The Manhattans is an American group formed in 1962 and originally composed of Georges Smith, Edward Bivins, Winfred Lovett, Kenny Kelly and Richard Taylor. Group which can boast of having ranked no less than twelve titles in the Top10 on the R&B Charts side and three Top10 including a No.1 in the Billboard Hot 100, just that.
Group that released a first title "For the very first time" in 1964, a title that would go somewhat unnoticed. This is not the case of "I wanna be (Your everything)" the following year in 1965, title which becomes their first major success.
On the album side, success is there from the release of their first opus "Dedicated to you" in 1966. Admittedly, success limited to the R&B Charts but all the same...
A success that they failed to confirm in the following years with the release of the albums "For you and yours" in 1967 and "With these hands" in 1970.
Business picked up again in 1973 with the release of the albums "There's no me without you" in 1973 and "That's how much I love you" in 1974. Paradoxically, neither album managed to produce a hit worthy of the name...
They will have to wait three more years to finally see all their efforts rewarded with the release in 1976 of the enormous album which bears their name, an album which will offer them the biggest success of all their discography on the Singles side with the mega hit “Kiss and say goodbye”.
A feat that they will have trouble repeating except in 1980 when they will achieve a new major success with the title "Shining star", a single from the album "After midnight" which will be released the same year.
Large-scale success which will unfortunately be the last because everything that will come out thereafter will only know a level of success after all limited...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others…) :
There goes a fool 1964
I wanna be (Your everything) 1965
Searchin' for my baby 1965
Follow your heart 1965
Baby I need you 1966
I bet'cha (Coulnd't love me) 1966
I call it love 1967
I don't wanna go 1968
The picture became quite clear 1969
If my heart could speak 1970
From Atlanta to goodbye 1970
Let them talk 1971
A million to one 1972
One life to live 1972
Back up 1973
There's no me without you 1973
You'd better believe it 1973
Don't take your love 1974
Hurt 1975
Kiss and say goodbye 1976
I kinda miss you 1976
It feels so good to be loved so bad 1977
It's you 1977
We never danced to a love song 1977
Am I losing you 1978
Here comes the hurt again 1979
Shining star 1980
I'll never find another (Find another like you) 1980
Just one moment away 1981
Honey, honey 1982
Crazy 1983
Forever by your side 1983
You send me 1985
Where did we go wrong ? 1986
All I need 1987
Sweet talk 1989
I won't stop 1990
Hey lady 1994
Nites like this 2001
Turn out the stars 2008
Lover's lullaby 2008
Clips :
1964... beginnings for the less confidential but we have to start well one day as they say. What is certain, however, is that this group has potential...
1965...a potential that will allow them the following year to achieve a first major success. An ideal career start as they say...
1965...this one will do a little less well than its predecessor but it doesn't matter, the dynamics of success are now well in place and that's the main thing...
1965...already three successes just for this year 1965. A year 1965 which will have allowed the group to emerge in broad daylight and to make talking about him in a positive way...
1966 ... certainly the success is limited exclusively to the United States but it is already a good start as they say. It now remains to increase in power to broaden its influence...
1966...in just two years they will have shown a more than certain potential and which will inevitably produce something big at one time or another...
1967...still no top hits on the horizon but it doesn't matter, you just have to give them a little more time. All their efforts are bound to pay off...
1968...a small year 1968 with a production of titles in strong decline and especially a success with the absent subscribers. Attention danger...
1969...the end of the 1960s was much more complicated to manage than expected. The group is far from unworthy but success is now fleeing them...
1970...business picks up at the start of the 1970s and puts the group in an ideal position for the rest of the events. The worst has therefore been avoided...
1970 ... certainly the level of success in the Charts does not allow them to appear in the front runners but all the same. At least they are there...
1971... the relapse is at least severe behind with a new disappearance from the Charts. The group is now yoyoing on the success side and this is not really done to reassure...
