"Handbags and Gladrags" was written by Manfred Mann singer Mike d'Abo. Video explaining why they didn't record it.

[highplainsdem]

Though the BBC did keep their recording, when the band performed the song live on BBC Radio in the late 1960s. I haven't seen an exact date for their appearance, don't know if that was before either Chris Farlowe or Rod Stewart recorded the song. Almost certainly after Chris Farlowe's cover, because Mike didn't want Rod to record the song before Chris's version was released.

First, the BBC's live recording.

Then Mike's account of how the song was written and came to be recorded by other artists when it should have been a hit for Manfred Mann.

Then different covers of the song, which has always been one of my favorite Rod Stewart songs.


Live for the BBC, sometime in the late '60s:

Mike talking about the song during a performance in April 2016:

Chris Farlowe:

Rod Stewart:

Stereophonics:

Mike's recording for his own 1970 album, after Manfred Mann broke up in 1969:

From the UK's Songwriting magazine in 2016:

How I wrote ‘Handbags And Gladrags’ by Mike d’Abo
https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/interviews/handbags-and-gladrags-mike-dabo

[Figarosmom]

1. Thanks for the post. Good info and all good covers.

Always liked the insight of the song.

[highplainsdem]

2. You're very welcome! I love finding interesting stories behind songs.