In Hindsight, Could It Be Magic - Barry Manilow

[Davey the Fat Boy]

No - I’m not going to mount a defense of Manilow as an artist. I could probably pick out a few songs of his I don’t mind (“Weekend in New England”, his cover of “Ships” - not much more) - but I think this one stands out as a pretty special record. It was his first hit on his first album, before all of the key changes and the hokeyness.

I wonder how we’d regard Manilow and this track if he’d never followed it up. Would we be more willing to hear it on its own terms?

Anyhow - if you don’t like this kind of piano ballad, you won’t find much value in revisiting this. But if you like a record like Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” - this might just push some pleasure buttons for you.

[jimboo]

Makes me yearn to hear Celine Dion do helpless.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Makes me yearn to hear Celine Dion do helpless.

I think you’d deserve that.

[George P. Smackers]

The Chopin C minor Prelude that takes up the first minute seems aggressively middle-brow, and I can't decide whether to admire it as ballsy or just think "this is his way of saying he's fancy in a way that's just not for me."

[naughty boy]

I just found it tiresome.

Take That’s cover is better in every aspect.

[harvey k-tel]

Come back, Googamooga! All is forgiven.

[harvey k-tel]

Also, if I may pick a nit, Rayge-style, how else are we supposed to discuss this stuff, other than "in hindsight", unless one's opinion was formed and hasn't changed a bit since this stuff was released?

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Also, if I may pick a nit, Rayge-style, how else are we supposed to discuss this stuff, other than "in hindsight", unless one's opinion was formed and hasn't changed a bit since this stuff was released?

Always a possibility.

[ChrisB]

Irrespective of what we all think of Manilow, it's a great song

[Brickyard Jack]

Cracking track.

[Bent Fabric]

I love it to bits. Wouldn't call myself any sort of Manilow-fan, but this song/record kicks serious ass.

I played it to close a recent DJ night, and yeah - naturally, it sounded magnificent at full volume, but...tellingly, an old friend of mine had popped in, and he was having a real moment with it, along the lines of 'WHY hasn't some super heavy, sludgy, saturated behemoth of a rock band put this in their act!?!?" (the descending cycle of chords in the chorus is the sort of thing you could easily milk for ten minutes with nary a diminishing return).

So fucking good.

[Quaco]

It may not be my favorite of his, but it's very good and undoubtedly epic. BM often descends into cheesiness, which is why I keep picking up his studio albums and keep being disappointed, but his best is crystalline perfection. Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits is a stronger double album than Exile on Main Street.

[naughty boy]

oh WOW

[Quaco]

Yep that's how I roll!

[Sneelock]

Insert “projectile vomit” emoticon here.

[Sneelock]

The timbre of his voice makes me feel all stabby.

[toomanyhatz]

I'll take "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe for the key changes into eternity. There's some Barry I like - I still have a soft spot for "Mandy" - but this is a bit OTT even for me.

[Ranking Ted]

Top 5 threads this evening:

Prog corner
Barry Manilow
Phil Collins
Cliff Richard
Meat Loaf

Jesus Christ. And this song is a load of show tune rubbish as well.

[naughty boy]

Top 5 threads this evening:

Prog corner
Barry Manilow
Phil Collins
Cliff Richard
Meat Loaf

You know what to do!

[WG Kaspar]

It may not be my favorite of his, but it's very good and undoubtedly epic. BM often descends into cheesiness, which is why I keep picking up his studio albums and keep being disappointed, but his best is crystalline perfection. Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits is a stronger double album than Exile on Main Street.

Oh Jim...
I would be willing to forgive the Demis Roussos defence but this is a misstep too far.