Not feeling it yet?
Me, either.
"It's Just Another New Year's Eve" by Barry Manilow and Marty Panzer, sung by Barry Manilow:
Video posted by BarryManilowOfficial
Okay, okay, Murphy Brown joke, whatever. But did you listen to the song? Because it's really good. Try listening to the same song sung by Lea Salonga:
Video posted by LeaSalonga--Topic (Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment)
It's really lovely.
I've often heard it said that all Manilow's songs sound the same, but my theory is that he sings in a very stylized way and it's a strong enough style that the songs he sings sound more alike than different. Not that he doesn't have a distinctive music writing style--he does--but the songs on his albums that he didn't write sound as much like Barry Manilow as the ones he did. (This one is based on a Bach melody, even.) That's a neat trick.
Besides, right about now, I find it really nice to hear someone sing "We've come through all the rest, we'll get through this," don't you?
***
I can't find anything definitive about Marty Panzer's heritage--or really anything about him before the age of 18, when he started writing jingles with Manilow--even on his own website. So with no evidence as to whether he's Jewish, I'll just add that Panzer is regarded as a master lyricist, he collaborates often with Manilow, and has, as his website puts it, garnered "35 gold and platinum albums, four BMI million-play awards, a 3 million-play award, and record sales in excess of 70 million units."
Of course, Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus) himself is Jewish. His musical output is prodigious, having written over 400 songs, and he's a tireless performer. He's picked up two Emmys, a Grammy, three American Music Awards, and a Special Tony, as well as a 2009 Clio for his earlier work in commercials. At one point, five of his albums were simultaneously on the best-seller charts, he's had worlwide sales of over 80 million records, and both Radio & Records and Billboard have ranked him as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time. His musical, Harmony, picked up 10 BroadwayWorld Awards for its 2014 Los Angeles run, and his most recent album, "My Dream Duets," picked up a 2016 Grammy nomination.
But when we're through this New Year, you'll see, we'll be just fine.
Fingers crossed!
All comments on my new blog (https://jewishstereotypesmusic.blogspot.com/2017/12/not-feeling-it-yet-me-either.html), please!
"It's Just Another New Year's Eve" by Barry Manilow and Marty Panzer, sung by Barry Manilow:
Click to viewVideo posted by BarryManilowOfficial
Okay, okay, Murphy Brown joke, whatever. But did you listen to the song? Because it's really good. Try listening to the same song sung by Lea Salonga:
Video posted by LeaSalonga--Topic (Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment)
It's really lovely.
I've often heard it said that all Manilow's songs sound the same, but my theory is that he sings in a very stylized way and it's a strong enough style that the songs he sings sound more alike than different. Not that he doesn't have a distinctive music writing style--he does--but the songs on his albums that he didn't write sound as much like Barry Manilow as the ones he did. (This one is based on a Bach melody, even.) That's a neat trick.
Besides, right about now, I find it really nice to hear someone sing "We've come through all the rest, we'll get through this," don't you?
***
I can't find anything definitive about Marty Panzer's heritage--or really anything about him before the age of 18, when he started writing jingles with Manilow--even on his own website. So with no evidence as to whether he's Jewish, I'll just add that Panzer is regarded as a master lyricist, he collaborates often with Manilow, and has, as his website puts it, garnered "35 gold and platinum albums, four BMI million-play awards, a 3 million-play award, and record sales in excess of 70 million units."
Of course, Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus) himself is Jewish. His musical output is prodigious, having written over 400 songs, and he's a tireless performer. He's picked up two Emmys, a Grammy, three American Music Awards, and a Special Tony, as well as a 2009 Clio for his earlier work in commercials. At one point, five of his albums were simultaneously on the best-seller charts, he's had worlwide sales of over 80 million records, and both Radio & Records and Billboard have ranked him as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time. His musical, Harmony, picked up 10 BroadwayWorld Awards for its 2014 Los Angeles run, and his most recent album, "My Dream Duets," picked up a 2016 Grammy nomination.
But when we're through this New Year, you'll see, we'll be just fine.
Fingers crossed!
All comments on my new blog (https://jewishstereotypesmusic.blogspot.com/2017/12/not-feeling-it-yet-me-either.html), please!