"I Write the Songs" | |
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Song by Captain & Tennille | |
from the album Love Will Keep Us Together | |
Released | May 23, 1975 |
Genre | Pop, adult contemporary |
Label | A&M |
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Johnston |
Producer(s) | Daryl Dragon |
Audio Recording | |
" I Write The Songs - The Captain & Tennille (1975)" on YouTube |
"I Write the Songs" | ||||
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Single by David Cassidy | ||||
from the album The Higher They Climb | ||||
B-side | "Get It Up for Love" | |||
Released | May 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:07 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Johnston | |||
Producer(s) | Bruce Johnston | |||
David Cassidy singles chronology | ||||
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"I Write the Songs" | ||||
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Single by Barry Manilow | ||||
from the album Tryin' to Get the Feeling | ||||
B-side | "A Nice Boy Like Me" | |||
Released | November 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Soft rock [1] | |||
Length | 3:43 (single version) | |||
Label | Arista 0157 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Johnston | |||
Producer(s) | Ron Dante Barry Manilow | |||
Barry Manilow singles chronology | ||||
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"I Write the Songs" | |
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Song by Bruce Johnston | |
from the album Going Public | |
Released | May 1977 |
Genre | Pop rock |
Length | 4:05 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Johnston |
Producer(s) | Gary Usher |
"I Write the Songs" is a popular song written by Bruce Johnston in 1975 and released on his album Going Public in 1977. Barry Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976 [2] after spending two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart in December 1975. [3] It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated for Record of the Year in 1977. [3] Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song of 1976. [4]
The original version was recorded by Captain & Tennille, who worked with Johnston in the early 1970s with the Beach Boys. It appears on their 1975 album Love Will Keep Us Together . The first release of "I Write the Songs" as a single was by teen idol David Cassidy from his 1975 solo album The Higher They Climb , which was also produced by Johnston. Cassidy's version reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart in August of that year. [5]
Johnston has stated that, for him, the "I" in the song is God, [2] and that songs come from the spirit of creativity in everyone. He has said that the song is not about his Beach Boys bandmate Brian Wilson. [6]
Manilow was initially reluctant to record the song, stating in his autobiography Sweet Life: "The problem with the song was that if you didn't listen carefully to the lyric, you would think that the singer was singing about himself. It could be misinterpreted as a monumental ego trip." [3] After persuasion by Clive Davis, then president of Arista Records, Manilow recorded the song, and his version of "I Write the Songs" was the first single taken from the album Tryin' to Get the Feeling . It first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 15, 1975, reaching the top of the chart nine weeks later, on January 17, 1976. Cash Box said of Manilow's version "Good work Barry" describing the song as "melodic, ballad-like beginning grows into an operatic crescendo, all done in clear production that all age groups will appreciate." [7] Record World called it "an uplifting production number" and "perhaps [Manilow's] strongest offering since 'Mandy.'" [8]
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report) | 85 |
Ireland (IRMA) [9] | 13 |
UK Singles Chart [10] | 11 |
| Year-end charts
All-time charts
|
After his version reached number one, Manilow himself composed a novelty song based on this song which he recorded under the title "I Really Do Write the Songs" in which he sings about how he composes each part of a song and the line "Sometimes I really do write the songs" at the end of each verse. In the finale, he sings, "sometimes...ah, what the hell...I write the songs." [24] Unreleased at the time, it was included as a bonus track on the reissue of his album This One's for You in 2006. [25] [ better source needed ]
"Copacabana", also known as "Copacabana (At the Copa)", is a song recorded by Barry Manilow. Written by Manilow, Jack Feldman, and Bruce Sussman, it was released in 1978 as the third single from Manilow's fifth studio album, Even Now (1978).
"Brandy", later called "Mandy", is a song written by Scott English and Richard Kerr. It was originally recorded by English in 1971 and reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart.
Tryin' to Get the Feeling is the third studio album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, released in 1975. It features the title track, "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again", together with other hits including "New York City Rhythm", "Bandstand Boogie" and the chart-topping "I Write the Songs". The album debuted on the Billboard Top 200 Chart on November 8, 1975, reaching number five in early 1976, and eventually was certified double platinum. It peaked at No. 24 on Canada's RPM Album Chart.
