Nightingales & Bombers

Nightingales & Bombers is an album released in 1975 by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

"'The title of this album was inspired by a recording made in Surrey, England during the Second World War, by an ornithologist intending to record nightingales. The bombers flew over at the same time and were recorded by accident. The recording has been incorporated in 'As Above, So Below''. - Manfred Mann 1975"

The recording was made on 19 May 1942 by a sound engineer for the BBC. Intending to capture the nightingale's song he also, by accident, recorded the sound of RAF bombers on their way to attack Mannheim, Germany. In that raid 197 planes were dispatched and 12 were lost.

Side one

 * 1) "Spirits in the Night" (Bruce Springsteen) – 6:29
 * 2) "Countdown" (Manfred Mann) – 3:05
 * 3) "Time Is Right" (Mann, Chris Slade, Mick Rogers) – 6:32
 * 4) "Crossfade" (Mann, Slade, Rogers, Colin Pattenden) – 3:38

Side two

 * 1) "Visionary Mountains" (Pam Nestor, Joan Armatrading) – 5:42
 * 2) "Nightingales and Bombers" (Rogers) – 4:53
 * 3) "Fat Nelly" (Mann, Peter Thomas) – 3:20
 * 4) "As Above So Below (Recorded Live)" (Mann, Slade, Rogers, Pattenden) – 4:18

Bonus tracks on 1999 CD re-issue

 * 1) "Quit Your Low Down Ways" (from US Release) (Bob Dylan) – 3:25
 * 2) "Spirit in the Night" (single version) (Springsteen) – 3:17

The US version of the album includes "Quit Your Low Down Ways" as the second track on side two.

The Earth Band

 * Manfred Mann – organ, synthesisers
 * Mick Rogers – guitars, vocals
 * Chris Slade – drums, percussion
 * Colin Pattenden – bass

Additional musicians

 * Ruby James, Doreen Chanter, Martha Smith – backing vocals
 * David Millman – viola
 * Chris Warren-Green – violin
 * Nigel Warren-Green – cello
 * Graham Elliott – cello
 * David Boswell-Brown – cello

Technical

 * Manfred Mann's Earth Band – producers
 * Laurence Latham – engineer
 * Lilian Bron – photography
 * Dave Field – sleeve