B-side "Lead Me Back" Format 7" vinyl Genre Pop | Released 1971 Recorded 1971 | |
Label Trojan/Horse/Fontana (UK)
Janus (U.S.) | ||
"Mandy", originally titled "Brandy", is a song written and composed by Scott English and Richard Kerr.
Contents
- Scott Englishs original
- Bunny Walters version
- Barry Manilow version
- Westlife version
- Track listing
- Other versions
- References
"Brandy" was a hit in 1971 for Scott English in the UK and in 1972 for Bunny Walters in New Zealand, but achieved greater success when covered in 1974 by Barry Manilow in the US, with the title changed to from "Brandy" to "Mandy" to avoid confusion with Looking Glass's "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)". His version reached the top of the US Hot 100 Singles Chart. Later on, it was recorded by many other artists. The song was a UK #1 hit in 2003 for Irish boyband Westlife.
Scott English's original
Under the title Brandy, the selection's original title, the song charted in 1971 for Scott English, one of its co-composers, whose version of it reached #12 in the UK Singles Charts. It was also released in the United States, where it was a minor hit, remaining in the lower portion of the Hot 100.
The suggestion that Scott English wrote the song about a favorite dog is apparently an urban legend. English has said that a reporter called him early one morning asking who "Brandy" was, and an irritated English made up the dog story to get the reporter off his back. In a 2013 interview, he said the idea for the song title came from the off-colour expression "Brandy goes down fine after dinner, doesn't she". He said he hated the Manilow version because he took out part of a verse and made it a bridge, but he later loved it because it bought him houses. The song was inspired by his life, he said, the face in the window being his father.
Bunny Walters version
In 1972, Bunny Walters recorded "Brandy" and had a hit with it in New Zealand. The backing vocals were by The Yandall Sisters. He later included the song on his album Very Best of Bunny Walters.
Barry Manilow version
In 1974, Barry Manilow recorded it under the title name of "Mandy". The song was Manilow's first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts, and his first gold single.
In the three years between English's and Manilow's recordings, Looking Glass's "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" had hit #1 in 1972. When Clive Davis suggested that Manilow record the selection, the singer changed the title to "Mandy" to avoid confusion. Joe Renzetti arranged the record.
In the Manilow version, the first two lines from the fourth verse, following the instrumental section, were omitted. They were:
"Riding on a country bus/
No one even noticed us."
Westlife version
"Mandy" was covered by Irish boyband Westlife in 2003 and was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, Turnaround. The single peaked at #1 on the UK Singles Chart to become the band's twelfth #1 single on the chart. The single sold over 190,000 copies in the UK. The single was released on Monday, November 17, 2003.
Track listing
- "Mandy" – 3:19
- "You See Friends (I See Lovers)" – 4:11
- "Greased Lightning" – 3:19
- "Mandy" (video) – 3:19
- "Mandy" (making of the video) – 2:00
- "Mandy" – 3:19
- "Flying Without Wings" (live) – 3:41
Other versions
"Mandy" has been covered many times. Notable cover versions include: