Album: Barry Manilow II (1974)

Charted: 11 1

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• I remember all my life
  Raining down as cold as ice
  Shadows of a man
  A face through a window
  Crying in the night
  The night goes into
  
  Morning, just another day
  Happy people pass my way
  Looking in their eyes
  I see a memory
  I never realized
  How happy you made me
  
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you came and you gave without taking
  But I sent you away
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you kissed me and stopped me from shaking
  And I need you today
  Oh, Mandy
  
  I'm standing on the edge of time
  I've walked away when love was mine
  Caught up in a world of uphill climbing
  The tears are in my mind
  And nothing is rhyming
  
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you came and you gave without taking
  But I sent you away
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you kissed me and stopped me from shaking
  And I need you today
  Oh, Mandy
  
  Yesterday's a dream
  I face the morning
  Crying on a breeze
  The pain is calling
  
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you came and you gave without taking
  But I sent you away
  Oh, Mandy
  Well, you kissed me and stopped me from shaking
  And I need you today
  Oh, Mandy
  
  You came and you gave without taking
  But I sent you away
  Oh, Mandy
  You kissed me and stopped me from shaking
  And I need you Writer/s: Richard Kerr, Scott David English
  Publisher: MORRIS MUSIC, INC., Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 43

• Fluffy from ObxSo my understanding is that the name change from Scott English's "Brandy" to Barry Manilow's "Mandy" had more to do with the fact that as Barry was getting ready to record his version there was already a sizable hit by The Looking Glass "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)" so he thought it wise to change name ever so slightly. Even if Barry has kidded about it being about a dog or a cat, he didn't actually write the song so we can kinda rule those out as joking comments made rather than explain that he didn't actually write the song. The fact that he didn't actually write the song rules out the below mentioned drug references as well. Just my 2 cents. PEACE
• Cam from OhioSomething about the soaring vocals made this song so special
• Larry A Shackleford from TennesseeBeautiful
• Tony Waldron from Mitchell, Qld, AustraliaI vividly recall an interview by Molly Meldrum from ABC Australian Countdown with Barry Manilow. In it Manilow stated the original was by Scott English and the drink Brandy, but as he was a recovering alcoholic that would not be the best song to sing. But he liked the song so much he asked Scott if he could change the word Brandy to Mandy as that went with the original tune and Scott agreed.
  If someone from ABC Australia could find that interview and post it that would be great.
• Sydol from Sydney, AustraliaIn my opinion, Manilow’s version of this song was nowhere near as good as Brandy by Scott English, the original version. I was never a fan of Barry Manilow and I think in part it was because I thought he’d ripped off Scott’s beautiful song and released a pale copy. I still can’t understand how Brandy sank into obscurity and Mandy was such a hit.
• Karen from Victoria BcI can’t rememberer if it was on a show like Ed Sullivan but I remember seeing a very emotional young Barry Manilow introducing his song “Mandy” on the television and he said he wrote the song about an older woman that he was in love with and she jilted him. Tears were streaming down his face as he sang. I’m 74 years old but I’ve never forgotten that. I don’t think the song was about a dog and the comment he made about it being a cat I think was a joke .
• Siahara Shyne Carter from United StatesThe facts will shock you! Ironically "Mandy" is "Brandy" and It was ALL ABOUT DOGS! <3
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyExactly forty five years ago today in 1975 {January 12th} "Mandy" by Barry Manilow peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
  "Mandy" was the first of twelve consecutive records that reached #1 and stayed in the top spot for only one week...
  Elton John's covered version of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" peaked at #1 for two weeks on December 29th, 1974, then the following records peaked at #1 for only one week:
  "Mandy" by Barry Manilow
  "Please Mr. Postman" by The Carpenters
  "Laughter in the Rain" by Neil Sedaka
  "Fire" by Ohio Players
  "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt
  "Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band
  "Best of My Love" by The Eagles
  "Have You Never Been Mellow" by Olivia Newton-John
  "Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers
  "My Eyes Adored You" by Frankie Valli
  "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle
  "Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton
  And then it was Elton John who broke the string when his "Philadelphia Freedom" peaked at #1 for two weeks on April 6th, 1975...
  
