Ultimate Manilow [Arista]

1	Mandy 3:17
2	It's a Miracle 3:51
3	Could It Be Magic 6:47
4	I Write the Songs 3:50
5	Bandstand Boogie 2:50
6	Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again 3:50
7	This One's for You 3:26
8	Weekend in New England 3:45
9	Looks Like We Made It 3:32
10	Daybreak 3:05
11	Can't Smile Without You 3:07
12	Even Now 3:26
13	Copacabana (At the Copa) 5:40
14	Somewhere in the Night 3:23
15	Ready to Take a Chance Again 2:57
16	Ships 4:00
17	I Made It Through the Rain 4:19
18	The Old Songs 4:41
19	When October Goes 3:58
20	Somewhere Down the Road 3:59

Barnes & Noble

The all-time No. 1 Adult Contemporary artist, Barry Manilow was a true pop king of the 1970s. Beginning with the smash hit “Mandy” in 1974, he remained a radio staple throughout the remainder of the decade, ultimately racking up an incredible 12 No. 1 singles and eight Top Ten charting songs. Hip he never was, but with that kind of immense popularity, the piano-playing singer-songwriter had the last laugh. All of Manilow’s most memorable, and successful, work can be found on this comprehensive set, from the ballads “Could It Be Magic,” “Tryin’ to Get the Feeling,” and “Looks Like We Made It” to the upbeat “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Copacabana,” and “It’s a Miracle” -- and plenty more. (Three worthy non-hit bonus tracks -- “Bandstand Boogie,” “New York City Rhythm,” and “When October Goes” -- round out the set). Although “I Write the Songs” was actually written by someone else, we forgive Barry; he brought some badly needed heart to a disco-dominated decade. William Pearl

All Music Guide

Unlike some other MOR pop stars, Barry Manilow never enjoyed the sort of swinging-hipster revival that made him a hot name to drop, ironically or otherwise. Incredibly enough, until the release of Ultimate Manilow in early 2002, there was no comprehensive single-disc hits package on the market -- a shockingly long wait for one of the most popular hitmakers of the '70s, hip or not (and clearly the demand was there; Ultimate Manilow entered the charts at number three). The 20 selections on Ultimate Manilow are arranged in the chronological order in which they became hits, and the emphasis here is on hits -- i.e., chart singles. Between 1974 and 1981, Manilow reached the Top 40 20 times, and 18 of those songs are present; the other two (minor early-'80s hits) were bumped by "Bandstand Boogie," Manilow's well-known version of the American Bandstand theme song, and "When October Goes," a track from his 1984 jazz-pop album, 2:00 AM Paradise Café. It's an extremely straightforward approach to a greatest-hits compilation, which is actually something to be commended given Arista's botched Whitney Houston best-of (where they omitted several songs to protect back-catalog sales, although that's not likely a concern with Manilow). So is anything missing? Nothing crucial; the only potential disappointment is for fans who love Manilow's detours into flamboyant, Broadway-style production numbers. The concentration on hits means that several great B-sides in that vein ("New York City Rhythm," "Riders to the Stars," "Beautiful Music," the endearingly awkward "Jump Shout Boogie") are not included. But that's really a small quibble, and there simply wasn't room for them anyhow. Ultimate Manilow lives up to its title by including everything a casual fan would want. The only question is, what took so long? Steve Huey