Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Stranded (In Iowa)
The song was never released as a single and is really well known only in Iowa, but Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s 1980 album, ‘Chance’ had a song called, “Stranded”.
It was written by Mike Heron, from the Incredible String Band and actually performed at Woodstock, though no one remembers.
Mike went on to record as a solo artist and eventually his band, Heron, released the album, ‘Diamond Of Dreams in 1977. This is the album that gave us “Stranded In Iowa”.
Later, in 1980, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released ‘Chance’ with another Bruce Springsteen cover, but didn’t get the radio play “Blinded By The Light” did. But, here in Iowa, rock stations picked up on the first song on side 2, a song called, “Stranded”
Within a minute of the song’s beginning, you hear “Stranded… In Iowa.” Manfred Mann reworked the song, added some cool effects and other audible pleasures (a British woman telling of a storm rescue as a news clip), so the song was credited to both Mike Heron AND Manfred Mann.
Rock stations in Iowa started airing the song, especially during rather snowy winters, and even Top 40 stations started getting request for it, but had no idea what the callers were talking about. Eventually, local To 40 station caught on and jumped at the chance to play this song, yes, during bad snow storms.
Lyrics:
Stranded in Iowa
Stranded in Iowa
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I can’t keep my thoughts out of sight
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I need to feel the stars sleep by at night
I’m stranded all night, stranded all right
Stranded in Iowa
Stranded in Iowa
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I can’t keep my thoughts out of sight
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I need to feel the stars sleep by at night
I’m stranded all night, stranded all right
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
Hotel Echo, this is Mike November
I can hear your call
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
Hotel Echo, this is Charlie Delta
I can feel the fear
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
[repeat to fade]
Stranded in Iowa
Stranded in Iowa
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I can’t keep my thoughts out of sight
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I need to feel the stars sleep by at night
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I can’t keep my thoughts out of sight
Better get the Breakdown squad out
Get me rolling on
‘Cause I need to feel the stars sleep by at night
I’m stranded all night, stranded all right
Mayday, this is Echo Hotel
