Everyone had their own way of dealing with lockdown lethargy. Barry Manilow, of course, expressed himself through song. “When Good Times Come Again” was released July 31 of last year, at the height of pandemic fatigue, with Manilow effectively making a lyrical vow to his loyal Fanilows, who faithfully attend his headlining residency at Westgate Las Vegas, which began in 2018.
“In this high and mighty world we live in/ Sometimes we have to break/ Sometimes we have to bend/ Until the good times come again,” he sings in the 2021 single, delivering another uplifting composition with lyrics that get imprinted in memory. He was back onstage within two months. The Fanilows rejoiced.
Manilow, who returns to Vegas to perform Sept. 15-17, has delivered many uplifting messages, some of which he didn’t write, but made memorable through his impassioned delivery. Baby boomers who read the lines, “I remember all my life/ Raining down as cold as ice” are likely to hear Manilow singing the chorus to “Mandy” in their heads in a voice that was ubiquitous on AM radio in the ’70s.
As far as his own songwriting, Manilow learned how to create melodic hooks when he was a jingle writer, before he began a life-altering gig as Bette Midler’s pianist. It’s impossible to think of “I am stuck on Band-Aid/ ’cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me” or “Like a good neighbor/ State Farm is there” without thinking of the melodies.
Manilow recorded solo before producing Midler’s first two albums, but he was far more bankable afterward. He re-recorded “Could It Be Magic,” a song he had co-written with Adrienne Anderson that was based on a Chopin prelude for his self-titled debut album. It would become the beginning of a long-running relationship with producer Ron Dante, and the song would become a hit upon re-release several years later, but in January 1975 “Mandy” from Manilow II became his first No. 1 song. Arista Records executive Clive Davis had convinced a reluctant Manilow to record it.
Manilow found himself in possession of another No. 1 single in 1975 after releasing “I Write the Songs” by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys. Manilow’s 1978 album Even Now generated more hits, including “Can’t Smile Without You” and co-written “Even Now” and “Copacabana (at the Copa).” The latter would turn out to be his most iconic hit and is a celebratory high point of his live shows. (For his Westgate show, this song includes a stage that descends from the ceiling, allowing Manilow to dance into the audience.) Manilow plays all his hits, with special segments devoted to his jingles and the very first recording he ever made as a child.
That’s a story for Manilow to tell himself at his shows. He comes back after a summer touring the Northeast and England, so he’s all warmed up for the Fanilows who would make it through any rain to catch their favorite star who promised he’d see them then, when the good times came again.
Westgate Las Vegas, westgatelasvegas.com
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