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Barry Manilow II

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Barry Manilow II
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1, 1974
1996 (re-release)
2006 (re-release)
Studio
Genre
Length38:14 (original release)
41:37 (1996 re-release)
44:23 (2006 re-release)
LabelBell
Arista (Re-release)
ProducerBarry Manilow, Ron Dante
Barry Manilow chronology
Barry Manilow
(1973)
Barry Manilow II
(1974)
Tryin' to Get the Feeling
(1975)
Singles from Barry Manilow II
  1. "Mandy"/"Something's Comin' Up"
    Released: October 7, 1974
  2. "It's a Miracle"
    Released: 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Christgau's Record GuideC[2]
Rolling Stone(unfavorable) link

Barry Manilow II is the second studio album by Barry Manilow released in 1974. Propelled by the major success of its lead single "Mandy" and featuring a further international hit in "It's a Miracle", the album was a commercial breakthrough for Manilow.[3] First issued by Bell Records, it was reissued after the company was reorganized into Arista Records. The album's success spawned a notable parody in the picture sleeve of Ray Stevens' 1979 single, "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow".

Album peaked at #29 on Canada’s RPM Album Chart.

Track listing

[edit]

Side 1

[edit]
  1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:18
  2. "Early Morning Strangers" (Barry Manilow, Hal David) - 3:24
  3. "Mandy" (Scott English, Richard Kerr) - 3:32
  4. "The Two of Us" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 3:05
  5. "Something's Comin' Up" (Barry Manilow) - 2:51

Side 2

[edit]
  1. "It's a Miracle" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 3:58
  2. "Avenue C" (Buck Clayton, Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert) - 2:37
  3. "My Baby Loves Me" (Ivy Hunter, Sylvia Moy, William "Mickey" Stevenson) - 3:18
  4. "Sandra" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:35
  5. "Home Again" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 5:34

1996 Remaster

[edit]
  1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby"
  2. "Early Morning Strangers"
  3. "Mandy"
  4. "The Two of Us"
  5. "Something's Comin' Up"
  6. "It's a Miracle"
  7. "Avenue C"
  8. "My Baby Loves Me"
  9. "Sandra"
  10. "Home Again"

Bonus track:

  1. "Halfway Over the Hill"

2006 Expanded Edition

[edit]
  1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby"
  2. "Early Morning Strangers"
  3. "Mandy"
  4. "The Two of Us"
  5. "Something's Comin' Up"
  6. "It's a Miracle"
  7. "Avenue C"
  8. "My Baby Loves Me"
  9. "Sandra"
  10. Home Again

Bonus tracks:

  1. "Good News"
  2. "Halfway Over the Hill"

Charts

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Chart (1974/75) Position
United States (Billboard 200)[4] 9
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 66

Personnel

[edit]
  • Barry Manilow - lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements, acoustic piano (1–6, 9, 10)
  • Don Grolnick - acoustic piano (7)
  • Ellen Starr - acoustic piano (8)
  • Jon Stroll - clavinet (1), electric piano (2–6, 8, 9, 10)
  • John Barranco - guitar (1, 6)
  • Dick Frank - guitar (1, 6, 8, 9, 10)
  • Bob Mann - guitar (1, 6, 10)
  • Charlie Brown - guitar (2, 3, 10)
  • Stuart Scharf - guitar (2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10)
  • Sam T. Brown - guitar (7)
  • Will Lee - bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
  • Russell George - bass (4, 8, 9, 10)
  • Bob Cranshaw - bass (7)
  • Chris Parker - drums (1, 6)
  • Jimmy Young - drums (2, 3, 5)
  • Bill Lavorgna - drums (7)
  • Allan Schwartzberg - drums (8, 9, 10)
  • Lee Gurst - percussion (1, 6)
  • Norman Pride - congas (1, 2, 5–8, 10)
  • George Young - saxophone (2)
  • Artie Kaplan - saxophone (6)
  • Stanley Schwartz: saxophone (6)
  • Jack Cortner - horn and string arrangements
  • Ron Dante - backing vocals
  • Melvin Kent - backing vocals (1)
  • Ken Williams - backing vocals (1)
  • Charlotte Crossley - backing vocals (6)
  • Robin Grean - backing vocals (6)
  • Sharon Redd - backing vocals (6)

Production

[edit]

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[6] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William (January 1, 1997). "Barry Manilow". In Bogdanov, Vladimir; Erlewine, Michael; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Unterberger, Richie; Woodstra, Chris (eds.). AllMusic Guide to Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman, Inc. p. 577.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 4, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ "We began!" (PDF). Cash Box: 11. 17 May 1975. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Birds of Fire - Mahavishnu Orchestra | Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 191. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ^ "American album certifications – Barry Manilow – Barry Manilow II". Recording Industry Association of America.