5-4-3-2-1

Manfred Mann

About 5-4-3-2-1

5-4-3-2-1 is a 1964 song by British-based band Manfred Mann. It was written by Mann, Mike Hugg and Paul Jones, and peaked at #5 on the UK Singles Chart. thanks to weekly television exposure from being the theme tune for the ITV pop music television programme Ready Steady Go!. This would be the last single released before bass player Dave Richmond left the band. In an interview with Uncut, keyboardist Manfred Mann said that he regarded Ready Steady Go as being like a rocket, and wrote the song as a countdown to launch it. The Spice Girls' jingle used to introduce Channel 5 was loosely based on 5-4-3-2-1. The same could be said of the last track (54321 / Wave) on Patti Smith her album "Wave". Upon the success of the single, the group authored the follow-up single "Hubble Bubble (Toil and Trouble)", which peaked at disappointing #11 in the UK. Due to this they resorted to recording a cover song as their next release. This release was "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" which became a trans-atlantic #1 hit for them. During the 1980s there was a Chocolate bar with the title the song was adopted for the advert. 


Year:
1995
1:59
86 
#1

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Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one

Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one

Always onward, rode the six hundred
(Five, four, three, two, one)
Down the valley on their horses they thundered
(Five, four, three, two, one)
Ah, but once they're down, they really blundered
(Five, four, three, two, one)
Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds

Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one

The soldiers waited at the gate for weeks
(Five, four, three, two, one)
In a wooden horse, to the city they sneaked
(Five, four, three, two, one)
Pulled out and then was it the Greeks?
(Five, four, three, two, one)
Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds

Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one

Five, four, three, two, one
Five, four, three, two, one
Uh-huh, it was the Manfreds

Five, four, three, two, one

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Manfred Mann

Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band (with a strong jazz foundation) of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Manfred Mann were chart regulars in the 1960s, and the first south-of-England-based group to top the US Billboard Hot 100 during the British invasion. more »

1 fan

Written by: Mike Hugg, Paul Jones, Manfred Mann

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Release Details
"5-4-3-2-1" was released as a single by the British band Manfred Mann in 1964.
Chart Success
The song reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for 12 weeks, establishing Manfred Mann as popular Beat music artists in Britain.
Television Program Connection
The song was specifically written for the beginning of the TV Program "Ready Steady Go!" which was a massively popular music show in the mid-1960s on British Television.
Song Authors
The song was written by the band's members Paul Jones, Mike Hugg and Manfred Mann, along with songwriters Mike Vickers and Graham Gouldman.
Musical Style
The song is characterized by its fast tempo and catchy rhythm, characteristic of the British Beat music scene in the 1960s.
Repeated Intro
The song is notable for the countdown "5-4-3-2-1" vocal refrain that begins and repeats throughout the song.
Band's Rise to Fame
The success of "5-4-3-2-1" helped to cement Manfred Mann's reputation in the British music scene and paved the way for their future chart-topping hits like "Do Wah Diddy Diddy."
Revisions
There are actually three different recorded versions of the song, all created in 1964.
Album Inclusion
Despite its success as a single, "5-4-3-2-1" was not included in the U.K. version of the band's debut album, "The Five Faces of Manfred Mann". However, it was included in the U.S. version.
Song Cover
The song was covered by Birds of Paradise, an indie-pop band, and their rendition was included in their album “Beehive State” in 1984.
Legacy
"5-4-3-2-1" remains one of Manfred Mann's most enduring hits and is still frequently played on oldies radio stations. In 2017, it was used in an advertising campaign for Nectar points in the UK.

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