The Foote Files: Manfred Mann

(CBS 11) - Manfred Mann was a British blues/rock quintet formed in England in the late 1950s. Originally, they were known as the Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers, but then changed to Manfred Mann. The original group members were Mann on keyboards, Paul Jones on vocals, Michael Vickers on guitar, Tom McGuiness on bass, and Mike Hugg on drums. Mike D'Abo replaced Jones on vocals in 1967. Later in the 1970s, Mann formed Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

The two "bands" charted a total of seven times on the Billboard Top 40 from 1964-1984. They had two #1 hits: "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" in 1964 and "Blinded By The Light" in 1976. But there was another one they had that is cool and moves!

"Sha La La" was the group's second song to chart in 1964. It got as far as #12 in the U.S. but zoomed to #3 in the UK. The R&B girl group, The Shirelles, had recorded this song earlier but it failed to chart on the U.S. Top 40.

Written by Luther Dixon, Robert Mosely, and Robert Taylor, running 2:39 on the Ascot Records label, the lyrics go like this:

Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la la la

I met you for the first time last night
When I kissed you and I held you tight
Baby, you made me feel alright
So this is the song that I sang all night

Sha la la la la la la, oh, oh, oh
Sha la la la la la la la, oh yeah
Sha la la la la la la la la la

When you kissed me I felt so weak
I never had so grand a treat
Each time I see you walking down the street
My heart starts singing to the sha-la beat, singing

Sha la la la la la la, oh yeah
Sha la la la la la la la, yes sir
Sha la la la la la la la la la

You can hear this song today on SIRIUS XM 60s On with Phlash Phelps, Dave Hoeffel, Pat St. John, Shotgun Tom Kelly, and Mike Kelly. Also on SIRIUS XM Little Steven's Underground Garage, Channel 21.