Westlife released the 2003 single “Mandy,” a cover of a Barry Manilow hit.
The Irish boy band recorded the song for their album Turnaround, and their version was released in November 2003. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, giving Westlife another major success during the group’s long run of chart-topping singles.
Barry Manilow originally recorded “Mandy” in 1974, when it became a US hit. Westlife’s version updated the song for a boy-band audience while preserving its central ballad structure and emotional vocal delivery. The recording also won the Brit Award for British Single in 2004.
The title can cause confusion because “Mandy” is strongly associated with Manilow’s original recording. Boyzone, another successful Irish boy band, is also sometimes suggested because of its similar era and audience. However, the 2003 boy-band version that topped the UK chart was by Westlife.