My Little Red Book
"My Little Red Book" is a song composed by Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David. In the wake of the British Invasion, Bacharach, a former bandleader for Marlene Dietrich, began working hands-on with beat groups of the era such as Manfred Mann.[1] Manfred Mann recorded the song for the 1965 film What's New Pussycat?, filmed between October 1964 and June 1965; the entire catalogue of music for the film was written by Bacharach and David.[2] The piano part on the recording was actually not played by Mann, but by Bacharach himself.[3]
| "My Little Red Book" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Manfred Mann | ||||
| from the album My Little Red Book of Winners | ||||
| B-side | "What Am I Doing Wrong" | |||
| Released | May 26, 1965 | |||
| Recorded | April 27, 1965 | |||
| Studio | EMI, London | |||
| Genre | Jazz rock | |||
| Length | 2:27 | |||
| Label | Ascot | |||
| Composer(s) | Burt Bacharach | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Hal David | |||
| Producer(s) | John Burgess | |||
| Manfred Mann US singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "My Little Red Book" on YouTube | ||||
In 1966, the song became a rock standard when remade by the Los Angeles based group Love, where it reached No. 52 in the Billboard Magazine top 100.[1]
Background and composition
By the mid 1960s, American Burt Bacharach and Hal David were an established and respected songwriting duo, responsible for several hit singles with easy listening artists such as Dionne Warwick and Gene Pitney.[4] In 1964, ITV Studios in the United Kingdom were interested in producing a television special about Bacharach titled The Bacharach Sound, which resulted in him flying to London with his fiancé Angie Dickinson, who was an actress knowledgable in filmmaking.[5] At The Dorchester hotel, Dickinson ran into producer Charles K. Feldman, who was involved with Woody Allen in a new movie project, What's New Pussycat? (1965).[6] After being shown a picture of Bacharach by Dickinson, Feldman became interested in working with him after hearing promising words about his songwriting, as Dickinson would state that "he [Bacharach] was a genius in my mind" even though she was unsure of whether he had scored film music before.[5]
In fact, David and Bacharach were already composing music for a contemporary movie, Made in Paris (1966) and were afraid they wouldn't have time for both projects at once; this issue was solved when they had an agent hired by John Heyman, who believed What's New Pussycat? was the better deal.[7] Allegedly, Bacharach was unaware of this meeting until he only had three weeks left to compose music for the film.[6][8] "My Little Red Book" was amongst the first songs they composed for the movie, being written before the movie's title track, composed during the Easter of 1965; Dickinson states that the first songs written for the project were "My Little Red Book", "Here I Am" and "some Russian thing".[9] As usual, David wrote the lyrics for the song while Bacharach composed the music.[7] The song lyrically refers to a man missing his previous girlfriend, though in a vain effort to get over her, "goes from A to Z in his red book", implied to be a telephone directory or an "affectionate journal detailing girls he admired."[10] According to Manfred Mann vocalist Paul Jones, the lyrics were some of the most clever he sang:
"The lyric is so good. I got really excited about it because of that word, 'thumbed' in the second line. 'I got out my little red book the minute you said goodbye, I thumbed right through my little red book'. A lesser writer would've written 'I looked right through' or 'I went right through'. But 'thumbed'. I could actually see the slightly discolored corners of the paper where the thumb went. Hal [David] is just so precise and concrete."
