For me, it’s a damned close run thing between *Could It Be Magic * (super intro, nice choruses (Now! Now! - minimalist yet incredibly singalongable) and hauntingly familiar outro) and Mandy (nice key change, brilliant lyrics), but after much thought I’m plumping for Mandy.
Don’t be shy! Let’s have your vote for greatest Manilow number of all times!!!
Ditto “Could It Be Magic”.
I also like "Even Now"and “It’s a Miracle”.
Copacabana. It’s over-wrought, cheesily over-dramatic, but damn it’s danceable!
Also, a song of his called I Was a Fool (To Let You Go). A blues-y, torch song kinda song. Sad, but one of my fave tunes to belt out while I’m doing dishes.
I LOVE to sing “Mandy” in the car, although I usually hope there’s no serial killer hiding in my back seat to hear me. But, “Could It Be Magic” is good, too. I have an abiding prejudice against “Weekend In New England” though because we always had to be quiet in the car so my dad could hear it when it came on the radio even though he had it on a record at home.
Here’s what I hate: “Somewhere In The Night”. It has too much sexual implication and that’s just gross when it’s Barry Manilow.
Now we weren’t really meant to talk about what we disliked, were we? But since you mention it, I heard this in the car for the first time this morning, and I fast forwarded to the next song before I was overcome by nausea.
Back to the Nosefest!
"Weekend in New England" with “Could it be Magic” a very close second.
There’s no shame in loving Barry Manilow (well, his music anyway) or having seen him live. The man can sing! And he writes the songs that make the whole world sing (ironically, though, not “I Write the Songs”).
Weekend in New England (sorry, Caricci!) and All The Time. And Memory. And a whole lot of other ones.
Here’s what I hate: when you see him live, from the 5th row, and witness him gyrating while singing a sexual part of a song. ::shudder::
Copacabana, which stands out like a diamond in the pile of turds that are Manilow’s body of work.
there is no greater joy than putting Barry Manilow singing the Hits from the Summer of 1978 in the CD player on a long car ride with unsuspecting friends…
The first time I bought a bunch of singles from iTunes, “Copacabana” was among them. It’s gloriously cheesy, plus I loved it when I was 8. It’s the third-best Lola song ever, after the Kinks’ “Lola” and Damn Yankees’ “Whatever Lola Wants.”
The outro is familiar because Chopin wrote it. In fact, the chord changes for the song itself are straight out of the Prelude in C minor.
I like ‘This One’s For You’, but I like the version by Teddy Pendergrass.
I’ll put in my vote for “Could It Be Magic” and “Weekend in New England” as well.
Hey, I’m not too proud to admit it: I like Barry Manilow. Always have.
It’s nice to see some people putting their hands together for Mr. Manilow. I’m all about **The Copacabana ** and **Could it be Magic ** and Ready to Take a Chance Again ( think that’s what it’s called).
I’m going with Copacabana, as well. My best friend was named for a certain song that I will not mention, and reacts rather violently to any version other than the Me First one.
“Can’t smile without you” as sung by Sean Beal
“Mandy” as sung by Homer Simpson
Hara-kiri for Barry.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I know all the words to “Copacabana.”
My favorite song for a little while when I was, like, 8 or so was “I Write The Songs.” I still have kind of a soft spot for the song, especially after learning that it was written, not by Barry, but by Bruce Johnston about Brian Wilson. But the arrangement is just like 75% of Manilow’s other songs: starting out mellow and crescendoing to a big bombastic climax.
Now that’s just gross. It reminds me of Kathy Griffin’s VERY funny routine about Clay Aiken.