally also shout "Here Come the Nice" in the presence of Oldham, further adding to the speculation. Nonetheless, "Here Come the Nice" marked a gap between Small Faces' earlier music, while not fitting in with either category. "Here Come the Nice" can be marked a starting point of Small Faces career as studio musicians, as both practical and unpractical
sound effect A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...
s would become common in almost all later songs Small Faces recorded, most notably "Itchycoo Park", which became one of the first pop records to feature a flanging effect applied to it. According to Jones, the great reception of the single also led Small Faces further into psychedelia, which also would become common on almost all later records. The subtle drug references have led to both the Rich Kids recording "Here Come the Nice" that features Midge Ure and
Glen Matlock Glen Matlock (born 27 August 1956) is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only albu ...
for the B-side of their single "Marching Men" in 1978, and
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the chief songwriter, lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis until their split in 2009. After leaving Oasis, he formed ...
performing the song live with
Paul Weller Paul John Weller (born John William Weller; 25 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the punk rock/ new wave/mod revival band the Jam (1972–1982). He had further success with the blue-eyed soul mu ...
.


Personnel

Personnel according to the liner notes of ''Here Comes The Nice: Immediate Years box set 1967–69''.'''' *
Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted pos ...
lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar *
Ronnie Lane Ronald Frederick Lane (1 April 1946 – 4 June 1997) was an English musician and songwriter who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73). Lane formed Small Faces ...
bass guitar, backing vocals *
Ian McLagan Ian Patrick McLagan (; 12 May 1945 – 3 December 2014) was an English keyboardist, best known as a member of the rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s. He was i ...
piano, hammond organ, backing vocals *
Kenney Jones Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones (born 16 September 1948) is an English drummer best known for his work in the groups Small Faces, Faces, and the Who. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces/Faces ...
drums, percussion


Charts


See also

* Small Faces discography * Songs about illegal drug use


References

NotesReferences


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * {{Authority control Small Faces songs 1967 singles Psychedelic pop songs Songs about drugs Songs written by Ronnie Lane Songs written by Steve Marriott Immediate Records singles 1967 songs