Ultimate Manilow [Arista]

Performer: Barry Manilow
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel includes: Barry Manilow (vocals, arranger, keyboards). Producers: Barry Manilow, Ron Dante. Compilation producer: Steve Bartels. Recorded between 1973 and 1984. Includes liner notes by David Wild. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Unlike some other MOR pop stars, Barry Manilow never enjoyed the sort of swinging-hipster revival that made him a hot name to drop, ironically or otherwise. Incredibly enough, until the release of Ultimate Manilow in early 2002, there was no comprehensive single-disc hits package on the market -- a shockingly long wait for one of the most popular hitmakers of the '70s, hip or not (and clearly the demand was there; Ultimate Manilow entered the charts at number three). The 20 selections on Ultimate Manilow are arranged in the chronological order in which they became hits, and the emphasis here is on hits -- i.e., chart singles. Between 1974 and 1981, Manilow reached the Top 40 20 times, and 18 of those songs are present; the other two (minor early-'80s hits) were bumped by "Bandstand Boogie," Manilow's well-known version of the American Bandstand theme song, and "When October Goes," a track from his 1984 jazz-pop album, 2:00 AM Paradise Caf�. It's an extremely straightforward approach to a greatest-hits compilation, which is actually something to be commended given Arista's botched Whitney Houston best-of (where they omitted several songs to protect back-catalog sales, although that's not likely a concern with Manilow). So is anything missing? Nothing crucial; the only potential disappointment is for fans who love Manilow's detours into flamboyant, Broadway-style production numbers. The concentration on hits means that several great B-sides in that vein ("New York City Rhythm," "Riders to the Stars," "Beautiful Music," the endearingly awkward "Jump Shout Boogie") are not included. But that's really a small quibble, and there simply wasn't room for them anyhow. Ultimate Manilow lives up to its title by including everything a casual fan would want. The only question is, what took so long? ~ Steve Huey Barry Manilow's commercial heyday may have been confined from the mid-'70s to early '80s, but the true testament to his unflagging popularity is the fact that this 2002 compilation debuted in the Top 5 of Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. This 20-pack of classic pop features all of the Brooklyn native's big hits starting with the 1974 chart-topper "Mandy" right through to 1982's "Somewhere Down The Road". Anyone who remotely remembers the '70s will feel like they've stepped into a time machine when they hear radio staples like "It's A Miracle", "Looks Like We Made It", "Can't Smile Without You" and "Copacabana (At The Copa)". Widely recognized for multiple talents that include formidable musical chops, production skills, and song writing, Manilow's genius can be heard in his use of a Chopin prelude in "Could It Be Magic," and in the melancholy "When October Goes," featuring Johnny Mandel lyrics donated by his widow. Manilow's eye for a great song also found him scoring great chart success with songs written by others including Beach Boy Bruce Johnston's "I Write The Songs" and former Mott The Hoople frontman Ian Hunter's "Ships".

To many the very embodiment of the soft rock and middle-of-the-road genres, Barry Manilow became an international superstar in the 1970s with a string of hits combining heart-on-sleeve sentiment and finely crafted songs with slick, highly orchestrated production. His ultra-showbiz image (which was likely influenced by his early days as musical director for Bette Midler), appealed to an extremely wide audience. Although Manilow has long been regarded as the antithesis of hip, there is no denying his considerable talent, and his fans are among the most loyal (some might say fanatical) in pop music.

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