Song:How Do You Do?
Album:Absolutely The Best
How Do You Do? was a worldwide smash hit in 1972 and a top ten US hit for the Dutch duo Mouth & MacNeal. They had success in Europe and they split up in 1974. Mouth & MacNeal was put together by the production team of Hans van Hemert and Harry van Hoof. They were house producers at Philips Records in The Netherlands. van Hemert would find the talent and van Hoof wrote the arrangements. They produced several acts together. Wilhelmus "Big Mouth" Duyn was in several bands in the 60s. Singer Sjoukje van't Spijker was under contract to Philips and she had released one single. van Hemert thought they might make a good duo and he asked Duyn to come to the recording studio. They named van't Spijker Maggie MacNeal so the duo could be sold internationally and they used Duyn's nickname. Mouth & MacNeal was born. How Do You Do? was their second single. It was huge hit in Europe and Philips tried to promote it in the US. The song was discovered by Rhode Island radio personality Jim Connors who published a tip sheet for DJs called Think Sheet. He earned 13 gold records for breaking new artists, the most notable being Harry Chapin. Other DJs picked up on How Do You Do? and it reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. That was their only North American hit but they continued to have success in Europe until the split up in 1974. This budget comp covers their entire run. Duyn formed Big Mouth & Little Eve with future wife Ingrid Kup. Later he recorded solo and also did voice acting. Duyn died in 2004. Maggie recorded solo for years and she was a frequent participant in the Eurovision Song Contest. Since 2000, she has been a member of Dutch Divas with TV host Marga Bult and they are popular locally. Here's Mouth & MacNeal performing How Do You Do? on German TV 1972.
That song was so right for that time and place. The 70's, the mood and the people. Takes me back.
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