Track Listing

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
7. This One's For You
8. Weekend In New England
9. Looks Like We Made It
10. Daybreak
11. Can't Smile Without You
12. Even Now
13. Copacabana (At The Copa)
14. Somewhere In The Night
15. Ready To Take A Chance Again
16. Ships
17. I Made It Through The Rain
18. The Old Songs
19. When October Goes
20. Somewhere Down The Road

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1780 in Music
• Brand: Arista
• Released on: 2002-02-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.com
There's a cynical adage that argues if you stand still long enough, history will eventually catch up with you. It's tempting to say that about Barry Manilow, an artist whose stubborn, quarter-century dedication to old-fashioned song craft and musical melodrama has earned him few critical praises but a loyal worldwide following in the millions. When a cult of 20-something would-be lounge lizards tried to cash in on Manilow's shtick in the 1990s, they distanced themselves from its emotional potency with telling dollops of irony and retro-hip cynicism--anything to keep from looking too sincere. This album serves up the high points of Manilow's long, successful career, rightly focusing on the long string of '70s hits that built both his legend and record label. They're a body of songs whose solid craftsmanship is undeniable, but it's Manilow's sincerity that crucially sells them--indeed, he didn't write "I Write the Songs," but who could doubt him? It's an odd tribute that much here--"Mandy," "Looks Like We Made It," "Copacabana," et. al.--has become the palette for a popular entertainment spectrum that somehow encompasses endless hotel piano bars on one flank and TV sketch-com parody on the other. Good to remember that kitsch, by definition, requires a deep and lasting impact on the culture. Manilow hasn't just embraced the "K" word; he's reveled in it with a smile--how could one frown through "Bandstand Boogie" and "Copa" anyway?--and elevated it to something approaching the transcendental through his sheer, joyous force of will. And if his latter work has been unabashedly nostalgic, how could anyone be surprised? --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

King of the Romantic Ballad
Boasting twenty songs and nearly 80 minutes of music, Ultimate Manilow presents fans with a single disc collection that contains every major hit from 1974's "Mandy" to his last Top 10 hit, 1980's "I Made It Through the Rain." In addition, you get Manilow's update of the "Bandstand" theme song and a couple of his early-Eighties minor hits ("The Old Songs" and "Somewhere Down the Road") and his attempt at a more jazz-influenced sound on "When October Goes" from 1984's "2:00 AM Paradise Cafe."

Never the critics' darling, Manilow had a non-stop string of hits through the Seventies, including three No. 1's and five million-sellers. Billboard archivist Joel Whitburn listed Manilow at No. 12 among the Top Artists of the Seventies--based on chart position and weeks spent on the chart.

Michael Jackson might have been the King of Pop, but Manilow was the King of the Romantic Ballad. [Trivia footnote: Manilow's coproducer and sometime background vocalist on his first nine albums was ex-Archie Ron Dante.] If you were a teenager anytime during the Seventies, these songs have been burned into your brain. This is everything the casual fan will want or need. RECOMMENDED

Barry gets the last laugh again!
When was the last time Barry Manilow seriously charted a record? My guess is that it's been about 20 years since broke the top 25, let alone the top 10. Well, lookie here -- this album debuts on the Billboard 100 this week at #3. You read it right.....NUMBER THREE.

The really "Ultimate" thing about Manilow is that for all the jokes about him over the years - he has always had the last laugh. As a songwriter/arranger who most thought had only a passable voice with his thick Brooklyn accent, he became one of the top vocalists of the 1970's with many of his biggest hits being the songs he DIDN'T write. He also single-handedly brought back the sound of a full orchestra in popular music after years of only rhythm instruments.

When the early 1980's arrived and musical tastes changed, Manilow disappeared from the airwaves. But he has never disappeared from the public. He maintained and built his solid concert following worldwide, selling out shows for years and years. The average person in the U.S.A. has no concept of how big Barry is all over the world. In fact, unless you have and play his old albums, many people haven't heard him in years because his records don't even get played on "oldies" stations and only occasionally on "granny" stations.

Manilow's unabashed vocal sincerity and musical romanticism, while not always hip, has always been "in". As be-bop, hip-hop, new wave, grunge, and every other here today/gone tomorrow style passes by, the one constant is the romantic ballad. Barry knows it and never strays far from it. Unlike Coca-Cola who foolishly changed their winning formula several years ago to disasterous effect, Manilow is constant and loyal to both his product and his fans. He makes no apologies and you're either with him or you're not - but HE'S not going to change.

As for the songs in this collection, they are quintessential Barry - huge production values, soaring vocals, the halting drum break before the inevitable key-change. I had the full library of Manilow albums while growing up and we have long since parted. It's great to have the cream of the crop (with a few minor omissions) on one CD. These songs bring back some great memories.

I'm thrilled for Barry that he's regaining some prominence with this collection, his appearance on "Ally McBeal", and at the Super Bowl pre-game festivities. I suspect that about four years from now when he turns 60 and is tired of touring, we're going to see Barry pitch his tent in Branson, Missouri at the Copacabana Theater! Good for him.

Ultimately Strong
Throughout the 1970's, Barry Manilow conjured up some of the most everlasting and enduring songs of our times. Although many of us still listen to him as a guilty pleasure, I wasn't influenced by his music at that time. When I heard Ultimate Manilow, it really changed into tune.

Ultimate Manilow is a retrospective of Barry Manilow's legendary career. Not like most collection where you'd have to buy it just for one or two songs, this album is proof that all the songs make up a great collection. Songs like Mandy, Somewhere Down The Road, I Write The Songs, and Even Now, are still being played in romantic lovers all across the country.

Considering his time, Barry Manilow has made over 20 albums in his career, and will celebrate his 30th annversary in 2003. Still, the Ultimate Manilow collection is truly the peak of a underrated legend. A legend that used to play backup for Bette Midler, and can't smile without you.