Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies (2007)

BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES is the best sort of homecoming. This wonderfully entertaining PBS special was shot at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn right down the block from where Manilow grew up in Williamsburg. This special finds Manilow focusing on the music of the decade when he became one of the biggest stars in music - which he very much remains today more than three decades later. The hit heavy set list is an inspired mix of Manilow's own Seventies gems, along with some other memorable Seventies smashes that Manilow makes his own. David Mallet who directed Barry Manilow: Music and Passion - for which Manilow won an Emmy - served again as director. The Seventies were very good to Barry, and after all these years he is giving homage to this exceptional decade. Product Description

Barry's Still Got It!!!!

This is a must have for all Manilow Fans. Barry is looking so good and his rendition of the hits of the Seventies will take you down memory lane. He is so talented and the mini-orchestra that accompanies him on some of the songs just adds to the ambience. It's a wonderful evening captured forever. This DVD is rated A+++++++!! March 6, 2008

Barry!

Got out my Bose over-the-ear headphones and potable DVD player for this one. This was a stinky week at work and I cannot think of a better way to spend early Saturday morning than with Barry, a cup of decaf, and a cranberry muffin. I generally write a review as I'm watching or listening for the FIRST time, so you get my first impressions of a product. I believe that is probably the most helpful assessment I can give you. That's why I am using both a potable DVD player and a PC.

This 2-disc DVD opens with Barry at his white Yamaha digital piano, playing and singing "Mandy," lookin' mighty spiffy in a classic dark suit with a blue shirt to set off those baby blue eyes. (I could have gone to this taping for PBS in Brooklyn in September 2007, but I didn't because I had been off work so much in September and was afraid to take off another couple of days. I am still kicking myself. Ouch!)

DISC 1 (50 minutes)
"New York City Rhythm" is next This song is hot! "I Am Your Child" of course, is a beautiful song that the fans have heard many times. I think it reminds of how important it is to try to teach our children the right things and do the best we can with them. (Anyway, they say, "Be good to your children. They will select your nursing home.")

Barry talks about and performs "The Commercials (Again!)" (Band-Aids, State Farm Insurance, McDonald's, Vicks), which has previously been referred to as "Very Special Melodies" (VSM). Based on a Chopan prelude, the beautiful "Could It Be Magic?" is next, followed by the acoustical version of "Copacabana (At The Copa)" from Barry's 70 CD. I love this version, kinda salsa-sounding. The audience claps along as he walks among them around an elevated walkway singing it. He steps down for a minute and dances with them. Frank Valli's "My Eyes Adored You" follows. Oh sure, just make me melt right here into the keyboard!--Beautifully done!!! "Looks Like We Made It" is next, another Barry classic. Barry begins "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" telling us about its relationship to a 1941 photo of a boy carrying his polo-stricken brother on his shoulders. What a beautiful song about helping each other, and in a deeper spiritual sense, about our inter-connectedness to each other. (It's no wonder that Barry sings this song with so much passion, because he has and continues to help so many people in so many ways.)

A snippet of "The Way We Were" follows, the beautiful song previously done by Barbra Streisand in the 70s. He briefly talks about the 70s and mentions the clothes he wore back then and how he went from bouncing checks at the A & P one day to bouncing to the top of the charts the next! Another of my favorites--I love the Barritized version of "It Never Rains in Southern California" also from his 70s CD. I heard Barry do this song on QVC in early September 2007. I was waiting for my CD to come while I was at a conference in San Diego (Southern California). There was a bad storm coming from Vancouver and the sky was black everywhere I went that week. All I could hear was this song playing in my head, and although it rained all around me, not one drop of rain touched me while I was in Southern California. I got to go everywhere I wanted to go.

"The Old Songs (Intro)" is followed by the "Seventies Hits Medley (Can't Smile Without You, Even Now, It's a Miracle, I Made It Through the Rain, Daybreak, This One's for You, I Write the Songs"). "One Voice" ends this CD. It is done by Barry, without musical accompaniment, in an empty studio, and it sounds absolutely fantastic! I'll be right back. I need another cup of decaf for disc 2.

DISC 2 (Extra Special Outtakes) (20 minutes)
"Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?" is soooo hot! I love this song and he doesn't do it very often, mainly for the London audiences I think. After the song, Barry kibitzes with the audience as he realizes he is talking into his water bottle and starts laughing.
"The Way We Were Medley" follows with "The Way We Were, It Never Rains in Southern California, You've Got a Friend", and ending with "The Way We Were". I especially LOVE "You've Got a Friend" on this outtake. It is soooo uplifting and moving! Oh, the love-energy in it is just phenomenal! "All The Time" completes Disc 2. He begins, telling us how many letters he received about this song because it's about feeling like a misfit. (Apparently, lots of people associate with this song and it tells them you are really OK and you are not alone.)

The packaging consists of a clear plastic dual-disc holder with a Barry paper photo insert and the outer photo paper pix that you see. No additional material this time.

Great DVDs, visually very clear and with excellent sound quality. This is certainly an excellent addition to my collection and I am quite pleased with it. If you don't know it already, Barry does every song fresh. He does not lip sync. He continues to be warm, friendly, uplifting, and appreciative of his fans. He reaches out and touches them, with his hands and his heart as he moves among them, Barry has worked hard to get where he is today and is admired and respected by millions. This DVD is CURRENT Barry, doing some classics from the 70s as well as some songs from his 2007-released Greatest Songs of the 70s CD. I highly recommend it. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it at least a 10.

Update July 2008: This TV Special was recently nominated for Outstanding Music Direction for the 2008 Emmy Awards! Way to go, Barry!
February 8, 2008

Saw The Show Live

I saw Barry taping this in Steiner Studios in Brooklyn. This was a 2 day shoot and the footage from the second night is the one that is being released on this DVD. Although there were "some" seat fillers, the majority of the viewers were fans who entered online at Barry's website to win tickets. I was one of the winners who was seated between the piano stage (stage two) and the main stage (stage one) but was even more lucky enough to have been seated in the chair directly at the end of the steps of stage one (main stage) and got to speak to and assist Barry when he exited the stage. The camera was on me several times (full shots) while signing various songs.

KUDOS to Barry for delivering a stellar performance. He is a performer who will always remain in the hearts of true fans! I recommend this DVD to anyone who is a true Manilow lover. January 5, 2008

I was in the audience

I was at the taping for this PBS special. I am a fan, not a seat-filler; although there were MANY MANY seat-fillers in the audience that had the better seats (probably what you saw most of). The show was taped in 2 nights. What you saw on the PBS special was mostly done on the 2nd night and that's the night I was in the audience. Where we sat; we had no view; or very little view of Manilow. EXCEPT for when he did Copacabana (great new arrangement of it by the way!) and when he came around at the end during the medley. You can see my friend and I in the audience during the song "Daybreak." It was an interesting experience being in the audience for this taping. Most interesting as to how they put the final show together. Although I more of a fan of Manilow's original work (the covers of the 50's, 60's, and 70's aren't my thing); it's still one of those feel-good PBS shows that you'll be watching for years to come.

December 10, 2007

Drumroll please ..... Manilow delivers another great special

Barry Manilow's PBS special is just what I expected. He delivers his best to his audiences. It is old music but it is good music with moving lyrics. His acoustic arrangements highlight his talent and the talents of those on the instruments. The PBS special was like a comforting cup of hot chocolate on a snowy, winter night. You will love the interaction of Manilow to his audience. His connection with his audience is real. He is not "up" on a stage this time. There is a walking ramp he uses that unites him with the audience in delivering an enjoyable "feel good" hour of music. December 8, 2007

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