Beginnings 1962—1963
The Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers (as the band were originally called) were formed in London in December 1962 by keyboard player Manfred Mann and drummer/vibes player Mike Hugg. Born out of the British blues boom then sweeping London's clubs (which also spawned such luminaries as The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds), the band were completed by Mike Vickers on lead guitar, Dave Richmond on bass, and Paul Jones fronting as lead vocalist and harmonica player. Gigging constantly throughout late 1962 and early 1963, the band soon attracted attention for their distinctive sound propelled by Mann's keyboards, Jones' soulful vocals and an occasional horn section.
Manfred Mann's Cock-A-Hoop (1964)
The group signed to HMV Records in March 1963 after a change of name to Manfred Mann (at the suggestion of their label's producer), and debuted in July of that year with the jazzy instrumental single "Why Should We Not?", which failed to chart, as did the follow up (with vocals this time), "Cock-A-Hoop"
Early success 1964—1965
Groovin' with Manfred Mann EP (1964)
In 1964 the group were asked to provide a new theme tune for the ITV pop music TV series Ready Steady Go!. They responded with the energetic "5-4-3-2-1" which, with the help of weekly TV exposure, rose to No.5 in the UK charts. It was shortly after "5-4-3-2-1" was recorded that Richmond left the band, being replaced by Tom McGuinness - the first of many line-up changes. After a further self-penned hit ("Hubble Bubble (Toil And Trouble)") the band struck gold with "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", a cover of a minor hit earlier that year by The Exciters. The track, which showcased Jones' powerful singing, reached the top of both the UK and US charts (The Exciters version had only charted #78 in the US).
During 1965 the group continued to have hits with both self-penned and cover material, their sound increasingly moving away from the blues-based music of their early years to a highly successful pop-soul hybrid. Notably the group began to have success with interpretations of Bob Dylan songs, including "With God On Our Side" as a track on a best-selling EP.
The One In the Middle EP (1965)
They also reached No.2 in the UK with the controversial "If You Gotta Go, Go Now", which was banned or edited by a number of TV and radio stations. Prior to this latter release, Paul Jones announced his intention to quit the band for a solo career once a replacement could be found.
The Mike d'Abo years 1966—1969
Jones stayed with the band for one more year, during which time Mike Vickers was replaced by Jack Bruce of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (long enough to play bass on the band's second UK No.1 single "Pretty Flamingo"). Jones was eventually replaced by Mike d'Abo - among those on the shortlist was Rod Stewart - and this was one of the few occasions when a band has successfully swapped lead singers and remained at the top. Jack Bruce left to form Cream and was replaced by Klaus Voorman (a longtime Beatles associate), with McGuinness moving to guitar. To complete the changes, the group switched labels to Fontana Records.
With d'Abo as vocalist, the group pursued a softer acoustic pop sound, with a tinge of Dylanesque social comment and surrealism in the lyrics. Their first Fontana Records single was in fact a Dylan cover, "Just Like A Woman", and the group went on to score their biggest hit for two years with a cover of his "Mighty Quinn".
Frustrated with the limitations and image of being seen purely as a hit singles band (their last two albums failed to chart), the group split in 1969.
1970s and on— Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Mann went on to write advertising jingles after the group's demise, but still continued to work in the group format. Initially he formed Manfred Mann Chapter Three (with Mike Hugg), an experimental jazz rock band, described by Mann as an over reaction to the hit factory of the Manfred Mann group. This was, however, short lived and by 1971 they had disbanded and Mann had formed a new group, Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
For further details, see Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
5-4-3-2-1 The Manfreds (1998)
1990s and on—The Manfreds
In the 1990s, most of the original 1960s line-up reformed as The Manfreds, minus Manfred Mann himself (hence the name), playing most of the old 1960s hits and a few jazz instrumentals, sometimes with both Paul Jones and Mike d'Abo fronting the line-up.
At the same time Jones and Tom McGuinness (McGuinness formed McGuinness Flint in 1970, but they disbanded in 1975) have been mainstays of The Blues Band (which they helped form in 1978).
