The great Delia Derbyshire at work. Maybe I’m weird but there’s something vaguely erotic about seeing such a well-spoken young lady playing with heavy audio equipment like this. JG Ballard could write a novel about that.
This is Delia’s most famous production. An obvious choice but it’s still fab. Composer Ron Grainer was so amazed by what Delia had done to his tune he said to her “Did I really write this?” to which she replied “Most of it.”
Despite being inspired by a rather kitsch advertising campaign I think “I’m Mandy, Fly Me” is the greatest thing 10cc ever did, better even than the sublime magnificence of “I’m Not In Love.” Those of us old enough to remember will know that the title comes from the National Airlines campaign of the early 70s (though I could have sworn it was it was Pan Am) featuring pretty air hostesses like Cheryl and Jo urging you to “Fly Me” which wasn’t in the slightest bit suggestive, no sir.
The song shouldn’t work so well at all given those origins but somehow they turn this unlikely source into a beautiful Pop Art mini-movie packed with great moments: the swooning, pillowy-soft beginning, the scorching guitar solo, and then the line “I felt Mandy pull me up, Give me the kiss of life, Just like the girl in Dr. No, no, no” which makes no sense if you’ve actually seen or read Dr. No but still sounds quite beautiful and evocative. The only thing that spoils it for me is the silly “you’ll never get me up in one of these again” bit at the start which undercuts the mood of the song somewhat (though this explanation for it makes me dislike it less) as if 10cc just can’t help being clever dicks and packing in the jokes.
I don’t really like flying that much myself anymore. It’s not the thought that the plane will suddenly plunge into the sea (to the sound of a guitar solo), or the security checks and the cramped seats, but it’s the white-knuckle anxiety I now feel when the plane is taking off and you feel the scary power of the roaring engines, and as it climbs into the sky you can really sense that this monster vehicle is just hanging in the air, in those moments the slightest bump or shake will give me kittens and make my heart skip a beat. I never used to have the willies about flying and actively enjoyed it, but now that spoils the whole experience for me. I’d much rather take the train these days, pity those don’t go to England from here though. Maybe I just need a Mandy to soothe my anxiety with hot towels and peanuts
The sentimental musings of an ageing expat in words, music, and pictures. Mp3 files are up for a limited time so drink them while they're hot.
Contact me: lee at londonlee dot com
