Pros: Includes the Top 40 hits "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," "Sha La La" and "Pretty Flamingo."
Cons: Doesn't include the Top 10 hit "The Mighty Quinn."
The Bottom Line: Nice collection of '60s Brit-Pop. Who doesn't sing out-loud with Bill Murray when he sings cadence in "Stripes" to "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"?
Don_Krider's Full Review: Best of: The Definitive Collection by Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann hit the U. S. shores as part of the so-called "British Invasion" of 1964 with such British bands as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Dave Clark Five and Herman's Hermits.
The band was asked to write a theme song for the British pop music series, "Ready Steady Go," in 1963. The song, called "5-4-3-2-1," was then released as a single in England, where it peaked at # 5 (with no impact in the U. S.).
"Do Wah Diddy":
Their first hit U. S. single, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," went straight to # 1 on the Billboard magazine Pop chart, spending two weeks in the top spot. Nearly 40 years later, the happy, fun, uptempo, bubblegummy tune can still be heard on Classic Rock radio.
As recently as 1981, the tune was the centerpiece of the film "Stripes," with new Army recruit Bill Murray singing the song as the troops marched:
"There she was just a walkin' down the street singin' / do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do / snappin' her fingers and a shufflin' her feet singin' / do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do..."
By reaching # 1 with the tune in Fall of 1964, the band charted higher than the # 78 chart position reached earlier that year by The Exciters with the same song. Manfred Mann reached # 2 with the song in England.
"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was not written by the band. It was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, who already had scored monster hits as songwriters with tunes like "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kissed Me" and "Be My Baby." They later wrote songs such as "River Deep, Mountain High" and "I Can Hear Music."
As sung by Manfred Mann, "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" was catchy-as-hell (they initially didn't want to record it, but when they did at the record label's urging, they had a million-seller in several countries). It was the first of four Top 40 singles by the band between 1964-69.
The Beatles connection:
The band went through numerous personnel changes over the years, but keyboardist Manfred Mann (born Manfred Lubowitz in South Africa in 1940) was the clear leader of the group.
The group members over the years included lead singer Paul Jones (vocalist for The Roosters, whose guitarist, Brian Jones, went on to form The Rolling Stones), bassist Jack Bruce (later of Cream), drummer Mike Hugg, guitarist Tom McGuiness (also from the Roosters) and bassist Klaus Voorman (who is also a respected artist whose credits include drawing the cover of The Beatles' "Revolver" album which won him a Grammy Award for his artwork).
The band's next single, "Sha La La," reached # 12 in 1964. It features a nice Merseybeat sound, but is very weak in the lyrics department: "...my heart starts singing to the sha la beat..."
Early 1965 found the band slipping from the Top 40 as the single "Come Tomorrow" peaked at # 50. Lead singer Paul Jones announced he wanted to leave the band that Fall, but agreed to remain until a replacement was found.
In January, 1966, the band was in a car crash in which Jones broke his collarbone.
"Pretty Flamingo":
Manfred Mann returned in the summer of 1966 with the ballad "Pretty Flamingo," which rose to # 29. The tune went to # 1 in England:
"On our block, all of the guys call her flamingo / 'cause her hair glows like the sun / ... / when she walks by / she brightens up the neighborhood / oh every guy, would make her his / if he could, if she just would..."
It was the band's only U. S. hit in 1966, but in their native land they had another hit that year with "You Gave Me Somebody To Love" which hit # 36 in England.
Jones exited the band, so the band hunted for a new lead singer. They found a brilliant one in Mike D'Abo (from the group Band Of Angels), a fine songwriter and terrific vocalist (the band had considered Rod Stewart and Steve Marriott, among others, before hiring D'Abo).
This album ends with Jones departure. D'Abo's work (including the Top 10 hit from 1968, "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)," which was written by Bob Dylan) can be found on the CD: "Chapter Two: The Best Of The Fontana Years" (reviewed by me at: http://www.epinions.com/content_63696440964 )
After the band:
The band had two more Hot 100 hits after Jones departure before the 1960s ended, but for another label (this album covers the Ascot/United Artists Records years before the band signed with Fontana Records).
The dawn of the 1970s saw the renamed Manfred Mann's Earth Band appear (a unit that still tours and also underwent personnel changes, including different lead singers). That band made the classic "The Roaring Silence" album, which featured the million-selling, Gold Record Award winner "Blinded By The Light" (written by Bruce Springsteen, the 1976 single gave the group a # 1 hit, with lead vocals by Chris Thompson).
The other original band members continue to perform solo or tour as members of The Manfreds.
This album:
A very generous 26 tracks that features three of their Top 40 hits among 25 songs (track # 26 is a previously unreleased 11-minute long interview with the band).
Also included are unreleased tracks and alternate versions of songs (the single version of "Do Wah Diddy" and an unedited longer version among them).
The album is part of the "EMI Legends Of Rock 'n' Roll Series." It was remixed and remastered from the original recordings to make a very clean recording.
The sound is classic Merseybeat and should appeal to fans of early Beatles' and Herman's Hermits' music.
There are several "Best Of..." compilations out, but this one is titled "The Best Of Manfred Mann - The Definitive Collection," so be aware of the slight difference in title (this is the better of the various collections).
The CD booklet:
A very nice 12-page book, with black-and-white and color photos, with a complete 45 rpm single, EP and LP discography for 1963-69. Unfortunately, no lyrics are included, but otherwise a great booklet.
The tracks:
"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (single version), "Why Should We Not (Version 1)," "Cock-A-Hoop," "Now You're Needing Me," "5-4-3-2-1 (Parts 1 & 2)," "Hubble Bubble (Toil And Trouble)," "I'm Your Knight" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (unedited version).
Also, "Sha La La," "Come Tomorrow," "She," "Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron," "Oh No Not My Baby," "My Little Red Book (All I Do Is Talk About You)," "The One In The Middle," I Can't Believe What You Say," "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" and "There's No Living Without Your Loving."
Also, "Tired Of Trying, Bored With Lying, Scared Of Dying," "She Needs Company" (single version), "Machines," "When Will I Be Loved" (their version of the Everly Brothers, and later Linda Ronstadt, hit), "Pretty Flamingo," "Come Home Baby" (previously unreleased), "You Gave Me Somebody To Love" (single version; previously unreleased in the U. S.) and an 11-minute "Group Interview."
Official Manfred Mann's Earth Band site: http://www.manfredmann.co.uk/
Official Manfred Mann Fan Club site: http://www.platform-end.co.uk/fan.html
Official Klaus Voorman site (played bass with the band and was the Grammy-winning artist for The Beatles' "Revolver" album cover): http://www.voormann.com/start/index.shtml
Capitol/EMI's 20-track 24-bit digitally remastered CD "Greatest" by Raspberries (the original lineup --- Eric Carmen, Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti --- who sang the million-seller "Go All The Way" reunited in 2004-2005) was released in May of 2005 in the U. S. and Europe. It features all 7 of Raspberries Hot 100 singles, has 20 tracks and runs 78:53 minutes: http://www.epinions.com/content_186044681860
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