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Yes We Have No Mañanas, So Get Your Mañanas Today

Artist: Kevin Ayers
Label: ABC Records
Catalog#: AB 1021
Format: Vinyl
Country: United States
Released: 1977-03
Tracklist
A1 Star 4:18
A2 Mr. Cool 3:00
A3 The Owl 3:14
A4 Love's Gonna Turn You Round 4:52
A5 Falling In Love Again 2:35
B1 Help Me 2:40
B2 Ballad Of Mr. Snake 2:02
B3 Everyone Knows The Song 2:33
B4 Yes I Do 3:08
B5 Blue 6:26
Credits

Bass – Charlie McCracken (tracks: A1 to A5, B2, B5), Mick Feat (tracks: B3), Rick Wills (tracks: B1)
Drums – Rob Townsend (tracks: A1 to A5, B2, B5), Roger Pope (tracks: B3), Tony Newman (tracks: B1)
Guitar – Andy Roberts (3) (tracks: B3)
Guitar [Lead] – Ollie Halsall (tracks: A1 to A4, B1 to B3, B5)
Guitar [Rhythm] – Roger Saunders (tracks: A1 to A5, B2, B5)
Keyboards – Billy Livsey (tracks: A1 to A4, B2, B5), George Money (tracks: B1), Nick Rowley (tracks: B3)
Leader [Choral Arrangement] – David Bedford (tracks: B5)
Leader [String Arrangement] – Pip Williams (tracks: A5)
Piano, Soloist – Nick Rowley (tracks: B4)
Producer – Muff Winwood
Steel Guitar – BJ Cole (tracks: A3, A5)
Vocals, Guitar – Kevin Ayers

Notes

US release of album originally released in the UK on Harvest in June 1976.

Strawberry Bricks Entry: 
Back with Harvest Records, Kevin Ayers retained only guitarist Ollie Halsall for his next record, Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today); the title a play on a song from the 1922 musical revue, Make It Snappy. Along with a bevy of special guests, Muff Winwood was brought in to produce; and by all accounts, the combination should have been magic. "Star" is a shining beauty of a track, with Family's Rob Townsend and Taste's Charlie McCracken providing the rhythm. "The Owl" contains a witty lyric, while "Mr Cool" and "Everyone Knows the Song" go for the Caribbean vibe. "Help Me" turns up the heavy, while "Blue" goes for the epic, with old friend David Bedford providing the choral arrangement. "Yes I Do" is simple and effective, with Ayers's voice accompanied by piano alone. Only "Ballad of Mr. Snake" should have stayed on the scrap heap. Throughout the record, Ayers's songwriting is typically commercial (enough). It's hard not to be seduced by his deep baritone and lyrical wit, however the album also contains everything that simultaneously impresses and disappoints one about Ayers's work. He put a band together for some BBC gigs (including Andy Summers and Zoot Money), but no tour was forthcoming. The album saw release on ABC Records in the US in early 1977. Rainbow Takeaway appeared the following year, produced by Slapp Happy's Anthony Moore; but again, and despite a good (enough) showing, Ayers would indefinitely retreat to Majorca. One final album for Harvest appeared in 1980, That's What You Get Babe. Ayers would then continue to release albums on a variety of labels, working most notably with Ollie Halsall, for many years; but as the decade progressed, his better days and work were behind him. [US release date]
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