Manfred Mann - All Manner of Menn: 1963-1969 '2000

Tracks list

 At first glance, this looks like a very enticing collection, and in many
ways it is: 53 songs covering a lot of the highlights and rarities in the bands
history from 1963 through 1969. There are a few flaws, however, some of them
minor and others potentially major, depending upon ones interests. For starters,
it doesnt follow strict chronological order, opening with their biggest
international hit, Do Wah Diddy Diddy, from the summer of 1964, and then
proceeding backward through October of 1963 and Cock-A-Hoop to July of 1963 and
their jazzy debut, Why Should We Not. Thats not a huge problem; though for
anyone who isnt familiar with the history, its going to require a little sorting
out. The EMI hits are all there on disc one, along with a few good album tracks,
some superb B-sides, and compelling EP tracks (With God on Our Side, Theres No
Living Without Your Loving). On the other hand, its not as though most of that
material isnt out somewhere already, and serious fans may feel cheated, in the
sense that Raven could have (theoretically) raided EMIs vaults for an incredibly
solid double-disc set of completely classic Manfred Mann up through mid-1966.
They also might have then avoided the six Paul Jones solo tracks that close disc
one, which, despite their chronological relationship to the group work, are the
kind of commercial pop that doesnt mesh with anything here and does nothing but
break the mood of this disc.

Disc two is devoted to the Mike dAbo version of the band, which recorded
successfully for Mercury Records but was never as musically ambitious as the
earlier incarnation of the group; theres some good music among the 15 tracks on
disc two, including rare B-sides and album cuts, such as Box Office Draw and I
Wanna Be Rich, as well as huge hits like Quinn the Eskimo and Just Like a Woman,
and it holds up well enough, though its thoroughly less fascinating than the EMI
material that preceded it. The last eight songs on the disc are drawn from
various solo post-Manfred Mann projects by the individual members, including
Mike dAbo (Little Miss Understood, Belinda, Free As a Bird), Mike Hugg (Blue
Suede Shoes Again,) Mike Vickers (On the Brink), Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg
(Ski-Full of Fitness Theme), and Tom McGuinness (When Im Dead and Gone, Malt and
Barley Blues, Happy Birthday Ruthy Baby). These tracks are more enlightening
musically than the Manfreds later tracks, and the Tom McGuinness material (all
recordings by McGuinness - Flint) is good, solid, earthy rock & roll. The notes
by McGuinness are extraordinarily detailed and revealing, in terms of correcting
misconceptions and giving a humorous insiders perspective on the band.
:: TRACKLIST ::

Disc 1

 Manfred Mann I
1 Do Wah Diddy Diddy 2:31
2 Cock A Hoop 2:03
3 Im Your Kingpin 2:45
4 Why Should We Not? 2:18
5 5-4-3-2-1 (Parts 1 & 2) 3:04
6 The One In The Middle 3:37
7 Watermelon Man 3:12
8 Smokestack Lightning 3:31
9 Without You 2:17
10 Hubble Bubble (Toil & Trouble) 2:24
11 Sha La La 2:29
12 Come Tomorrow 2:44
13 With God On Our Side 4:23
14 Theres No Living Without Your Loving 2:37
15 Oh No Not My Baby 2:20
16 If You Gotta Go, Go Now 2:28
17 My Little Red Book 2:55
18 Hi Lilli Hi Lo 2:37
19 Tired Of Trying, Bored With Lying, Scared Of Dying 2:43
20 She Needs Company 2:44
21 You Gave Me Somebody To Love 3:01
22 Pretty Flamingo 2:30

 Paul Jones
23 Hightime 2:15
24 Sons & Lovers 3:00
25 Thinkin Aint For Me 3:21
26 Ive Been A Bad Bad Boy 2:20
27 Free Me 2:46
28 Sonny Boy Williamson 2:52

Disc 2

 Manfred Mann II
1 Just Like A Woman 2:49
2 Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James 2:34
3 Each And Every Day 2:47
4 Ha! Ha! Said The Clown 2:26
5 Mighty Quinn 2:48
6 My Name Is Jack 2:47
7 So Long Dad 2:55
8 Box Office Draw 2:07
9 I Wanna Be Rich 2:25
10 Up The Junction (Theme) 3:36
11 Sing Songs Of Love 1:56
12 Cubist Town 3:15
13 Fox On The Run 2:41
14 Ragamuffin Man 3:11
15 Please Mrs Henry 3:08

 Mike DAbo
16 Little Miss Understood 4:35
17 Belinda 3:30

 Smith & DAbo
18 Free As A Bird 3:32

 Mike Hugg
19 Blue Suede Shoes Again 3:33
20 Tonight 5:20

 Manfred Mann & Mike Hugg
21 Ski - Full Of Fitness Theme 3:08

 Mike Vickers
22 On The Brink 2:24

 McGuinness Flint
23 When Im Dead And Gone 3:42
24 Malt And Barley Blues 2:14
25 Happy Birthday Ruthy Baby 3:22

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