Manfred Mann had by this point become internationally successful, scoring a number-one hit in the US with their cover of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (1964).[11] Despite their hits being rhythm and blues-oriented, Manfred Mann were largely rooted in jazz which would come in handy when Bacharach used them as a basis of the composition due to the fact that they were signed to United Artists Records in the United States; this meant Bacharach could hire them extremely cheaply.[12] He had no previous experience in working with a pop band and had been an opposer of rock and roll during the 1950s;[13] to spite Manfred Mann, Bacharach composed "My Little Red Book" with several unorthodox modulations and chord progressions.[14] Composed in the key of C major, it is built on a "repeating piano line" which only changes during the chorus while it also provides the song its backbeat.[10]
Recording
Manfred Mann were ordered to the EMI Studio in London by United Artists after being told that "Burt, Angie and Hal" would be present there.[9] The recording session for "My Little Red Book" was booked amidst sessions for their second album Mann Made (1965) and as a result were not paid for by Manfred Mann's British label His Master's Voice, but rather by United Artists.[15] The session, which was held on April 27, 1965, was towards the end of the three week deadline presented to Bacharach and David, which according to Serene Dominic led to the initial version recorded during that session being "lackluster" due to the rushed nature of it. She claims it lacks anything characteristic of Manfred Mann besides "Paul Jones" edgy vocals, which meant that the version was relatively barebones.[12] The first version recorded by the group is the one which appeared in What's New Pussycat?.[15] On the contrary, Jones claims that the movie version was recorded after the single version of the song.[9]
Nonetheless, a second, more refined version of the song was recorded during the same session which according to drummer Mike Hugg was due to the fact the group saw problems with the "movie version" of the song, which in his words was due to the fact that they were unable to capture an "American feel on the record.[16] This second version of the song is thus much more refined, and features overdubbed organ, along with a "distinctive flute riff" by guitarist Mike Vickers, which mirrored the song's organ riff.[17] Vickers additionally overdubbed saxophone on this version in order to give it more dept.[16]
Due to Bacharach's perfectionism the band found working on the song extremely difficult.[16] Allegedly, Jones had to re-record his vocal track about 19 times due to Bacharach being dissatisfied with several of them.[18] Vickers also had trouble figuring out the chords for the song, while bass guitarist Tom McGuinness was the only band member to understand Bacharach's songwriting.[19] An anectode about the song's recording is that Bacharach himself played piano on the song.[16][20][18] According to group keyboardist Manfred Mann, the piano chords of the songs were "too strident" which meant that "Bacharach deposited himself behind the piano and pounded it and Mann to submission".[20] In an interview with Greg Russo, Mann would elaborate that Bacharach wanted Mann to play the piano on beat "without accent" which he found too difficult; this resulted in Bacharach gradually forcing him off the piano until Bacharach stated "why don't I play it and you'll tell me if it sounds OK".[16]
Release and reception
In preparation and as publicity for What's New Pussycat?, Ascot Records issued "My Little Red Book" as a single on May 26, 1965 in the United States.[21] It was release in place of Manfred Mann's contemporary UK single, "Oh No, Not My Baby", which had been a slight commercial failure, only reaching number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.[22] The B-side of the single, "What Am I Doing Wrong", was taken from "Oh No, Not My Baby", although the US version was edited to be shorter.[16] What's New Pussycat? debuted on June 22, 1965.[23] "My Little Red Book" is featured in a scene set in a discotheque where actors "Peter O'Toole and Paula Prentiss shake things up".[20] Bacharach was allegedly extremely disappointed with the movie because of the way it treated his name and his songs, focusing primarily on "My Little Red Book" as it was not a central part of the movie compared to the title track.[24]
A great single, it reached far more ears on the [What's New Pussycat?] soundtrack album than it did as a stand-alone item
— Serene Dominic (2003)[20]
"My Little Red Book" nonetheless became one of the worst performing singles during Manfred Mann's original tenure. In Billboard, the single only reached number 124 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[25] It fared similarly on the Cashbox Looking Ahead and Record World upcoming singles chart, reaching number 133 and 148 respectively.[26][27] In Australia however, both the film and song were met with acclaim which led the single to reach number 26 on the Kent Music Report during the summer of 1965.[28] The chart failure of the song led to His Master's Voice refusing to issue the single in the UK, where it would remain unreleased for several years afterwards.[16] In the US, the single would be re-released on April 17, 1968 due to Manfred Mann's single "Mighty Quinn" (1968) reaching top ten; this re-issue featured the suffix "(All I Do Is Talk About You)" though it failed to chart.[21]
