# Super duper easy question about a Barry Manilow song. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307 "2008-08-26T13:51:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/1 "2008-08-26T13:51:39Z")
Is Could Be Magic based on a classical piece of music? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/2 "2008-08-26T13:54:37Z")
[Yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Could_It_Be_Magic) > [@wikipedia](#): > > The song is based on Frédéric Chopin’s Prelude in C Minor, Opus 28, Number 20, and Manilow’s singing in the last verse fades into a straight performance of the last few bars of the Prelude. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/3 "2008-08-26T14:42:52Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] [Yes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Could_It_Be_Magic) [/QUOTE] Thank you. Now I must find that to add to my collection of Top 40 classical hit that I like. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/4 "2008-08-26T16:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] Thank you. Now I must find that to add to my collection of Top 40 classical **hit** that I like. [/QUOTE] There’s an “s” missing here and I’ll be switched if I can figure out from which end. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/5 "2008-08-26T17:07:15Z")
Just to continue the conversation, Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” (which was later horrendously covered by Celine Dion) is based on Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18. Also, Billy Joel’s “This Night”, from the _Innocent Man_ album, is based on Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Opus 13 (“Pathetique”). ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/6 "2008-08-26T17:24:33Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] There’s an “s” missing here and I’ll be switched if I can figure out from which end. [/QUOTE] _Niiiiice_… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-duper-easy-question-about-a-barry-manilow-song/461307/7 "2008-08-26T20:01:25Z")
I always thought Weekend in New England has a Tchkosfy (too lazy to look up the correct spelling) Piano Concerto feel. (especially at the end). That’s the piano concerto in the Monty Python where an escape artist escapes from a locked bag while playing it.