I’m Mandy Fly Me – 10CC

While 10cc where capable of many a gloriously silly song and the occasional production epic this was the song that always struck me as their most effective. It’s a song of distinctive parts and its meaning has always been subject to much debate.

In one corner there are those who suggest that its about the hallucinogenic effects of a 70’s “love drug” called Mandrax which was like the ecstasy of its time. There’s references to crazy dreams and trippy visions and coming down from induced highs – all of which tend to support that theory. In this respect it may be a  companion piece for Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

In the other corner there are those who argue that the song is inspired by a series of posters for an airline that featured beautiful stewardesses and the line “I’m (insert name of hostie) Fly Me. Clearly the campaign would not go too well in the politically correct era of today! There’s plenty of direct lyrically references that support this theory as well and 10cc did have a bit of an interest in the theme of holidays. But the fact that in the song the plane crashes and the mortal Mandy is nowhere to be found (after the mystical Mandy saves the singer in a heavenly type way) indicates that if the airline poster was the inspiration the band took the story into places that the advertising agency never intended.

Whatever the case the song is beautifully constructed and performed and along with the equally sublime Art For Arts Sake was the highlight of the How Dare You album.

While 10cc were known primarily as an “art band” there’s something very moving about I’m Mandy Fly Me that transcends either of the interpretations. It’s a sometime overlooked classic of a band who had many.