I saw them 2 years ago at Gawsworth Hall, Cheshire, England. Paul got us all singing Doo Wah Diddy but he left us for dead. Hit every note at 76 years old. Mike d'Abo was also there singing Ah Ha said the clown plus 2 of his own songs which he wrote. Build me up Buttercup and Handbags and Gladrags . Tom McGuiness was back with the group and he sang his McGuinnes-Flint hit When I 'm dead and gone. I distinctly remember this song because it was on the hospital radio when I was being wheeled into surgery to have my tonsils out. Paul also did a fantastic rendition of the the Howlin' Wolf classic , Smokestack Lightnin. He also played Happy Birthday on his harmonica to a member of the audience. It was absolutely superb. They also covered a lot of Bob Dylans hits. They are all immensely talented.
I really grew up on this and all the bands of the 60s & 70s. I favored the British Invasion bands starting with the Beatles. Saw them in 1965 at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. I love that you are enjoying my “music”. Your reactions are a joy for me. It takes me back every time.
Manfred Mann takes its name from the keyboard player of the same name. They had plenty of hits in the 60s and early 70s including 54321, the Mighty Quinn and Blinded by the Light.
Do-Wah-Diddy became an international hit for Manfred Mann and was number one in America, Canada and the UK in 1964. When Paul Jones, their leader singer, met the writer Jeff Barry he asked him "Do-Wah-Diddy Jeff, what does it mean?". "What it means Paul, is that I'll never have to work again". While Paul Jones was still their lead singer they did a cover of Marie Knight's 1961 song 'Come Tomorrow'. In their TOTP performance of this, which you can find on You Tube, Paul Jones can be seen fending off the wandering hands or two amorous teenagers while still continuing to sing. Their bass player would also double as a flautist. Between 1966 and 1969, when Mike D'abo was their lead singer, this role was taken by the German artist/musician Klaus Voormann, whose most famous work is the cover of the Beatle's 'Revolver' album.
They had loads of hits with 2 different lead singers Paul Jones and Mike D'abo.. I was the ripe old age of 12 when this came out feels like yesterday.. great music great days great channel you are the best girl ❤
Welcome to the greatest decade of then all, and to one of the biggest groups! Manfred Mann had a string of hits! This is Paul Jones belting out the cooky boy meets girl song! It's believed this is the one that started them!
What a catchy tune from the 60's , I like my 70's and 80's but the 60's had a lot of winners. I'm so happy to see the young people on You Tube playing these treasures, like you India. Blinded By The Light is worth a listen.
Another great one from them in the 60s was "The Mighty Quinn". In the 70s, they had a huge hit with Bruce Springsteen's "Blinded By the Light". And in the 80s, they had another great hit with "Runner". India, you should check out all these great songs!
Another amazing Bruce Springsteen cover is "For You". I see you reacted to Blinded By the Light some 10 months ago... Most of Manfred Mann's hits were covers but their 1983 original "Runner" written for the 1984 Summer Olympics is sooo worth checking out.
This was their first big US hit, well their first big hit anywhere. I was a teenager then. I'm glad you can share your experiences with the songs of my youth.
Think "5-4-3-2-1" hit the UK top ten prior to this. It was used as the theme track for "Ready Steady Go", a pop TV program. Not that I'm old, you understand 😉😂
India, this was my time, I'd go back there tomorrow if I could? Manfred Mann were nicknamed the Manfred's! Also Herman's Hermits, they both played mostly light 'sunshine music'! Manfred is on the drums!
Hi India, great songs, notice the keyboard player was wearing an imitation old-fashioned Military uniform, in the `60`s they were all the rage. Many young men going to fashionable Carnaby Street in London to buy them. The Beatles wore exaggerated versions for the (Sgt. Pepper`s Album).
I knew you would love this song. It’s just a happy uplifting song for for when you found the”one”. I found mine a long time ago in late 1969. We are stilled married and he remembers every birthday, holiday, anniversary etc.
India, I love your reactions and you really take me back. Please do “Itchy Koo Park” by The Small Faces. It’s meaning is delightful and it is a very happy, upbeat song, which is why it is my choice for a funeral/wake/party song. Thanks for sharing your insights and your joy in music, you are making a difference in the world by shining your light.
When I used to hear 'Ha Ha Said the Clown' in the '60s played on the radio, I was so young, far too young to get get it. I didn't have a clue what he was actually singing about. I just had this vision of a literal clown laughing lol.
Oh, wow, I had forgotten about this until I saw the name on the post. One day I was on my way to school, walking down Flatbush ave on my way to Brooklyn college. All of a sudden a bunch of guys on the bus started singing this song to me. Some of them were singing, some of them were whistling and some were calling out rude remarks. I don’t know how many of them there were because I did not want them to think I was interested, or afraid of them. But I have to admit that I was stepping lightly and I was feeling kind of pretty. I am in my seventies now and I had forgotten about this.
