1965 Manfred Mann – Sha La La

1965 Manfred Mann – Sha La La

Three women in high school in Queens formed The Masterettes in 1961 and began releasing singles in 1962. After shuffling their lineup, the group recorded Tell Him, a song that they took to #4 on the Hot 100 in 1962.

The group never recorded another song that was a hit for them.

The South African keyboard player Manfred Mann and the British musician Mike Hugg (who played drums, vibes, and keyboards) formed the British band the Mann–Hugg Blues Brothers in 1961. The jazz/blues band added Paul Jones as their lead singer and rotated a few more musicians through the group. They also renamed themselves Manfred Mann & the Manfreds. The band signed with a label and their new producer insisted they simplify their name to Manfred Mann.

Several singles failed to produce the desired results, but then the band was asked to create a new theme song for the television show Ready Steady Go. They wrote and created the song 5-4-3-2-1. Exposure from the show helped the single to climb to #5 on the UK charts in 1964.

The Exciters had continued to release singles that failed to click. In 1964, they recorded a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, Do-Wah-Diddy. Their single only reached #76 on the US Hot 100 early in the year.

Manfred Mann somehow covered the song (with little if any changes) and their single topped the charts in both the US and the UK. The group had nearly a dozen more top ten hits in the UK, but had little success on the US charts: only three more of their singles even reached the top forty!

Their next single, Sha La La, easily took the band to #3 in the UK. Robert Mosley and Robert Taylor wrote the song, which only reached #12 on the US Hot 100.