About this Artist

• Biography

Editorial Reviews

Contrary to what he famously sang, Barry Manilow didn't always write the songs that made the whole world sing ("I Write the Songs" was, in fact, composed by Beach Boy Bruce Johnston), but what the timeless performer has proven is that he knows a good tune when he hears it. The Greatest Songs of the Sixties picks up where Manilow's previous "decade" project, The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, left off, culling popular hits that fit Manilow's welcoming style. If this new collection necessarily calls on rock-era favorites, don't expect, say, psychedelia. Manilow's choices lean, unsurprisingly, to the mellow -- the Beatles, for example, are represented by "And I Love Her," and the Four Seasons, who could grit it up when needed, are summoned up by "Can't Take My Eyes off You." But who ever came to Manilow to rock out? The repertoire, calling on some of the most memorable pop hits of the decade, fits him to a tee. In fact, Barry sounds like he's been itching to croon gems like Bacharach's "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" and the Sinatra signature hit "Strangers in the Night" for some time now. He has particular fun with a cleverly intertwined medley of the Association classics "Cherish" and "Windy" with vocal support by the group itself. With production assistance from Clive Davis, Manilow finds himself in good hands for another loving tribute to songs that obviously made him want to sing when he was younger. These are songs -- and versions -- that we'll be playing for decades to come. William Pearl, Barnes & Noble

Customer Reviews

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• Ratings: 2Reviews: 2