"Could It Be Magic" is a song written by Adrienne Anderson and composed by Barry Manilow, inspired by Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Opus 28, Number 20.
"Weekend in New England" is a song recorded by Barry Manilow for his fourth studio album, This One's for You (1976). Written by Randy Edelman, it was released as the second single from the album, and became a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, while topping the Adult Contemporary chart.
"Looks Like We Made It" is a song by American singer Barry Manilow, from his 1976 album This One's for You, composed by Richard Kerr with lyrics by Will Jennings. The single was released April 20, 1977.
"Can't Smile Without You" is a song written by Christian Arnold, David Martin and Geoff Morrow, and recorded by various artists including Barry Manilow and the Carpenters. It was first recorded and released by David Martin as a solo single in 1975. The version recorded by Manilow in 1977 and released in 1978 is the most well-known.
"Cherish" is a pop song written by Terry Kirkman and recorded by the Association. Released in 1966, the song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in September of that year and remained in the top position for three weeks. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 7 song of 1966, and later as No. 2, after a revision of the year-end charts. It was certified Gold by the RIAA in the US in 1966. In Canada, the song also reached number one.
"Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" is a song written by David Pomeranz that became a top 10 hit for Barry Manilow in 1976. It was first recorded by the Carpenters in 1975, but their version was not released until 1994 on their 25th anniversary CD, Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration. Pomeranz also recorded the song for his 1975 album It's in Every One of Us.
"Somewhere Down the Road" is a popular song written by Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow and most famously recorded in 1981 by Barry Manilow. Weil wrote the song's lyrics and Snow wrote the melody.
"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" is a song written by Parker McGee and recorded by England Dan & John Ford Coley from their 1976 album Nights Are Forever. It eventually peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks, behind Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" and No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 21 song for 1976. It also reached No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Run to Me" is a song by the Bee Gees, the lead single from the group's album To Whom It May Concern (1972). The song reached the UK Top 10 and the US Top 20.
"Even Now" is a 1978 song by American adult contemporary and pop music singer Barry Manilow. It is the title track from his 1978 album, and Manilow wrote the music and co-produced the track with Ron Dante. The words were written by Marty Panzer.
"It's a Miracle" is a 1975 single by Barry Manilow and was the second release from his album, Barry Manilow II. "It's a Miracle" went to number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was Manilow's second number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart, spending one week at number one in April 1975. The single also peaked at number fifteen on the disco/dance chart, and was the first of four entries on the chart. "It's a Miracle" was followed by "Could It Be Magic".
"This One's for You" is the title track from the 1976 album by Barry Manilow with words and music by Manilow and Marty Panzer. The song peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, and at number one on the Easy Listening chart, reaching the top position for one week in November 1976, Manilow's fifth number one overall on that chart.
"The Old Songs" is a song written by David Pomeranz and Buddy Kaye and was featured in Pomeranz's 1980 album, The Truth of Us. In 1999, the song was re-recorded again in Pomeranz's 1999 album, Born for You: His Best and More.
The Feeling's Not Right Again is a collection of previously recorded songs by Ray Stevens, released in 1979. All of the selections were chosen from his studio albums that were recorded for Warner Bros. Records. Stevens had a total of five singles released by Warner Bros., but only three are featured on this collection; the rest of the selections are album tracks. The first track, "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow," is a novelty single that made its first album appearance on this collection; both it and the title track are homages to singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, and the album's cover art is itself a spoof of Manilow's album Tryin' to Get the Feeling. "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow" was a minor hit for Stevens, narrowly missing the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #11 on the adult contemporary music charts.
"Ships" is a song written and originally performed by British musician Ian Hunter. The song was first released on Hunter's fourth solo album, You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic in March 1979, and later released as a single in August 1979. Hunter's release of the single never made the charts. The song is said to be about Ian's relationship with his father.
"I Need Your Help Barry Manilow" is a 1979 song by Dale Gonyea, sung by Ray Stevens. It was the first track on Stevens' album, The Feeling's Not Right Again. The single's release in March preceded the release of the album in June.
"Don't Throw It All Away" is a song written by British musician Gary Benson and first released by the Shadows on their 1975 album Specs Appeal. Benson released his version as a single later the same year, which reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart in the fall of 1975.