Maps of Music

Barry Manilow (1973)

Where the lyrics of Barry Manilow take you, and where it was really made.

Barry Manilow's 1973 debut sold only about 35,000 copies by 1975, and the album came back in 1975 under a new title, Barry Manilow I, after his second album succeeded.

Key places

Where the album was recorded and mixed (1973)

Recording site A&R Recording Studio — Discogs lists the album as recorded and mixed at A&R Sound Studios in New York City. The point marks the studio at the coordinates given for this place. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Barry Manilow: debut album by Barry Manilow
• First released in 1973 by Bell Records
• Original release unsuccessful; about 35,000 copies sold by 1975
• Original 1973 track list: 11 songs, six on side one and five on side two
• Includes 'Could It Be Magic', inspired by Chopin's Prelude in C Minor, running 7:11 in the original version
• Original version remastered and reissued for the first time in 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary

Background

• Re-released in 1975 as Barry Manilow I by Arista, after the success of Manilow's second album Barry Manilow II
• Arista took over Bell Records' roster of artists
• For the 1975 reissue, four songs were reworked, including 'Could It Be Magic', which became that version's single
• Manilow composed all tracks except where credited to others
• Co-writers include Adrienne Anderson, Marty Panzer, Ron Dante, Buzzy Linhart and Mark Klingman
• 'Cloudburst' is credited to Jimmy Harris, Jon Hendricks and Leroy Kirkland

Recording

• Discogs lists the album as recorded and mixed at A&R Sound Studios, New York City
• Some tracks were recorded at Associated Sound Studios, New York City
• Elliot Scheiner handled recording and mixing
• Jerome Gasper recorded some tracks
• Artie Friedman remixed 'Sweetwater Jones'
• Manilow sang, played piano, arranged and conducted
• Dick Frank on electric guitar, Stuart Scharf on acoustic guitar, Stu Woods on bass, Steve Gadd on drums, Norman Pride on congas and tambourine
• Joseph 'Grandpa Joe' Manilow sang on 'Sing It'

Cover

• Cover photography by Ken Duncan
• Art direction by Beverly Weinstein

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York City.
• Began as a commercial jingle writer and singer in the 1960s, writing and singing TV jingles for brands such as Band-Aid and State Farm.
• Signed by Columbia/CBS Music vice-president Tony Orlando, and recorded as Featherbed on Bell Records.
• Bette Midler chose him as her pianist and producer in the early 1970s.
• Breakthrough hit "Mandy" (1974), the start of a long string of hit singles and albums.
• Hits include "Could It Be Magic", "I Write the Songs", "Copacabana (At the Copa)", and "Can't Smile Without You".
• Has released 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart, including 13 number ones.
• Has sold more than 85 million records as a solo artist worldwide.
• Nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times from 1973 to 2015, winning once.
• Performed a long Las Vegas residency at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Paris Hotel.

Members

• Solo artist; Featherbed was a studio group name used in the early 1970s.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Record World: called the single 'Sweet Water Jones' an 'Elton John-ish number...about splitting the city for country.'
• The original 1973 release on Bell Records did not succeed commercially

Records

• About 35,000 copies of the original release had sold by 1975
• The original 1973 version was remastered and reissued for the first time in 2023 for the 50th anniversary
• Record World's review concerned the single, and it described the song's Elton John-like style and its theme of leaving the city for the country

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The original 1973 version was issued by Bell Records under the name Barry Manilow
• Arista later took over Bell's artist roster and issued the 1975 reissue
• Ken Duncan shot the cover photography
• Joseph 'Grandpa Joe' Manilow sang on 'Sing It'
• 'Could It Be Magic' is credited as inspired by Chopin's Prelude in C Minor

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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