"Brandy"
Single by Scott English
B-side"Lead Me Back"
ReleasedFebruary 1972
Recorded1971
Genre
Label
Songwriter(s)

"Brandy", later called "Mandy", is a song written by Scott English and Richard Kerr.[2] It was originally recorded by English in 1971 and reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart.

"Brandy" was recorded by New Zealand singer Bunny Walters in 1972, but achieved greater success when released in the United States in 1974 by Barry Manilow. For Manilow's recording, the title changed 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 Billboard Hot 100. Later, it was recorded by many other artists. The song was a UK number one hit in 2003 for Irish boyband Westlife.

Scott English original recording

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 number 12 in the UK Singles Chart. 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 false. English later 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.[3] In a 2013 interview, he said the idea for the song title came while he was in France and someone tried to make a dirty joke saying "Brandy goes down fine after dinner, doesn't she" although in English, a drink does not actually have a grammatical gender, and the line does not have the intended double entendre. He later wrote the song in London. 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.[4]

Record World said it was "just the sort of slightly uptempo pop ballad that should click on these shores."[5]

Charts

Chart (1971–72) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 13
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 26
Canada RPM Top Singles[8] 73
UK Singles (OCC)[9] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 91
US Cash Box Top 100[11] 98

Bunny Walters version

"Brandy"
Single by Bunny Walters
Released1972
Recorded1972
GenrePop
Songwriter(s)Scott English, Richard Kerr

In 1972, Bunny Walters recorded "Brandy" and had a hit with it in New Zealand.[12] The backing vocals were by The Yandall Sisters. He later included the song on his album Very Best of Bunny Walters.[13]

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"
ReleasedOctober 7, 1974
Recorded1974
GenreSoft rock[14]
Length3:15 (single version)
3:32 (album version)
LabelBell
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)
Music video
"Mandy" (TopPop, 1973)
on YouTube

In 1974, Barry Manilow recorded the song under the title name of "Mandy". The song was Manilow's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening chart, and his first gold single.

Following English's 1971 recording of "Brandy", Looking Glass's "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" hit No. 1 in 1972. When Clive Davis suggested that Manilow record English's song, Manilow changed the title to "Mandy" to avoid confusion. Joe Renzetti arranged the record.[15]

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."

The remaining lines were then used as a bridge instead.

Cash Box said "a lushly orchestrated ballad it is a classic love song with Barry doing some fine piano work."[16] Record World said that "Manilow's performance builds from his solo foundation to the rafters of Joe Renzetti's romantic strings."[17]

In "Judgment," the season 2 premiere of Angel, the eponymous protagonist sings "Mandy" at Lorne's Caritas karaoke bar in exchange for information.[18]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1974–75) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[19][20] 4
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[22] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24] 30
Italy 29
South Africa (Springbok)[25] 3
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 11
US Billboard Hot 100[27] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[28] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[29] 1
West Germany (Official German Charts)[30] 19

Year-end charts

Chart (1975) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[20] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 35
US Billboard Easy Listening[32] 3
US Cash Box[33] 17
Canada RPM Top Singles[34] 12
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[35] 5

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[37] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Westlife version

"Mandy"
Single by Westlife
from the album Turnaround
ReleasedNovember 17, 2003 (2003-11-17)[38]
Studio
Length3:19
LabelRCA, BMG, S
Songwriter(s)Scott English, Richard Kerr
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Westlife singles chronology
"Hey Whatever"
(2003)		 "Mandy"
(2003)		 "Obvious"
(2004)
Music video
"Mandy" on YouTube

Irish boy band Westlife covered "Mandy" in 2003 and released it as the second single from their fourth studio album, Turnaround (2003), in November 2003. The single peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart to become the band's 12th number one single on the chart.[39] The single sold over 200,000 copies in the UK to earn a silver sales certification.[40] Westlife's version was the fifth-best-selling single of 2003 in Ireland. "Mandy" is the band's 16th-best-selling single in paid-for and combined sales in the UK as of January 2019.[41]