It was covered by the last Yardbirds incarnation with Jimmy Page as lead guitarist, after Jeff Beck quit. But I like this more. Manfred Mann is one of the most iconic garage rock bands
Could you even tell that those were two different singers? Paul Jones (on "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy") was the original singer, and Mike d'Abo (on "Ha! Ha! Said the Clown") was his replacement. (Manfred Mann himself was the organist.) Paul Jones was so popular that when he quit, the band chose a replacement who was not only a talented singer, but who also closely resembled Jones!
A few years ago I saw The Manfreds on stage. Manfred Mann wasn't involved but four original members of the band were, including both singers. They also played solo songs by Jones, D'Abo, Mike Hugg and McGuiness Flint. They put on as great a show as they did in their heyday. Highly recommended if you get the chance.
My mother used to jokingly sing it as: Do what Daddy did to mommy to get me..... I still sometimes change the lyrics to this, as it is funny:)))). Great reaction and wonderful song
I was so lucky to be a teenager in the 1960's. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Motown, and the rest of the English invasion. In the summer of my Sophomore year in high school we used to listen to this song and watch the girls, now turning women, walk down the street in cut-off blue jeans and short-shorts. Those were the best of times.
When I click on your videos first thing I do is hit that like button before your cover song stops because I know I'm gonna like your video and you never disappoint great reactions you go girl 👍👉😎👈👍🚛🚛
those old videocon tubes just couldn't handle the flash off the instruments, I remember having to be careful of that back when hand video recorders came out.
"Ha Ha Said The Clown" is very much in the style of The Monkeys. I would attribute that to the producers and record labels wanting only what they perceived as pure money makers (and not respecting the 'art' of music) -- that's why each song was so short for airplay on AM stations in rapid succession. Thinking of the other work Manfred Mann did in the '70s made me think of Paper Lace and their songs "The Night Chicago Died" and "Billy Don't Be A Hero". Note that because of a spat with their record label Bo Donaldson And The Heywoods' cover of "Billy Don't Be A Hero" was released and climbed the charts in the US while Paper Lace topped the charts with the song in the UK, though Paper Lace's production of it was so much better. Bo Donaldson on stage reminded me of David Cassidy at the time. And no, I don't know how I got from Manfred Mann to David Cassidy, but there you go. My head encompasses a lot of the music India is covering because I listened to it from the time I can remember at 2 years old with old military radioman's headphones and watching the Ed Sullivan show all the way to today. My dad watched the Boston Pops on Public TV (pre-PBS), Lawrence Welk, Hee Haw, the Tonight Show, and so on while mom watched every variety show under the sun, listened to pop radio and showtunes, and sang in the Sweet Adelines. I was exposed to Country, Jazz, Standards, Classical, Rock of all types, Motown - just about every genre - in my formative years. I played in concert band, orchestra, marching band and jazz band. My own rebellious nature latched onto Southern Rock, Heavy Metal & Hard Rock, Alternative & New Wave, Technopop & Club Mix in my college years. I've done my share of mosh pits and head banging with Grunge & Thrash. My post-9/11 years saw me pick up Contemporary Christian and Gospel music (I joined our church choir and play the saxophone in the praise team) -- but I never lost interest in all those experiences of my earlier years. So India, keep on journeying through all that music, all those genres, and all the messages and artistry. You make me feel very warm and encouraged to see your joy at experiencing what all I went through. And girl, I can attest that there is far more to experience out there.
Manfreds preferred the Blues and Soul, but needed the pop hits to pay the bills. Manfred Mann wrote a lot of advertising commercials too for the income. Check A 'B' Side that I think was for hair shampoo. Decent instrumental. My favourite pop tune of theirs is Ragamuffin Man as it tells a story.
I suggest "One Way Glass" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band and "Shut 'em Up" by the Prodigy which is a mashup of "One Way Glass" and "Shut 'em Down" by Public Enemy.
Must say I never heard the “Ha Ha” song before, though I was a young teen constantly tuned in to the radio. It was not uncommon in those days for some songs to not cross over from one coast to the other. My guess...that song didn’t make it to the west coast. Doo-wah-diddy was a definite hit! Enjoy your channel very much!
To appreciate Ha ha said the clown you have to take your self back to that time - imagine a room full of people sitting on the floor burning joss sticks and smoking all sorts - long haired men dressed in flowery shirts ,bell bottom trousers and platform shoes and girls in bright abstract coloured dresses and long white boots
Always good bass lines. For a while, I heard, Jack Bruce -of Cream fame - played bass with Manfred Mann. Later, they covered Bruce Springsteen's "Blinded By the Light", which helped propel the Boss to his due fame. From "Greetings from Asbury Park", Bruce 's first. Check out "Hard To Be A Saint in the City". And dig carefully on the outro piano!
