On this day, 4 May 1966, pop group Manfred Mann played Cardiff’s Top Rank. The band were riding high in the UK singles chart with their hit “Pretty Flamingo.“
The track featured Jack Bruce on bass, who briefly joined the band before forming Cream. It was the band's second UK number one hit after "Do Wah Diddy Diddy".
The recording was engineered by Geoff Emerick – then only 20 years old – who eventually became well known for his work with the Beatles.
Singer Paul Jones notably performed the song on Top of the Pops while standing on one leg.Legacy: It was the last single the band released with original lead singer Paul Jones.
The original demo of the song was recorded by New York City–based American vocalist Jimmy Radcliffe, stylized for the Drifters; but songwriter Mark Barkan was dissatisfied with the overly produced results, and had Radcliffe recut the song with a pared-down arrangement.