1972...there are years 'with' and years 'without'. The year 1971 will have been a year 'without', which is not really going to be the case for the year 1972 very fortunately for the group...
1972... the band manages to catch up with the leading pack each time but still can't produce THE title that will finally set them apart from the crowd for good. We'll have to be a little patient...
1973...this time the group manages to maintain a sufficient level to stay in contact with the top level. Hope it lasts...
1973...a big year 1973 with a plethora of titles and quality at all levels. The group proves title after title that in the Intimist field he literally excels, it's the least we can say...
1973... the rise in power is confirmed in this year 1973 and we can therefore imagine that the group will perhaps finally succeed in passing the level on which he has stumbled since its beginnings...
1974...year after year the band climbs up the Charts and slowly but surely gets closer to the best. It's all starting to smell good...
1975 ... it's a luxury cover that will allow them to pass this famous stage which prevented them for the moment from reaching the highest level. So they can say thank you to Roy Hamilton and his 1954 title for allowing them to do it...
1976...then comes THIS title ! They will have taken a little over 10 years to achieve a semblance of consecration but it is well and truly done with this title. They will get here the biggest success of all their discography and definitely register their name in the musical Pantheon of this end of the 20th century. MAS-TER-FUL !
1976...this title cannot match the enormous success met by its predecessor on a planetary level, but it will nevertheless make a career in the most honorable Charts. It's already that...
1977...a natural predisposition for the Intimist which will forever remain their main business. Afterwards, it would still be interesting to see them evolve in other areas...
1977...it was enough to say it to see them speeding up the tempo a little. And paradoxically it's not really going to bring them in unfortunately...
1977... suddenly they immediately take refuge in their comfort zone and luckily success is back. Moderate success, but success all the same...
1978 ... will the group try the acceleration again, not win all that. But at some point too much Intimist may end up getting tired of it, that's for sure...
1979...for the moment the group remains firm on its fundamentals and does not intend to move the lines more than that. Rightly or wrongly, that's something else...
1980...and history will prove them right in the end because they will succeed in winning their second biggest success on this title. An 'emotional' register that will have really brought them luck from start to finish...
1980...that doesn't prevent them from trying from time to time to attempt a furtive incursion into the Dance register. And my faith, we can only encourage them in this direction...
1981...and we know full well that this kind of incursion never lasts long with them. So you have to make the most of it because there won't be many of this type...
1982...in a decade when Dance has imposed itself massively at the highest level, they continue to play the Intimist card to the fullest. Sometimes it pays and sometimes a little less...
1983... they realize all the same that they cannot play the 'emotional' register card indefinitely, especially if they want to pursue the adventure a little longer. Just an awareness...
1983... drive out the natural, it comes back at a gallop. We won't remake them again as they say and so here they are back for the umpteenth time in their chosen field...
1985 ... it's another luxury cover that will bring them a nice success on the Charts side, all thanks to this revisited version of Sam Cooke's title dating from 1957. Once again on a languorous tempo ...
1986...a nice association with Regina Belle on a title full of finesse and lightness as they know how to do them so well. Good job once again...
1987... even if they can no longer hope to compete with the best, what they continue to offer is far from deserving. Anyway, we'll be happy with that...
1989...a 3rd decade of career which ends in Dance mode just to vary the pleasures a little. Three busy decades that will have made this group a sure bet in the US version of the musical landscape...
1990...they will even attempt the transition to the 90s. A passage that will see the group obtain its last success and which above all announces an end to the adventure which is fast approaching...
1994 ... at least we imagine that it is getting closer because they are still there anyway. For how long, that's the future that will tell us...
2001 ... when we thought the case was definitely folded, here they are back in this new decade 2000. To do what, that's something else and there are only them to answer this question ...
2008...every time we tell ourselves that this title will be the last and each time they reappear at one time or another. With them nothing is ever over at first sight...
2008... so we imagine that this title will surely not be the last. It remains to be seen when their new possible return will be …
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