Pithy Lyric on Lost Love

Cryin' in the night,
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

***

Most popularly known as "Mandy" by Barry Manilow. It peaked at # 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1974, but was written and originally recorded by Scott English, peaking at # 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.¹ Contrary to legend, English has insisted the song is not about his, or anyone else's, dog. He did, he concedes, however in an irritable moment make such a comment to a reporter, "People often ask me if 'Brandy' was written about a dog. It was NOT, but I know how that story began. During the year I had my 8 minutes of fame with my own rendition of 'Brandy' (in the UK), I was awakened at 7 AM by a reporter. He wanted to know who Brandy was. I would have said anything to get rid of him, so I spat out the first thing that came to mind. 'It was about a dog, like Lassie, and I had her sent away. Now you go away!', I said, and then hung up the phone on him".²

Scott English is also creditted with writing the song "Bend Me, Shape Me" with Larry Weiss (recorded and popularized by The American Breed - who went on to form Rufus (w/Chaka Kahn)) which peaked at # 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.³

Back to "Mandy", the song title was changed to "Mandy" (from "Brandy") as the group Looking Glass had had a # 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1972 which continued to be getting a lot of airplay - that song was entitled "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)".

¹Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles Billboard - 1955-2006, 11th Edition. Record Research, Inc. 2007

²http://legendsrevealed.com/entertainment/2009/09/30/music-legends-revealed-25/ retrieved 2/9/10 (attributing Scott English's quote to "The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits" by Wesley Hyatt)

³Ibid, Whitburn