Manfred Mann - Pretty Flamingo - Non-Album Tracks (1966)

I want to hurry through posting the rest of my Manfred Mann stray tracks albums, so here's the next one. In mid-1966, the band changed lead singers, from Paul Jones to Mike d'Abo. That marked a significant shift in the band's sound away from rhythm and blues and towards pop, though the change had already been underway. This album contains the last songs of the Paul Jones era.

The big hit here was "Pretty Flamingo." It was a number one hit in Britain and some other European countries. While it was only a top 30 hit in the US, it gradually became an established classic. (Fun fact: Jack Bruce, who would soon become famous as the bassist and lead vocalist for Cream, was a member of Manfred Mann for a few months in 1996, and played on that song and some other songs here.)

By 1966, the popularity of rhythm and blues was going down in Britain, as new musical styles took over. You can see that on this album, with a greater variety of styles than ever before for the band. Ironically, some rhythm and blues fans blame the change of lead singers for the change in styles. But in fact Paul Jones wasn't that keen on rhythm and blues even though his voice was a natural fit for it. As soon as he left the group and started a solo career, he drastically changed musical styles to middle of the road showbiz/musical genre.

I've added a couple of bonus tracks at the end that are from his solo career. Unfortunately, there is very slim pickings there, due to that change in styles. He did one song, "Sonny Boy Williamson," still in the earlier bluesy style, but that one throwback is just about the only one like that once he left the group.

01 Long Hair Unsquare Dude Called Jack (Manfred Mann)
02 You Better Be Sure (Manfred Mann)
03 Pretty Flamingo (Manfred Mann)
04 You're Standing By (Manfred Mann)
05 Machines (Manfred Mann)
06 Tennessee Waltz (Manfred Mann)
07 When Will I Be Loved (Manfred Mann)
08 Still I'm Sad [Instrumental] (Manfred Mann)
09 My Generation [Instrumental] (Manfred Mann)
10 You Gave Me Somebody to Love (Manfred Mann)
11 That's All I Ever Want from You Baby (Manfred Mann)
12 Driva Man (Manfred Mann)
13 Spirit Feel [Instrumental] (Manfred Mann)
14 Sonny Boy Williamson (Paul Jones)
15 Free Me (Paul Jones)

https://www.imagenetz.de/hxWKH

There was no definitive British album called "Pretty Flamingo," and I base my albums for this band on the British albums. But there was a US album with that name, which gathered up singles and other stray tracks. I've used the cover from that one, without any changes.