10cc released "I'm Mandy, Fly Me", their greatest song, in my opinion, in 1976 as a single and on their 'How Dare You' album. There are some out there that are adamant that the song is about a drug called Mandrex (mandies) and it sounds plausible after listening to the lyrics. However, Eric Stewart stated in an interview that the inspiration was actually from an advertising campaign for National Airlines. He remembered a poster with an attractive stewardess and a slogan like "I'm Cindy, fly me" which had obvious sexual connotations. It was seeing a tramp looking up at one of the posters in Manchester and straight away thinking that there is a song there. He changed the name to Mandy and took the idea back to the band and Graham Gouldman and Kevin Godley ran with it and they eventually created their masterpiece. A tramp's fantasy was now everyone's fantasy. Brilliant art that was in no way "Art for Art's Sake!"
Just like a rollin' stone
I'm outside lookin' in
But if your chance came would you take it
Where on earth do I begin
I'm Mandy fly me
I've often heard her jingle
It's never struck a chord
With a smile as bright as sunshine
She called me through the poster
And welcomed me aboard
She led me she fed me
She read me like a book
But I'm hiding in the small print
Won't you take another look
And take me away
Try me Mandy fly me away
The world was spinning like a ball
And then it wasn't there at all
And as my heart began to fall
I saw her walking on the water
As the sharks were comin' for me
I felt Mandy pull me up give me the kiss of life
Just like the girl in Dr. No No No No
Ah when they pulled me from the wreckage
And her body couldn't be found
Was it in my mind it seems
I had a crazy dream
I told them so but they said no no no no
I found me on a street
And starin' at a wall
If it hadn't have been for Mandy
Her promise up above me
Well I wouldn't be here at all
So if you're travellin' in the sky
Don't be surprised if someone said Hi
I'm Mandy fly me
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