Manfred Mann - My Little Red Book

About "My Little Red Book"

"My Little Red Book" (occasionally subtitled "(All I Do Is Talk About You)") is a song composed by American songwriter Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David. The duo was enlisted by Charles K. Feldman to compose the music to Woody Allen's film What's New Pussycat? following a chance meeting between Feldman and Bacharach's fiancée Angie Dickinson in London. "My Little Red Book" was composed in three weeks together with several other songs intended for the movie. Musically, the song was initially composed in the key of C major, largely based on a reiterating piano riff performed. David's lyrics tells the tale of a distraught lover, who after getting dumped by his girlfriend browses through his "little red book" and taking out several girls to dance in a vain effort to get over her.

The initial version of "My Little Red Book" was recorded by British pop group Manfred Mann because they were signed to United Artists Records in the United States. Recorded during a session at EMI Studios in London in April 1965, the session was attended by Bacharach, whose perfectionism the band found difficult to work with. Manfred Mann needed to perform several retakes of the song. Two renditions of the song were recorded, one for inclusion in What's New Pussycat and one specifically for single release. Issued through Ascot Records in the United States on May 26, 1965, "My Little Red Book" was released in place of Manfred Mann's contemporary UK single "Oh No, Not My Baby". Despite receiving good critical reception, the Manfred Mann version stalled at number 124 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

In 1966, "My Little Red Book" once again entered mainstream popularity after American rock band Love recorded it. Love's leader Arthur Lee and guitarist Johnny Echols saw What's New Pussycat? in the cinema, and being fans of Manfred Mann, they incorporated it into their setlist. The rendition varies from Manfred Mann's in tempo along with a more "tambourine-fueled rhythm". The chord progression was also changed, as Echols had forgotten several chords present in the original release. Recorded in January 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood, California, together with producer Jac Holzman and Mark Abramson, the song was released as Love's debut single in March, 1966, through Elektra Records. The single reached number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been considered a "standard" and archetype of garage rock.