In Billboard, the single is described as having been given a "hard-driving" Chicago dance.[29] In Cashbox magazine, the single is considered a heartbreaking ballad in a "powerpacked, pulsating blues-tinged style" and is chosen as a pick of the week.[30] In Record World it is given a slightly satirical review, in which the panel believes "that they've found a likely candidate for sales" with the single in contrast to the moody subject matter of the song.[31] Russo describes the song as "cool jazz rock" which never feels pretentious.[16] According to Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic, "My Little Red Book" is one of Manfred Mann's "finer earlier tracks" and considers a prelude to the "swinging singles" which would become prevalent on the radio a few years later.[32] The song was initially released on the soundtrack of What's New Pussycat, which was issued on May 25, 1965.[33][34] It was included as the title track of Manfred Mann's third American album, My Little Red Book Of Winners! on September 13 1965.[34]
Love recording
| "My Little Red Book" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US issue | ||||
| Single by Love | ||||
| from the album Love | ||||
| B-side | "A Message to Pretty" | |||
| Released | March 28, 1966[35] | |||
| Recorded | January 25, 1966[36] | |||
| Studio | Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:38 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Composer(s) | Burt Bacharach | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Hal David | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Love singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "My Little Red Book" on YouTube | ||||
Love's adaptation was the opening track for their eponymous debut album and was released as a single with the B-side "A Message to Pretty". Love's version gained moderate mid-chart success and,[clarification needed] with its radical interpretation of the original's pop sensibility, became a garage rock standard.[1][38] The track, unlike its predecessor, features a strong primitive sensibility and a stiff chord progression simplified by Arthur Lee and guitarist Johnny Echols and blasted out over a stomping, tambourine-fueled rhythm section. As well as its garage traits, the song has been credited for its "punk" quality; a sound Love fully achieved with its later single "7 and 7 Is".[39][38][40][41][failed verification] A key feature[clarification needed] of the track was Lee's rugged vocal performance, which has been highlighted by music critic Stewart Mason who particularly notes the way Lee sings the lines "All I did was talk, talk about you/Hear your name and I start to cry".[38]
"My Little Red Book" received a negative review from one of the song's collaborators, Burt Bacharach: Love had altered his chord changes. Nonetheless, the record was a Southern California hit and won Love a spot on American Bandstand. The disc did not chart in the UK but received airplay on the offshore pirate radio stations Radio London and Radio Caroline. (The opening lines of the melody of Love's version reminded some British listeners of the theme tune to the popular BBC TV comedy series Steptoe and Son).
The guitar riff to the song appeared in altered form as played by Syd Barrett on the Pink Floyd song "Interstellar Overdrive", released on their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967).[42] The riff of "Interstellar Overdrive" originated when early Pink Floyd manager Peter Jenner was trying to hum a song he couldn't quite remember, which turned out to be "My Little Red Book," with Barrett approximating the melody on his guitar.[42]
"My Little Red Book" and "Always See Your Face" (from Four Sail) are included on the soundtrack of High Fidelity, actor-producer John Cusack's 2000 adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel. "My Little Red Book" played over the credits. It also appeared in the Beverly Hills 90210 episode "Alone at the Top" in 1995.[43]
Other versions
- 1966 - The Cherades RHM Records recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals Alabama with The McCoys "Sorrow" as the B side. Local artist Frankie Pate Lead Singer, Local Drummer Pat McCord played drums on the A side and B side. Jimmy R. Johnson ( Muscle Shoals Sound) Produced
- 1968 – The Beach Boys, during sessions for Friends[44][45]
- 1978 - Gary on Getting Down To Business [46]
- 1981 – Bebe Buell, as one of two songs produced by Rick Derringer on her 4-song Rhino EP Covers Girl.[citation needed]
- 1981 – Toni Basil on Word of Mouth
- 1982 – Dokken, live performance on German TV.
- 1986 – Ted Nugent, on the album Little Miss Dangerous.
- 1989 – Pandora's Box on Original Sin.
- 1998 — The Ugly Ducklings on The Ugly Ducklings
- 2008 - The Last Shadow Puppets
- 2017 - Tommy Tutone
Chart Performance
Manfred Mann version
| Love version
|
References
- ^ a b c d S.Dominic, Burt Bacharach, Song by Song: The Ultimate Burt Bacharach Reference for Fans, (Music Sales Group, 1 Jun 2003), pp.149-50, ISBN 0825672805
- ^ Buchanan, Jason. "What's New Pussycat?: Film Review". Allmovie. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ "The 1960s – My Little Red Book". Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ^ David 2016, pp. 15–16.
