5-4-3-2-1

For other uses, see 54321 (disambiguation).
"5-4-3-2-1"
Single by Manfred Mann
from the EP Manfred Mann's Cock-a-Hoop
B-side"Without You"
Released10 January 1964
Recorded17 December 1963
StudioAbbey Road Studios, London
Genre
Length1:59
LabelHis Master's Voice–EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)John Burgess
Manfred Mann singles chronology
"Cock-a-Hoop"
(1963) 		"5-4-3-2-1"
(1964) 		"Hubble Bubble (Toil and Trouble)"
(1964)

"5-4-3-2-1" is a 1964 song by British band Manfred Mann, written by the group's eponymous keyboardist Manfred Mann along with Mike Hugg and Paul Jones. Released as a single on 10 January 1964, the track peaked at #5 on the UK Singles Chart,[1] becoming the band's breakthrough single and first commercial hit as the theme tune for the weekly ITV pop music television programme Ready Steady Go!.[2] In an interview with Uncut, Mann said that he regarded Ready Steady Go as being like a rocket, and wrote the song as a countdown to launch it.[3]

The song contains the self-referential lyric "Uh-huh, it was the Mannnn-freds!", and would be the last single released before bass player Dave Richmond left the band.[4]

After the single's success, the group's follow-up single "Hubble Bubble (Toil and Trouble)" was a relative downturn, peaking at #11 in the UK.[1] Due to this, the band resorted to recording a cover version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (originally performed by vocal group the Exciters) as their next release, which became a trans-Atlantic #1 hit and their first international chart success.[5]

In 1982, it was used for the advert for the 54321 chocolate bar, which was also performed by Manfred Mann and featured Rik Mayall in the early adverts. In 1997 the Spice Girls' jingle used to introduce Channel 5 was loosely based on 5-4-3-2-1.[6] British supermarket chain Tesco used the song in adverts for £5 off a £40 spend in 2012.

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 345–346. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 258. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
  3. ^ "5-4-3-2-1 by Manfred Mann". Songfacts. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  4. ^ Jazz4now – The Dave Richmond Home Page "Please note that "5-4-3-2-1" was recorded before I left the band, in fact I still receive PPL payments every time it is broadcast" – Dave Richmond
  5. ^ Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 258. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
  6. ^ "Remember when the Spice Girls launched Channel 5 in 1997?". Metro. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2018.