The Manhattans' appeal perseveres

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

The name of The Manhattans, clockwise from left front, Davis Tyson, Gerald Alston, Winfred "Blue" Lovett and Troy May, originally was inspired by the popular mixed drink. Photo courtesy of The Manhattans '70s Soul Jam' Featuring The Manhattans, The Stylistics and The Chi-Lites 7 p.m. Sunday Blaisdell Arena $35, $45 Also: "JJ" Walker will be emcee 526-4400

"I would wake up, jot down a clue or two, then go back to sleep," Lovett said last week, when the group was performing in New Orleans. "But when I finally wake up, I often can't get back to the song I was dreaming about."

So when it came to "Kiss and Say Goodbye," a song that had its humble beginnings while he was snoozing, he took no chances. "The lyrics I was hearing had to be written down," said Lovett. "I played the melody on keyboard. I got it all down. Then I went back to sleep."

He originally envisioned it as a country ditty, but he is happy that a Columbia Records official insisted that The Manhattans record that particular tune. Lovett said he wanted to peddle "Kiss" to Charlie Pride or Glen Campbell. "I really thought it would be a great country song ... but luckily, I was wrong."

The song went to No. 1 on Billboard's charts in 1976. And earlier this year, it got wide exposure again on Fox's "American Idol" when winner Ruben Studdard performed "Kiss and Say Goodbye" in the course of the competition. "I was out eating when he did it, so I never got a (videotaped) copy," he said.

Lovett is bass vocalist with The Manhattans; other group members are Gerald Alston, lead vocalist; Troy May, tenor; and David Tyson, tenor. The group will perform in Sunday's "Soul Jam" concert at Blaisdell Arena.

Together, they've maintained a three-decades-plus popularity, despite departures and deaths of earlier members and a brief shut-down — the group disbanded in the late '80s, but reunited in '93.

"I think our success is based on our crossover sound," Lovett said. "And the fact that Gerald sounds a lot like Sam Cooke."

The group's music, always about love, is a factor in the longevity, too. "Love never goes out of style," said Lovett.

"I think lyrics and melodies go hand in hand. While I enjoy hip-hop on the radio, much of it is very repetitive; kids love it and it sells, but how creative are you being, when it's the same old thing all the time? Our songs are stories; they often have plots, and it's always about love. People fall in and out of love, and everyone can relate to such songs."

The group's chart busters also includes "Shining Star," which was a Grammy winner in 1980, plus "It Feels So Good To Be Loved So Bad," "A Million to One," "You're My Life," "One Life to Live," and "There's No Good to Goodbye."

Its soulful flair and harmonies have persevered over the decades; it's a classic sound that has inspired a lot of younger acts today. Even if The Manhattans aren't credited.

"When I first heard Boyz II Men, 10 years ago, I thought, wow, that was us 20 years ago," said Lovett. "When I heard Baby Face, I knew someone had been listening. And updating our sound and changing this around a little bit."

"Nostalgia definitely is in our menu," said Lovett. "We helped set the tone. It's really quite amazing how our fan base has changed. A lot of our followers now are kids who picked up on our music. Up and down the California coast, and in Japan, we've been doing our '60s music."

The Manhattans' origins are in Jersey City, N.J., across the river from Manhattan. "We chose the name because of the drink and even had a logo with the olive and the cocktail," said Lovett. "When drinking and drugs became a bad thing, it was not a good idea to link to the drink, so we started an association with the borough of Manhattan four years into our careers."

Besides, the original group of five voices — a high school ensemble named the Dulcets — used to journey to the Apollo Theatre in Harlem in search of a dream. "Every Wednesday, we'd go, line up, hope to be picked for a slot. When our chance finally came to do the amateur show, we performed, but came in third. Joe Evans, who played alto sax with Choker Campbell's band, which toured with such Motown acts as The Supremes and the Four Tops, did for New York what Berry Gordy did for Motown — help launch some acts. He saw us at the Apollo, and we were the second act he signed up."

The Dulcets name, which came from the dictionary, eventually was shelved in favor of The Manhattans. "But most people nowadays think of the Manhattan Transfer. That's the only problem we have today," said Lovett.