- ^ a b Bacharach 2013, p. 52.
- ^ a b Dominic 2003, p. 43.
- ^ a b David 2016, p. 17.
- ^ Bacharach 2013, p. 52–53.
- ^ a b c d Bacharach 2013, p. 54.
- ^ a b David 2016, p. 67.
- ^ Russo 2011, p. 22.
- ^ a b Dominic 2003, p. 47.
- ^ Dominic 2003, p. 45–46.
- ^ Russo 2011, p. 30.
- ^ a b Russo 2011, p. 255.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Russo 2011, p. 29.
- ^ Dominic 2003, p. 47–48.
- ^ a b Bacharach 2013, p. 54–55.
- ^ Bacharach 2013, p. 55.
- ^ a b c d Dominic 2003, p. 48.
- ^ a b Russo 2011, p. 158.
- ^ "Manfred Mann". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "What's New Pussycat (1965)". The Numbers. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Bacharach 2013, p. 56.
- ^ "Bubbling Under The Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. July 3, 1965. p. 24.
- ^ "Looking Ahead" (PDF). Cashbox. July 10, 1965. p. 10.
- ^ "Upcoming Singles" (PDF). Record World. July 24, 1965. p. 15.
- ^ a b Kent 2005, p. 630.
- ^ "Pop spotlights" (PDF). Billboard (June 19, 1965): 18.
- ^ "Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box (June 19, 1965): 12.
- ^ "Singles reviews" (PDF). Record World (June 19, 1965): 10.
- ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "My Little Red Book - Song review by Matthew Greenwald". AllMusic. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Unterberger, Richie. "What's New Pussycat? [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] - Review by Richie Unterberger". AllMusic. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Russo 2011, p. 171.
- ^ Ceriotti 2011, pp. 49–50.
- ^ Ceriotti 2011, p. 45; Sandoval 1995, p. 28.
- ^ Kopp, Bill (2018). Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to the Dark Side of the Moon. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-5381-0828-4.
- ^ a b c Mason, Stewart (2012). "My Little Red Book". Allmusic. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Love, Love: Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Da Capo, Love: Album Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ Schinder, S. & Schwartz, A. (2008). Icons of Rock. ABC-CLIO. p. 263. ISBN 9780313338465.
- ^ a b Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Edinburgh: Canongate Books. p. 1177. ISBN 1-84195-551-5.
- ^ "Alone at the Top". Beverly Hills 90210. tv.com. 22 February 1995. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
- ^ Boyd, Alan. ""Little Red Book" really recorded in 1967?". The Smiley Smile Message Board. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ Chidester, Brian. "Busy Doin' Somethin': Uncovering Brian Wilson's Lost Bedroom Tapes". Paste Magazine. pastemagazine.com. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the : "Gary - Little Red Book [1970s Outsider Rock]". YouTube.
- ^ "Bubbling Under The Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. July 3, 1965. p. 24.
- ^ "Looking Ahead" (PDF). Cashbox. July 10, 1965. p. 10.
- ^ "Upcoming Singles" (PDF). Record World. July 24, 1965. p. 15.
- ^ "RPM 100" (PDF). RPM. June 27, 1966. p. 5.
- ^ "Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard . June 18, 1966. p. 18.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. June 18, 1966. p. 4.
- ^ "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World. June 25, 1966. p. 15.
Sources
- Bacharach, Burt (2013). Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music. Atlantic Books. ISBN 0-857-89804-3.
- Ceriotti, Bruno (2011). My Little Red Book: Love Day-By-Day 1945-1971 (ebook ed.). Italy: Soundcheck Books LLP.
- Dominic, Serene (2003). Burt Bacharach: Song By Song. Schirmer Trade Books. ISBN 0-857-12259-2.
- David, Eunice (2016). Hal David: His Magic Moments: There is Always Something There to Remind Me. Dorrance Publishing Company. ISBN 9-781-48093-100-8.
- Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
- Russo, Greg (2011). Mannerisms: The Five Phases Of Manfred Mann (2nd ed.). Crossfire Publications. ISBN 0-9648157-1-0.
- Sandoval, Andrew (1995). Love Story 1966-1972 (PDF) (Liner notes). Love. Rhino Records. R2 73500.