The last of my three favorite piano men is Barry Manilow. Yes, I know, some will make fun of him, and me, for being a fan, but when I tried to figure out this top ten, I found 20 songs that I love. He was a big part of the soundtrack of my youth, and many of yours. Well, here's my favorites:
10.) Ready To Take A Chance Again - #11 hit - Nov. 78 - From the movie Foul Play, think Goldie Hawn driving over the Golden Gate bridge.
9.) Read 'Em And Weep - #18 hit - Jan. 84 - He took a Meatloaf song, and made it his own.
8.) Looks Like We Made It - #1 hit - July 77 - sounds like a happy song, but not really...
7.) I Made It Through The Rain - #10 hit - Jan. 81 - A song that really inspires me.
6.) Could It Be Magic - #6 hit - Sept. 75 - Based on Chopin's 'Prelude in C Minor'(for you fancy people), and yes, the Melissa is Melissa Manchester...I guess he had a thing for her.
5.) Copacabana - #8 hit - Aug. 78 - He did the song as a joke, but it turned into a great disco hit.
4.) Can't Smile Without You - #3 hit - Apr. 78 - The Carpenters did it first, but he had the hit. I've been trying to get that whistle, at the beginning, down since '78...
3.) Mandy - #1 hit - Jan. 75 - Another remake that he made his own. My mother played it ten zillion times when it came out...
2.) I Write The Songs - #1 hit - Jan. 76 - Became his biggest hit, but he didn't write it.(Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys wrote it as a tribute to Brian Wilson), but Barry sure knew how to make songs sound like his own.
1.) Weekend In New England - #10 hit - Feb. 77 - My favorite. He was a master of starting songs slow and building them up to powerful endings. I think this was the best of those.
My next top ten list will be The Beatles. Wish me luck picking ten favorites out of that book of songs.....
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