- Blonde baby makes her black slacks talk. British fox Mandy Smith sways to the rhythm of the song reflecting her doomed love affair with her later-husband Bill Wyman, 33 years her senior, midst a scandal that all but left her ostracized in her own country. But the song rocked mostly everywhere else. Say what you will, think what you will, but she carries the beat for a stunning effort.—RavenGlamDVDCollector
- Mandy, dressed in an outfit that was way, way, way above the reach of most any of her contemporaries, from ankle boots, long black slacks and loosely-knotted midriff-baring top, not to mention her trademark darling fringe with the cascading palomino tresses, is first seen in the recording studio, swaying to the beat of her song. To say that she is cute, that would be the understatement of the Eighties. Try jaw-drop gorgeous! Cut to another camera. A Mercedes Benz limo is driving her to a midtown destination, a hotel, where the clamoring paparazzi is waiting outside. From the backseat, Mandy giggles at them. She wears jeans and a striped T-shirt with an 86 emblazoned across the chest. Clear evidence that stylishly-presented Mandy was here seen already in 1986, making her a scant sixteen years old, not about seventeen as the release date would suggest. As she alights, there is a casually dressed young fellow that seems absolutely smitten with her, escorting her in, following her protectively from behind. It's not Bill Wyman, if any of you should ask.
In the photographer's studio, Mandy is seen posing in several outfits, all of them showing off her lean figure. She sits on a folding chair while her makeup artist applies her lipstick. There is a close-up of her parted lips. When she gets bored with being the center of attention, she turns the Nikon onto the camera crew. They are happy to be her subjects.
Now what is all the fuss about? A forbidden love affair. Which doesn't meet approval from anybody. In the back of the limo, Mandy responds to critique. Doesn't matter what people say, and even should the whole world turn its back, it wouldn't change how she feels about her lover. She promises to go along with him, no matter what. And to give him everything. Then she bursts out giggling.
The back story: Mandy's relationship with Bill Wyman at the time was tabloid fodder. She became a celebrated scandal girl once the press learned about the Rolling Stones' bassist that had been dating an under-aged girl. They'd met when she was thirteen, and he had fallen in love instantly. Now, in Great Britain, the national age of consent is sixteen, so from July 1986, Mandy became fair game (er, literally) and the prosecution dropped any intentions they might have had, but the British, well, the Queen's folk on their little emerald isle, they're not exactly a free-thinking lot, especially not back then. Mandy suffered the tar brush too, you can imagine the talk, and to cut the unpleasantness short, let's just say, no matter how sweet honey the sound, no matter the rhythm, the catchy tune, in the UK, her home country, Mandy couldn't find success. Ostracized. The song was a dance hit in virtually the rest of (enlightened) Europe, though.
The aftermath: You should know the full extent of this story. And it's not exactly charming. Mandy's performing career eventually got to a nadir to rival all others. She lost weight. She broke down. Couldn't continue. No more concerts, no more recording. The real reason? Regular doses of birth control pills. Over a long period of time, that took its toll. And proved to be her downfall. To such an extent that Mandy's eventual marriage to Bill Wyman was a shambles. And she has completely renounced her past life. Her singing career, all.
But as for this video, here, circa 1986, 1987, here Mandy was still hopelessly (literally!) in love and at the peak of perfection.
It just goes to show everything isn't always as it seems. The cracks lie lingering beneath the surface. It is a sad reality of life.
But there is no denying that while the going went well, Mandy Smith was the most delightful young starlet on the film scene.
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