The music video was filmed in the United Great Lodge of England, Freemasons' Hall, London. Their version won them their third Record of the Year award, in under five years.[42] Their version is also the longest leap to the top (from 200 to 1) in UK music history.[43] In Westlife - Our Story the band said the idea to record and release the song was Simon Cowell's.[44]

Track listings

UK CD1[45]

  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[46]

  1. "Mandy" – 3:19
  2. "Flying Without Wings" (live) – 3:41

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

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

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (June 21, 2019). "The Number Ones: Barry Manilow's "Mandy"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 21, 2023. In English's hands, it was a big and sweeping folk-rock ballad..."Brandy" was still a fairly cheesy '70s pop song.
  2. ↑ "Mandy (legal title) - BMI Work #955340". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  3. ↑ Quoted in The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits.
  4. ↑ Paul Leslie, Scott English Interview on The Paul Leslie Hour, YouTube, November 22, 2013
  5. ↑ "Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 13, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  6. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 103. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ↑ "Scott English – Brandy" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. April 8, 1972. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Scott English: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Scott English Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  11. ↑ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 18, 1972
  12. ↑ "Brandy - BUNNY WALTERS (1972) - Pop Archives - Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s". Pop Archives. Archived from the original on February 12, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Very Best of Bunny Walters". Newzealandcds.com. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. SpinMedia. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  15. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Mandy - Barry Manilow | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  16. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 26, 1974. p. 23. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. October 26, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  18. ↑ Rae, Fiona. "Doomed to be dateless," The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  19. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  20. 1 2 "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. December 29, 1975. Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Imgur.
  21. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6133a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6148." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  23. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography {{{artist}}}". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Barry Manilow – Mandy". Top 40 Singles.
  25. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Barry Manilow: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  27. ↑ "Barry Manilow Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  28. ↑ "Barry Manilow Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  29. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXVI, no. 35. January 18, 1975. p. 4. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Barry Manilow – Mandy" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  31. ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  32. ↑ Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1975
  33. ↑ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1975". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  34. ↑ "1975 Wrap Up". RPM. Vol. 24, no. 14. December 27, 1975.
  35. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. July 17, 2013.
  36. ↑ "British single certifications – Barry Manilow – Mandy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  37. ↑ "American single certifications – Barry Manilow – Mandy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  38. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. November 15, 2003. p. 29.
  39. 1 2 "Westlife: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  40. 1 2 "British single certifications – Westlife – Mandy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  41. ↑ Copsey, Rob (January 12, 2019). "Westlife's Top 20 biggest songs on the Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  42. ↑ Sexton, Paul (December 1, 2003). "Young, Westlife Top UK Charts". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2007.
  43. ↑ "Record Breakers and Trivia: Singles: Individual Hits: Number 1s". EveryHit. Retrieved March 21, 2008.
  44. ↑ "Westlife: Our Story". HarperCollins Publishers. p. 195. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  45. ↑ Mandy (UK CD1 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG, S Records. 2003. 82876 570742.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  46. ↑ Mandy (UK CD2 liner notes). Westlife. RCA Records, BMG, S Records. 2003. 82876 570732.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  47. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  48. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy" (in French). Ultratip.
  50. ↑ Westlife — Mandy. TopHit. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden 14/2004" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on April 5, 2004. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy". Tracklisten. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 50. December 13, 2003. p. 55. Retrieved February 6, 2021. See last week column.
  54. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  55. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Mandy". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  57. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy". VG-lista. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  58. ↑ "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 16/2004" (in Polish). PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on November 5, 2004. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  59. ↑ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 5, saptamina 2.02 – 8.02, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 20, 2005. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  60. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  61. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  62. ↑ "Westlife – Mandy". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  63. ↑ "Популярные хиты 2003" [Popular Hits 2003] (in Russian). Tophit. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  64. ↑ "Best of Singles 2003". IRMA. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  65. ↑ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  66. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2004" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  67. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 2004" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
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