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {11-19-2018}...
  Scott English, the Brooklyn-born composer who gave us “Bend Me Shape Me” (a #5 hit for the American Breed in January 1968) and “Mandy” (a #1 hit for Barry Manilow—originally called “Brandy”) died Friday (November 16th, 2018) at his home in London at the age of 81...
  As an artist, he charted twice, with “High On A Hill” (#77 in 1964) and his version of “Brandy” (#91 in 1972)...
  May he R.I.P.
• Robert from CaliforniaMany years ago, my wife lived in downtown Chicago. She used to hang out in a restaurant that had a piano bar that Barry Manilow played in. A few years later, she found herself in Las Vegas and bumped into Barry where he was performing. He had recently had the hit "Mandy." She stopped by to say hello to her old friend and asked him how he got the inspiration to write a song about a girl. He laughed, and told her Mandy was his cat.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyBetween January and June of 1975, for 23 straight weeks there was different record at #1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, the last multi-week #1 holder was "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, for two weeks, the last week of 1974 and for the first week of 1975.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 27th 1972, "Brandy" by Scott English entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #100; and the following week it was at #91, and then it fell completely off the Top 100...
  He had one other Top 100 record, "High On a Hill", it stayed on the chart for five weeks, peaking at #77...
  Scott English co-wrote “Mandy” with Richard Kerr; as stated above he co-composed two other Barry Manilow hits, "Looks Like We Made It" and "Somewhere in the Night", and also Dionne Warwick's 1979 #5 hit, "I'll Never Love This Way Again."
• Leonora from Stafford, United KingdomThe writer of 'Mandy' was Tommy Woods from Wigan Lancashire UK, and he sold it for £50
• Roberta Trevisan from S?o Paulo, BrazilI love you too, Shawn! ;)
• Lisa from Eveleth, Mnshawn, i love you :)
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 18th, 1975 "Mandy" reached #1 for one week; and for the following 11 weeks there was 11 different songs at #1 until Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom" stayed at #1 for two weeks!!! Copy & paste: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_1975_(U.S.)
• Mandy from Dallas, Tx"Mandy" was a common name for the 1970s recreational drug the quaalude or Mandrax. Manilow was in recovery when he wrote the song. That is why he lied about it being about a dog.
• Mandy from Dallas, TxThe quaalude or Mandrax (MDMA) was commonly referred to as the Mandy in the 1970s. The song Mandy was written in 1974. Manilow was in recovery for barbiturate abuse when he wrote it. Why else would he blame it on a dog? It was about a drug that he kicked. It kissed him and stopped him from shaking and he sent it away.
• Shawn from Green Bay, WiBeautifully written, beautifully sung, an all time great romantic song: I could not care less where it came from or how Manilow got it. All I know is this is a classic.
• Alejandro from Rosario,BTW, the original performer of the song (he also wrote the lyrics) was reggae singer Scott English, on UK Trojan Horse label in 1971. A year later, the Bunny Walters version was released in New Zealand, covering the UK original. In 1974, Clive Davis asked Manilow to cover the song for the US market, and Barry was reluctant to do it, but he eventually did, changing the style, the general arrangement... and the name of the girl!!!
• Alejandro from Rosario,The song had a "parody" in a Will & Grace episode. Grace Adler sings it as "Mammy" regretting her mother's avoiding to meet her. She was in front of a theater in which Manilow would perform the following day (she was taking care of her friend Will's place in the line to buy tickets)
• Timothy from Columbus, OhThis was parodied in another Simpsons episode. Krusty the Clown sings to a photo of Sideshow Bob "Oh Bobbbb, ...."
• Rhonda from Sydney, AustraliaNot sure about Buddy Waters, but the release of Brandy by Scott English was released around 1971, as said above, (will drag out my old sheet music to verify copyright date) It does annoy me that the credit for the original is not given freely when airing the song, hence most people state it as being one of Barry Manilows greatest songs, when, with only the name change, it should have gone down as a cover of the original and not a re write. Didn't know it was about Scott English's dog. As a kid I honestly thought it was about the drink and his desperate need for it. Funny how words can be interpreted differently in songs and still be meaningful to the listener.
• Tony from Auckland, New ZealandManilows song is a direct rip off from Bunny Walters (New Zealand). Bunny wrote and recorded it in 1972. The only thing that was changed was Mandy for Brandy (in 1974). Not only was it stolen but I dont think the writer has received any recognition. I wonder if it has ever bothered Barry Manilow.....?
• Jose from Brisbane, AustraliaFound it! On the Scott English version 'Brandy'.
  
