It's Good News Week

Album: Songs of Protest (1965)
Charted: 5
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Songfacts®:

  • Hedgehoppers Anonymous were a UK beat quintet who had a hit in 1965 with this satirical protest song. The band formed in November 1963 as The Trendsetters, and became The Hedgehoppers the following year. Four fifths of Hedgehoppers Anonymous were in the air force and the band were named after RAF slang for the Vulcan bomber, which flew low to avoid radar. Playing a gig at Cambridge, they got signed by Jonathan King, a songwriter-producer new to the books of Decca Records. He'd gone Top 10 for them earlier in the year with "Everyone's Gone To The Moon" and had penned another protest song, which he gave to Hedgehoppers Anonymous to record. "A strange song," singer Mike Tinsley told Mojo magazine. "I was working on a nuclear base, and it was taking the mickey."
  • The group released four other singles without success. Tinsly cited a lack of airplay and a songwriter as the main obstacle. He found Chip Taylor's "Wild Thing" but King and Decca wouldn't let them release it - The Troggs had the hit. Hedgehoppers Anonymous's last single was "Stop Press," which was released in late 1966 and soon afterwards the band dissolved.
  • In 1976 Tinsley took part in the Japanese Yamaha Music foundation Competition and began song writing for Joe Dolan and Kelly Marie. He is still singing and recording.

Comments: 6

  • Alan Laud from SuffolkI was an original member of hedgehoppers anonymous. (The only one not in the RAF ). We met Johnathon (real name Kenneth) King while playing at Cambridge corn exchange. . He told us he had just released a record called every one has gone to the moon and was looking for a group to record some of his other songs. We went to his flat and listened to some of his songs. This was just him singing into a tape. He could not write music or play an instrument. We liked Good News week and agreed to record it. At the time he was contracted to Decca music. After Good News week was a hit we were looking for a follow up and came across wild thing. We made a demo but Decca refused to release it. We included it in our stage show. We were playing at a gig in Somerset and supported by the Troggs (although I think that was not their name at the time) They asked about the song and later recorded it.
    Hope this clarifies some if the erroneous comments on this site.
  • E Fitz from LondonDoes the original version, the one about 'the sacred cow' , in Its Good News Week have any value
  • Sarah Stark from StaffordHi I dont know if you can help me out here but my dad always goes on about how when my grandad who was in the R.A.F got sent to Peterborough with my Nan and dad ( think my dad was probably round the age of 19-21) He said he got together with you guys and used to play guitar with you all ( probably also with the other two who was first in your group ) He said how you all got together to write the song it’s good news week. I know it’s one memory that he will never forget and he enjoys telling all about that part of his life. If anyone of you at all remember him please just say hi . His name is Jim (James ) Stark . He is now 73 . Thanks
  • Sarah Windsor from Bradwell Hi looking for an ex work colleague,David kelly of Norwich uk
  • Les Dash from South AfricaMy feelings always were and have been the following.If the song was not in some way to do with Mr King then he was not interested. Why do you ask. Because he gets the lions share at the end of the day. point in Question and he had recording rights on the band. We did a demo just wasting time in London of a song that Mr King was just not interested in. and it was good."The Green Green Grass of Home". Tom Jones then recorded it and it was a instant hit. the Guys were playing " Wild Thing"as there next release on public shows. It was great sounding , and no different to the Troggs version.Mr King killed it. Why,it was not his. Fact not fiction. i still would like to hear the original members views on this. they are mine and will not change. One other point to make is a happening in Bristol ITV studios in 1965. We were there to do a tv show either Ready Steady Go or a childrens program with the Ryan Twins Lots of obvious Queers about to which we were having a laugh about. Somebody told us very nicely to stop as these people can put you out never to return very quickly.i have never forgotton it all these years. What a coincidence many years later and i must admit,Mr King did not seem in any way as did Jmmy Saville not seem to be a pervert.Any way thats my pennyworth for what it is worth and i am sure some will not agree. For me the proof is in the pudding .
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 28, 1965, the Hedgehoppers Anonymous' "It's Good News Week" entered Billboard's Top 100 chart at position #100, eight weeks later it would be peak at #48, the following week it was at #56, and that week was also it's tenth and final week on the Top 100...
    And on October 31st, 1965 it reached #5 {for 1 week} on the United Kingdom's Singles chart...
    It was the quintet's only Top 100 record...
    And from the 'Really Stretching It' department; it wasn't the only 'Good' record on the Top 100 the week it peaked at #48, "It Was A Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra was at #28 and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)" was at #42.
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