As a record collector, I went out and hunted down a lot of my favorites but obviously came nowhere near getting them all. These are some of the favorites that I didn’t own at the time.
I’ve always liked the song “How Do You Do? by Mouth & Mac Neal. I just now, writing this post, learned they were a Dutch duo. They formed in 1971 when record producer Hans van Hemert brought together the solo talent of Big Mouth (born Willem Duyn) and Maggie MacNeal (born Sjoukje van’t Spijker).
The duo released their first single, “Hey You Love”, which reached #5 in the Dutch Top 40, while the next two singles “How Do You Do?” and “Hello-A” both reached #1 in the Netherlands. “How Do You Do?” (2:57) was made popular in the United States by radio personality Jim Connors[1] and it would rise to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was written by Harry van Hoof, Dutch pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor, born in Hilversum (1943). An original member of rock band Peter & Zijn Rockets during the late 1950s/early 1960s. Pieter Nieboer, who also worked with Golden Earring, engineered this session.
The B-side is “Land of Milk and Honey” (3:22). This song is pretty good and has a gypsy sound. I never had this single until probably 40 years after its release. It is still one of my favorites when “How Do You Do?” plays on Sirius/XM ’70s on 7.
Lyrics
“How Do You Do?
Once I said I wanted you, I don’t remember why
I often wonder if it’s true, that you could make me cry
I only know it’s long ago, you said, I love you too
But I got one solution left, we’re gonna start anew
How do you do? mmm mmm
I thought why not, na-na, na-na
Just me and you
And then we can, na-na, na-na
Just like before
And you will say, na-na, na-na
Please give me more
And you will think, na-na, na-na
Hey, that’s what I am living for
How do you do? hoe-hoe
Once I said I wanted you and I remember why
I often wonder if it’s true, you still can make me cry
And now it’s not so long ago, you said, I love you too
‘Cause I had one solution left and that’s to start anew
How do you do? mmm
How do you do? hoe-hoe
Sources
Footnotes
- Jim Connors earned thirteen Gold records for discovering artists during his career including Harry Chapin and his hit song “Taxi”. Chapin later went on to write “W*O*L*D,” a song inspired by Connors’ life. This song was based on a phone call Harry overheard while in studio with JC at WMEX-Boston. The men began discussing what life as a “jock” is like, which was Harry’s inspiration for the hit song. Connors also earned gold with Chuck Berry for “My Ding-a-ling,” Wayne Newton for “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast,” Joe Simon for “Power of Love,” and Mouth & MacNeal for “How Do You Do,” along with many others, for exposing the songs to the mainstream audience.