Rescue
Manfred Mann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So many empty days
And nobody told me
Need to be rescued today
It's been a thinking day
And I haven't done badly
Haven't done badly how slow some days can go
Someday I'm sure to see the sun
And when my time has come
I'll think of you always
I see your face through the tears
I'm gonna try for you
But nobody told me
Nobody told me how slow some days can go
Think I've been dreaming of some people I don't even know
You got me right threw the heart baby there are pretty young boys
With shiny new toys that make the most noise
The way you look you can easily afford
To slam the door on any given night store
In a world where they put you on trial
Flick your hair, flash your smile
Get what you want, don't want what you got
But maybe be a little bit shy
You got me right through the heart
You got me right through the heart
You got me right through the heart
But you get it, right slap bang through the middle of your heart
Some time when you're feeling alone
Won't you call me at home or answer your phone
When you're free you can come and see me
Any time you feel the need
Or want to watch me bleed
In a world where they put you on trial
Flick your hair, flash your smile
Get what you want, don't want what you got
But maybe be a little bit shy
You got me right through the heart
You got me right through the heart
You got me right through the heart
But you get it, right slap bang through the middle of your heart
You got me right through the heart
But you get it, right slap bang throught
"Rescue" by Manfred Mann is a song about the longing for rescue and a better life. The lyrics express the singer’s desire to be rescued from their current situation, which is full of empty days, loneliness and confusion. The opening line of the song “I shall be rescued someday” is a strong indication of the sentiment expressed throughout the song. It is a hopeful proclamation of eventual rescue, implying that the singer is confident that things will get better.
The lyrics also reflect on the difficulties of life and how time can move slowly causing the singer to dream of people they have never met. However, the singer also reflects on their determination to try for someone they care about, even though nobody has told them the proper way to succeed in life. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "you got me right through the heart" which can be interpreted as a reference to being vulnerable to love and human connection in the sometimes overwhelming modern world.
Overall, "Rescue" is a poetic representation of the human experience of longing for something that may seem unreachable, but also of the enduring hope and determination that arises from such struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I shall be rescued someday
I have faith that someday I will be saved from my struggles
So many empty days
There have been countless days where I have felt unfulfilled
And nobody told me
I have been left to my own devices to try to figure things out
Need to be rescued today
I am in need of someone to save me from my current circumstances
It's been a thinking day
Today has been a day where I have spent a lot of time reflecting and contemplating
And I haven't done badly
Overall, I am content with my progress and where I am at in life
Haven't done badly how slow some days can go
Although I feel okay, some days can still seem unbearable and never-ending
Think I've been dreaming of some people I don't even know
My daydreams often involve people who don't exist in real life
Someday I'm sure to see the sun
I am hopeful that I will eventually experience brighter days in my life
And when my time has come
When my time on this earth is over
I'll think of you always
I will remember and cherish the memories of someone special to me
I see your face through the tears
Through my sadness and pain, I can still envision the person I care about
I'm gonna try for you
I am willing to put in effort and make sacrifices for the person I love
But nobody told me
I am learning how to navigate this relationship without much guidance or support
You got me right threw the heart baby there are pretty young boys
You have captured my heart, even though there are others who may seem more attractive or desirable
With shiny new toys that make the most noise
The flashy and new things in life can be tempting, but they aren't necessarily what I truly want
The way you look you can easily afford
You appear to have the means to go after what you want
To slam the door on any given night store
You are able to walk away from anything that isn't right for you
In a world where they put you on trial
It feels like society often judges us and puts us on trial for the choices we make
Flick your hair, flash your smile
You exude confidence and charm in the way that you present yourself
Get what you want, don't want what you got
You know how to get what you want in life, but can sometimes become dissatisfied with what you already have
But maybe be a little bit shy
Despite your confident exterior, there may be times when you feel hesitant or unsure
Some time when you're feeling alone
If you ever experience loneliness or sadness
Won't you call me at home or answer your phone
Please reach out to me because I am here for you
When you're free you can come and see me
I would love to spend time with you whenever you have a moment
Any time you feel the need
Regardless of what you are going through, I am always here for you
Or want to watch me bleed
Even if you enjoy seeing me in pain, I am still willing to be here for you
But you get it, right slap bang through the middle of your heart
I hope you understand and feel the depth of my love for you
You got me right through the heart
You have captured my heart
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CARMINE COPPOLA, SHIRLEY WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adrian
on The Runner
Canadian Sinver / Songwriter Ian Thomas wrofe this song. He lives in Stoney Creek, Canada.
Dennis the Menace
on Do Wah Diddy Diddy
I live in Davenport,was still in the army when the band was stranded herein Davenport.