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Barry Manilow has completed THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES, a 13-song tribute that will arrive in stores on January 31st.
THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES not only marks Manilow’s return to the Arista Records label after five years, but also marks a reunion with Clive Davis, Arista founder and BMG U.S. Chairman & CEO. Davis has been a perennial collaborator with Manilow on virtually all his recordings, since they first worked together on “Mandy,” Manilow’s debut #1 single as the first artist signed to Arista by Davis in its inaugural year, 1974.
Highlighted by a guest appearance from Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters on the medley of 1954 hits, “Teach Me Tonight/Sincerely,” THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES is a veritable jukebox of favorites – from his remake of the Four Lads’ “Moments To Remember” (1955) and the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have To Do Is Dream” (1958), to Bobby Darin’s “Beyond The Sea”(1959) – to hear them collected on one album is a dream come true. The project (just like the era it emulates) cuts across musical genres, from The Four Ace’s, “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing” (1955), to Frankie Avalon’s “Venus”, to Johnny Mathis’ ”It's Not For Me To Say”(1957), to Tommy Edwards’ “It’s All In The Game” (1958), and Dinah Washington’s signature “What A Difference A Day Makes” (1959). Some of America’s greatest artists are evoked on songs that are forever associated with them, for example, Tony Bennett on “Rags To Riches” (1953) and the Four Aces on the motion picture title tune hit “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing” (1955). More: the spirit of Frank Sinatra imbues “Young At Heart” (1954) and Elvis Presley is remembered with “Are You Lonesome Tonight.” “Unchained Melody” (1955) remains one of the most-recorded songs in contemporary popular music.
For Manilow, THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES is a true labor of love.
Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records); with no less than 25 consecutive top 40 hits to his credit between 1975 and 1983, on the Billboard Hot 100. Among these are songs that are now part of the standard songbook, including “Mandy,” “It’s a Miracle,” “Could It Be Magic,” “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Copacabana (At the
Copa),” “Somewhere In the Night,” “Ships,” and “I Made It Through the Rain.” All of these (and more) were anthologized on the commemorative 1992 4-CD boxed-set, Barry
Manilow: The Complete Collection And Then Some.
With worldwide record sales exceeding 75 million, his work as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer over the course of more than 40 albums has earned Barry Manilow the highest honors.
With THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES Barry Manilow pays a loving and welcome tribute to some of the songs that inspired him to become one of the most beloved performers in pop music of the past three decades.
AUDIO LINKS
BARRY MANILOW – “UNCHAINED MELODY”: QUICKTIME
BARRY MANILOW – “UNCHAINED MELODY”: REAL AUDIO
BARRY MANILOW – “UNCHAINED MELODY”: WINDOWS MEDIA
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