The Top Ten Songs of Barry Manilow: Can't Miss Titles for Pop's Most Romantic Crooner

I've been an out-of-the-closet Barry Manilow fan for...well, for a long time. Let's just say my first copy of "Trying To Get The Feeling Again" was an 8-track. And I must say that with his 50s album, his Vegas shows and his seemingly endless jaunts around television entertainment shows, I'm having the time of my life. Finally - it's cool to be a fanilow!

Barry Manilow is one of the top five selling artists of all times. So, choosing ten songs isn't easy. Here are my nominations:

1. "Weekend in New England"
This song not only belongs on this list....it also belongs on any list of the top ten romantic songs of all time. Manilow's voice is pure on all the tracks I've ever heard of this number, even on live versions. Known for its smoothness, Manilow's voice actually cracks in a few spots here, letting emotion show through. This is a great song for long country drives or long bubble baths. Just pour yourself a glass of wine and loose yourself in the bridge: "I can feel a change coming. I feel the wind blow. I feel brave and daring. I feel my love flow...Now tell me, when will our eyes meet? when can I touch you? when will this strong yearning end? And when, will I see you again."

2. "Read 'em and Weep"
Newer fans may have missed one. The song was a top 10 pop song around 1984. (Believe it or not, at this stage of his career Manilow was actually compared to a young prince.) The song tells of a painful break-up as carried out on stager. The heart of this song is that even the most powerful actors don't need words to convey emotion. It's in the eyes and all that's needed is to read and weep. And it ends with one of the most regretful lines in Manilow's entire repreitore: "For all the hours we'll be spending alone; For the dreams we'll ignore; And all those promises we promised to keep,
They won't be kept anymore."

3. "Could It Be Magic"
This was Manilow's first big hit. ("Mandy" actually came later.) A strong classical intoduction still managed to get this a lot of airplay back in the 70s. I chose it for my wedding and, hey, that's reason enough to put it on this list!