Barry Manilow – Mandy / Could It Be Magic

“Mandy” – Single by Barry Manilow from the album Barry Manilow II
B-side “Something’s Comin’ Up”
Released October 7, 1974
Label Bell
Songwriters Scott English and Richard Kerr
Producers Barry Manilow and Ron Dante
Charted No.in US; No.11 in UK; No.1 in UK; No.6 in Ireland; No.29 in Italy; No.19 in West Germany

VIDEO: Barry Manilow – Mandy / Could It Be Magic (Live from The Kentucky Derby Concert, 1975)

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.

Scott English wrote the lyrics and recorded this song in 1971 as “Brandy.” His version was a hit in the UK. In the US, this was changed to “Mandy” to avoid confusion with the Looking Glass hit “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl).”

Among the other songs English co-wrote was 1968’s “Bend Me, Shape Me,” a #5 hit for The American Breed in the US and #3 hit for Amen Corner in the UK. He also co-penned “Hi Ho Silver Lining,” a #4 UK hit for Jeff Beck in 1967 and “Help Me Girl,” a Top 40 hit for The Animals in 1966 in both the UK and US.

Richard Kerr wrote the music. Kerr is a pianist who teamed up with Will Jennings to write two more hits for Manilow: “Looks Like We Made It” and “Somewhere In The Night.”
This was Manilow’s first hit single and the first song on Clive Davis’ Arista Records label (formerly Bell) to hit the Billboard Hot 100.

The bit about “Mandy” being about Manilow’s dog is an urban myth. Songwriter and original performer Scott English says he was woken by a phone call from a reporter, wanting to know who “Brandy” was. “I would have said anything to get rid of him,” says English, “So I spat out the first thing that came to mind: It was about a dog like Lassie and I had sent her away – now you go away!’ And I hung up on him.”

“Mandy” was the first of 13 #1 hits for Manilow on the Adult Contemporary chart.