Most of the bands considered part of the first British Invasion either broke up or changed direction dramatically by 1966. Manfred Mann were no different. Original vocalist Paul Jones left for a solo career and was replaced by Mike D'Abo, formerly of Band Of Angels. And with a new singer came a new direction, and a new-found love for the Mellotron. They also switched labels from HMV (EMI), their original label to Fontana (Philips). Out of that period came one of their biggest hits, Quinn The Eskimo (or the Mighty Quinn) and several smaller, but no less substantial hits for a band considered by many to be at the mid-point of their careers and about to get into something completely different.
But tonight's track is from that 1966 period. Semi-Detached Suburban Mr. James was a moderate hit in the UK and Europe but did nothing here in the States. Which is too bad as it has all the elements of a hit single.
Some things just aren't destined to make it, I suppose.
