Brandy (Scott English and Richard Kerr song)

"Brandy", later called "Mandy", is a song written and composed by Scott English and Richard Kerr.[1]

"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

"Brandy"
Single by Scott English
B-side "Lead Me Back"
Released 1971
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1971
Genre Pop
Label Trojan/Horse/Fontana (UK)
Janus (U.S.)
Songwriter(s) Scott English
Richard Kerr
Music video
"Brandy" on YouTube

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.[2] 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.[3]

Charts

Chart (1971–72) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 12
US Billboard Singles Chart 91

Bunny Walters version

"Brandy"
Single by Bunny Walters
Released 1972
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1972
Genre Pop
Songwriter(s) Scott English, Richard Kerr
Music video
"Brandy" on YouTube

In 1972, Bunny Walters recorded "Brandy" and had a hit with it in New Zealand.[4] The backing vocals were by The Yandall Sisters. He later included the song on his album Very Best of Bunny Walters.[5]

Chart (1972) Peak
position
New Zealand Singles Chart 4

Barry Manilow version

"Mandy"
Single by Barry Manilow
from the album Barry Manilow II
B-side "Something's Comin' Up"
Released October 7, 1974
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1974
Genre Soft rock[6]
Length 3:15 (single version)
3:32 (album version)
Label Bell
Songwriter(s) Scott English, Richard Kerr
Producer(s) Barry Manilow, Ron Dante
Barry Manilow singles chronology
"Let's Take Some Time To Say Goodbye"
(1974)		 "Mandy"
(1974)		 "It's a Miracle"
(1975)

"Let's Take Some Time To Say Goodbye"
(1974)		 "Mandy"
(1974)		 "It's a Miracle"
(1975)
Music video
"Mandy" on YouTube

In 1974, Barry Manilow recorded the song 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.[7]

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."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1974–75) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[9] 1
Germany 19
Ireland 6
New Zealand 30
UK Singles Chart 11
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[11] 1
US Cash Box Top 100 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1975) Position
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 35
US Cash Box [13] 17
Canada 12

Westlife version

"Mandy"
Single by Westlife
from the album Turnaround
Released November 17, 2003
Format CD single
Recorded Rokstone Studios, London
Olympic Studios, London 2003
Genre Pop
Length 3:19
Label BMG
Songwriter(s) Scott English, Richard Kerr
Producer(s) Steve Mac
Westlife singles chronology
"Hey Whatever"
(2003)		 "Mandy"
(2003)		 "Obvious"
(2004)

"Hey Whatever"
(2003)		 "Mandy"
(2003)		 "Obvious"
(2004)
Music video
"Mandy" on YouTube

"Mandy" was covered by Irish boy band 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.[14] The single sold over 190,000 copies in the UK.[15] The single was released on Monday, November 17, 2003.

Track listing

UK CD1
  1. "Mandy" – 3:19
  2. "You See Friends (I See Lovers)" – 4:11
  3. "Greased Lightning" – 3:19
  4. "Mandy" (Video) – 3:19
  5. "Mandy" (Making of the Video) – 2:00
UK CD2
  1. "Mandy" – 3:19
  2. "Flying Without Wings" (Live) – 3:41

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart 16
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart 50
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[16] 3
Danish Singles Chart 2
Dutch Singles Chart 27
European Hot 100 Singles[17] 3
German Singles Chart 14
Irish Singles Chart 1
Norwegian Singles Chart 15
Scottish Singles Chart[18] 1
Swedish Singles Chart 4
Swiss Singles Chart 30
UK Singles Chart[14] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2003) Position
Irish Singles Chart 5
UK Singles Chart 32

Other versions

"Mandy" has been covered many times. Notable cover versions include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Mandy (legal title) - BMI Work #955340". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  2. ↑ Quoted in The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits.
  3. ↑ Paul Leslie, Scott English Interview on The Paul Leslie Hour, Youtube, November 22, 2013
  4. ↑ "Brandy - BUNNY WALTERS (1972) - Pop Archives - Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s". Pop Archives. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Very Best of Bunny Walters". Newzealandcds.com. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  6. ↑ "VH1’s 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Mandy - Barry Manilow | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6133a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  9. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6148." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  10. ↑ "Barry Manilow – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Barry Manilow.
  11. ↑ "Barry Manilow – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Barry Manilow.
  12. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  14. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 692. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  15. ↑ "Westlife: Official Top 20". Mtv.co.uk. October 28, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Westlife – Mandy" (in French). Ultratip.
  17. ↑ Nielsen Business Media, Inc. "Billboard". Retrieved December 13, 2003.
  18. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
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