I’m not sure if it was the Greg Brady-meets-Bravo inspired blue-sequined leotard that Barry Manilow sported on the cover of this iconic live collection of early greatest hits that got my attention. Or it might’ve been the fact that his songs were kind of everywhere in 1976 thanks to Dick Clark and made-for-TV specials?
And there would be many, many more to come.
Oh sure, go ahead, and insert whatever punch line you like but the former Barry Pincus wrote the songs that made the whole world sing. And this one even had commercials in a “VSM” before he crooned the classics like “Daybreak” and “Looks Like We Made It.” And that New York City Rhythm became a part of my life!
Those first ten 8-Tracks we got for a penny in my Columbia House collection included this was one for me, wherever I was. The Carpenters and Glen Campbell were also part of my original box of 8-Tracks. Keep in mind that Lawrence Welk was on EVERY Sunday night in my house right after Archie Bunker was on Saturday night. This was the mid-70s in Dundalk, folks!
This album made me want to go to New York City.
It had ballads. It had harmonies. It had magic.
It even had “Weekend in New England”…