  Riding on a country bus
  No one even noticed us
  Yesterday's a dream
  A feast of mourning
  Crying on the breeze
  The pain is calling
• Jose from Brisbane, AustraliaI distinctly remember hearing a verse in the song that started 'Riding on a country bus, noone even knows us...'
  Where is this verse now? Is it only on a long version?
• Mandie from Port Royal, Pai wish i guy would sing this song to me it would be so romantic
• Vonda from Kansas City, MoFunny thought, but do any of you think there is anything to the idea that we love music produced around our birth date? That we are perhaps linked to that point in time?
  I find that I cannot "get" the music of today and Barry, Elton, etc.. of the 70's are my favorites. Is it part of us....?
• Mandy from Wilkes-barre, PaMy mom has been in love with Barry Manilow since he first came out. So when I was born she named me Mandy. When I heard "Mandy" for the first time I thought maybe Mandy was an ex girlfriend or something but then I heard it was about his dog. I don't think it was about either of them.
• Laurie from Portland, OrI fell in love with a song called Brandy by Scott English in the early 70's. When it came out as Mandy I was shocked at it's popularity because anyone who knew the original recording can attest to its superiority.
• Sean from Toronto, CanadaThis song was also mentioned (and sung badly) in the first episode of the second season of "Angel", where David Boreanaz (Angel) sings "Mandy" at a karaoke bar.
• Clarke from Pittsburgh, PaIn the Manilow box set that includes a snippet of Scott English's original song, you can also hear an early session of Manilow's version of "Mandy". At one point, Manilow sings, "Oh, Brandy...oops!"
• Don from San Antonio, TxAll of these Barry Manilow hits are either not written by him, or quick filler cuts he wasn't feeling 100% about. Does this, or does this not, support the "Manilow Sucks" arguement? Like 'what came first, the chicken or the egg?', that question is a real brain-drainer.
• Dee from Indianapolis, InMy mom had this on a 12" single when I was growing up. Between this song and "Sometimes when we Touch" we wore them out playing them. I've always been a hopeless romantic so these songs pull on my heart strings. I still can get tears in my eyes after all these years listening to it.
• Lyn from Toowoomba, AustraliaThe New Zealand singer Bunny Walters did not write "Brandy", as some people in New Zealand believe. His version from 1972 (a #4 hit in NZ) was released after the original version by Scott English, who wrote the song with Richard Kerr. Scott English's "Brandy" entered the British charts in October 1971 and reached #12; Bunny Walters' "Brandy" charted in NZ in April 1972. The story that Bunny Walters was ripped off by Barry Manilow ("Mandy") probably comes from Scott English's original version not being well-known in New Zealand, and when "Mandy" came out some people jumped to conclusions because they already knew the Bunny Walters version so well. It's an easy mistake to make.
• Melissa from Green Bay, WiThis song was featured in the movie "Can't Hardly Wait". One of the characters was obsessed with a classmate named Amanda, and he hears this song on the radio and is told by his friend Denise (played by the brilliant Lauren Ambrose) that the song is about a dog. It makes for a funny scene in the movie.
• Virginia from Portland, El Paso, Chicago, United StatesThis song is responsible for my getting married (29 years ago) to the man I love. I met Larry while he was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas just before he was shipped off to Viet Nam. We dated during the summer of 1971 and then wrote him almost twice a week the entire time he was gone. I thought when he returned we would "get together." He lived in Chicago and I was moving from El Paso to Oregon. He needed some time to get his life back. I waited almost 4 years and finally just put a "curse" on him that someday when he would be smooching another gal, a song or someone talking about this state would come on the radio and have my name in it and he would have to think of me. Seeing that my name was Virginia I thought he could be haunted by it. Little did I know that he WAS touched by the song Mandy and did think of me. You see my last name was Manning and Larry had a slight hearing problem. He thought Manilow was saying Manning instead of Mandy. He couldn't get me out of his head and soon we were together. I still love him with all my heart (29+years). I'm so excited because we're both going to the Manilow concert in October in Chicago to celebrate sweetest day.
• Steven from New York City, NyBarry actually included the original recording of "Brandy" in his box set. Comparing "Brandy" to Barry's "Mandy" shows Barry's talent for taking an existing song and truly making it his own. So while he may not have written "Mandy," he is totally responsible for the song's magic.
• Brandon from Mauriceville, TxBarry only recorded the song as a favor to producer Clive Davis, never thinking it would be a hit. He was very much wanting to become known for his own songs and not someone elses.
• Val from Puce, CanadaBarry's dog was named Bagel (then Bagel's offspring, Biscuit). I have been a fan of Barry's for as long as I can remember. If Mandy was first recorded in the U.K. as "Brandy" by it's co-writer (and I believe that is true), I don't think Barry could be accused of stealing it. He is a great performer/composer in his own right.
• Andy from Napier, New ZealandThis song was stolen by Manilow and English from a Moari in New Zealand by the name of Bunny Walters . Bunny wrote and recorded this song in N.Z. but didnt copy write it . Manilow took the song changing Brandy to MAndy and made a fortune while Bunny lost out big time .
• Steve from San Jose, CaI have heard that Mandy was Manilow's dog, which gives the song an entirely different perspective!
• David from Modesto, Cai love this song it brings back so many memories of how i used to like this girl named mandy but then she found another girl, she was a lesnian yup to bad cause she was hot

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