Barry Mann was one of the premiere songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s (and even into the ’80s a little), most often paired with his wife, Cynthia Weil. He didn’t start out writing with her, however, and he didn’t always limit himself to songwriting.
Case in point is today’s classic song of the day, “Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp),” which Mr. Mann recorded himself. He wrote it with Gerry Goffin, most often the songwriting partner of Carole King. The two couples (Mann/Weil and Goffin/King) were pals back then, professional songwriters for Don Kirshner and Al Nevins’ Aldon Music, located at 1650 Broadway, just across from the Brill Building in New York City.
“Who Put the Bomp” was a sendup of the nonsense lyrics found in many of the doo-wop songs of the day—you know, the bomp bomp bomps and rama lama ding dongs of “Blue Moon,” “Little Darlin’,” and other such tracks. Released as a single in June of 1961, “Who Put the Bomp” peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100; it hit #1 in Canada.
Believe it or not, “Who Put the Bomp” is the first record I can remember hearing on the radio. I would’ve been all of three and a half years old, but this one got my attention. In spite of its novelty nature, it’s actually a pretty good tune, which is what you would expect from a songwriter of Mr. Mann’s caliber. (Always a sucker for a good melody, that’s me.)
“Who Put the Bomp” wasn’t the first song that Barry Mann wrote that became a hit; he’d previously co-written “She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)” for the Diamonds in 1959 and “Footsteps” for Steve Lawrence in 1960. He went on to write so many hits (with Cynthia Weil and others) for so many artists it’s hard to keep count. We’re talking songs such as “Uptown” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” for the Crystals, “Blame It On the Bossa Nova” for Eydie Gorme, “I Love How You Love Me” for the Paris Sisters, “On Broadway” and “Saturday Night at the Movies” for the Drifters, “Only in America” for Jay and the Americans, “Walking in the Rain” for the Ronettes (and Jay and the Americans), “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” for the Animals, “Patches” for Dickey Lee, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “(You’re My ) Soul and Inspiration” for the Righteous Brothers, “Kicks” and “Hungry” for Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Rock and Roll Lullaby” and “I Just Can’t Help Believing” for B.J. Thomas, “Just a Little Lovin’” for Dusty Springfield, “Just Once” for Quincy Jones with James Ingram, “Somewhere Out There” for Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, “Sometimes When We Touch” for Dan Hill, and “New World Coming,” “Make Your Own Kind of Music,” and “It’s Getting Better” for Cass Elliott. Plus a lot more, of course.
Barry Mann’s wife and partner Cynthia Weil passed away in 2023. Mr. Mann is still with us today, age 86.
