Barry Manilow

Released: November 19, 1996

Songwriter: Barry Mann Dan Hill

Producer: Barry Manilow Michael Omartian

You ask me if I love you
And I choke on my reply
I'd rather hurt you honestly
Than mislead you with a lie

For who am I to judge you
In what you say or do
I'm only just beginning
To see the real you

And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes
And hide
I wanna hold you till I die
Till we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides

Romance's an honest strategy
Leaves me grappling with my pride
But through the years insecurity
Some tenderness survives
I'm just another writer
Still trapped within my truth
A hesitant prize-fighter
Still trapped within my youth

At times I'd like to break you
And drive you to your knees
At times I'd like to break through
And hold you endlessly
At times I understand you
And I know how hard you try
I've watched whil love commands you
And I've watched love pass you by
At times I think we're drifters
Still searching for a friend
A brother or a sister
But then the passion flares again....

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus) is an internationally celebrated crooner, producer, arranger, composer and classically trained pianist from Brooklyn, New York, who has earned several gold and platinum certified albums, an Emmy, a Grammy, a Tony and a Clio Award in his 50+ year career. Originally an aspiring Broadway writer, Manilow became known at CBS as the ‘piano-playing mail boy’, later landing a job as musical director of two of the station’s shows. Meanwhile he wrote popular jingles for companies like McDonalds, Pepsi, State Farm, Band-Aid, Stridex and KFC.

After accepting an offer from Bette Midler to play piano for her act at a New York City bath house (as well as performing for the venue’s other acts), Manilow produced her 1972 top-ten Grammy-winning debut album The Divine Miss M and insisted on having his own featured spot as part of her touring act, to which she reluctantly agreed. Manilow’s own first releases came out under the band name Featherbed, which was initially a group of studio musicians assembled by Tony Orlando as a vehicle for Manilow to sing “Could It Be Magic” (a song he’d cowritten) for Bell Records. Bell then released the album Barry Manilow but it found little success.

However, Clive Davis saw potential in Manilow and insisted he cover “Brandy” by Scott English retitled as “Mandy” (to avoid confusion with the Looking Glass song of the same name) for his new label Arista Records. “Mandy” went to #1 in the US & Canada and reached the top 40 in three countries overseas, sending his album Barry Manilow II into the US top 10. His follow-up single “It’s a Miracle” became his second Canadian chart-topper, also reaching #12 in the US. The success of Barry Manilow II prompted a reissue of his debut (relabeled by Arista as Barry Manilow I), which featured a remixed version of “Could It Be Magic” that climbed into the US & Canada top 10.

more tracks from the album

Summer of ’78

From the album

Summer of ’78 (1996)

Barry Manilow popular songs

Sometimes When We TouchBarry Manilow

Barry Manilow

Summer of ’78