Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Mandy
2. It's A Miracle
3. Could It Be Magic
4. I Write The Songs
5. Bandstand Boogie
6. Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again
7. Beautiful Music
8. This One's For You
9. Weekend In New England
10. Jump Shout Boogie
11. Looks Like We Made It
12. Daybreak
13. New York City Rhythm
14. Can't Smile Without You
15. Even Now
16. Copacabana (At The Copa)
17. Ready To Take A Chance Again

Disc 2:

1. Somewhere In The Night
2. Ships
3. When I Wanted You
4. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
5. One Voice
6. I Made It Through The Rain
7. Lonely Together
8. The Old Songs
9. Somewhere Down The Road
10. Memory
11. Some Kind Of Friend
12. Read 'em And Weep
13. When October Goes
14. I'm Your Man
15. Brooklyn Blues- featuring Tom Scott
16. Hey Mambo- with Kid Creole and The Coconuts
17. I'd Really Love To See You Tonight

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8781 in Music
• Brand: Arista
• Released on: 2005-04-26
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Customer Reviews

+ 1/2 stars...All the Manilow You'll Ever Need (Almost)
When Arista released ULTIMATE MANILOW in 2002, that single-disc collection left off a handful of Manilow's 25 Top 40 hits from the Eighties. Three years later THE ESSENTIAL MANILOW attempts to rectify that problem with a two-disc collection containing 34 songs. In addition to duplicating all 20 tracks from the earlier hits collection, the new anthology makes room for "When I Wanted You" (No. 20, 1980), "I Don't Want To Walk Without you" (No. 36, 1980), "Memory" (No. 39, 1983), "Some Kind of Friend" (No. 26, 1983) and "Read 'Em and Weep" (No. 18, 1984), as well as album favorites "Jump Shout Boogie" and a live version of "New York City Rhythm." However, it should be noted that two missing hits from 1982 ("Let's Hang On" and "Oh Julie") keep this from being complete. But this is a minor complaint. For serious Manilow fans, this is a near perfect collection from the reigning king of easy listening music. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

An excellent, but not perfect, Manilow collection.
Some reasons for Manilow fans to buy this new "Essential" collection: 1)more of Manilow's hits have been gathered together here than anywhere else save the box set (and that collection contained numerous alternate versions of hits) 2)the original single mixes of "Could It Be Magic" and "It's A Miracle" are included instead of their LP counterparts 3)"Can't Smile Without You" doesn't fade a few seconds early as it did on "Ultimate Manilow" 4)the rare club mix of Manilow's lone RCA hit "I'm Your Man" is featured here for the first time ever on CD and it is far superior to the original version.
Now here are some reasons why I was disappointed in this collection: 1)I prefer the studio version of "Jump Shout Boogie". The live version is included here even though it's not stated as such on the track listing. This is one of my favorite Manilow songs and although it wasn't one of his hit singles, I think any comprehensive collection of Manilow material should include the studio version. 2)I wish they would give us a shorter version of "Copacobana" 3)although other reviews here have stated that "Daybreak" is the single version from the "Live" album (and the track listing says it's live), my copy of "Essential" has the studio version. I don't know if the other reviewers are mistaken, or if my disc is one copy of an unfortunate run that included the wrong version by mistake.
If I could have this same collection with the live single version of "Daybreak", the studio version of "Jump Shout Boogie", a shorter version of "Copacobana", and Manilow's great cover of Shakin' Stevens' "Oh Julie", then I would have the perfect Manilow collection.

solid compilation--even if it's not truly complete...
The Essential Barry Manilow is a strong two CD set that features (most of) the best of Barry Manilow. It can't truly be complete because Barry Manilow has done so many wonderful songs in his time that no two CD set could ever be complete; but this still holds its weight pretty well. The sound quality is excellent and the artwork is about par for this CD series.

The first CD starts with a huge hit for Barry entitled "Mandy;" this torch song moves me whenever I hear Barry sing it. Barry puts a lot of feeling into this ballad and it works very well. "It's A Miracle" is a relentlessly happy, upbeat tune that celebrates the joys of love; Barry sings this perfectly with a backup chorus as the percussion marks the beat--great! Listen also for "Bandstand Boogie;" "Bandstand Boogie" is a loving tribute to the days of the big band style arrangements and the bandstand hits.

"Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again" is a most tender love song that Barry makes so special with a fine treatment that impresses me greatly; and "Weekend In New England" is easily a major highlight of this first CD. Barry sings this with panache and his voice never sounded better! "Can't Smile Without You" may have its critics in the therapist community; but when I hear this I can only hear and see a loving song that again celebrates the joys of love and the admission that we all need someone to love. "Can't Smile Without You" is one of my very favorite Barry Manilow hits ever.

"Copacabana" really swings and sounds great although this actually was never one of my personal favorites; and then the second CD continues the hits. "Somewhere In The Night" gives us Barry singing a touching love song that always moves me when I hear it--it's flawless. "I Don't Want To Walk Without You" is yet another classic Barry Manilow tune that shines as Barry sings it as only he could! The melody is really very pretty and it works so well to make "I Don't Want To Walk Without You" a very special number. Similarly, "I Made It Through The Rain" is truly a masterpiece that Barry delivers as only he could; this song touches me and it proves very well just how well Barry can sing.

In addition, "Brooklyn Blues," a number that's somewhat more modern in its style, gets a fine interpretation by Barry and this sounds so smooth when Barry Manilow sings it. The second CD also ends nicely with Barry's "up-tempo mix" of "I'd Really Like To See You Tonight."

Barry Manilow remains a king in the music entertainment industry; and even though this CD set is not truly all his greatest I still recommend this. I think it would take at least another CD or maybe even two to capture all of Barry's best hits; but what we do get is five star material throughout--and that's wonderful.