Manilow Covers Thread! (Serious, I dare ya!)

[Llarion]

OK, the Christmas thread and the Beatles thread really seem to be a fun thing. I have one other thing sitting around that I thought might inspire something. (might be loathing, but that's something! )

This is a cover of a relatively obscure non-radio Barry Manilow piece called London (for the 1 or 2 aficionados that may read the thread; it's off the 1980 "Barry" album).

Well, it's MOST of a cover. The story is; I was working it up for a covers compilation CD on a another board. I put a solid month in on the track, and I think it's a GEM. But, then it got time to track the vocals, and I realized far too late that it's an AMAZINGLY difficult piece to sing well; and I just couldn't cut the part. Nor did I know anyone else who could do it justice. So, I dropped it, shifted gears, and did the Mangione cover I talked about in my "Most Ambitious" thread a while back. Although this piece might be even more so.

Recorded on my D1600. It has piano, Rhodes, a drum computer, my bass, three different synth pads, two regular synth trumpets, a muted synth trumpet, a xylophone... Anyway, it's very dense and layered. Each track is played realtime, except the drums, which are programmed into my DR-660.

Since I don't expect any of you to know it to even tell if I did a good job, here's a lofi sample of the original song.
London - Barry Manilow

Take a listen to that to get the flavor.

And here is my arrangement of it. I was going for "faithful, but a little updated". And it has no vocals.

London - Llarion's cover

OK, so, I dare any of ya to do/post a Manilow cover. Anyone got the stones enough to admit they've done one?

Bonus points for anyone who can pull off "Copacabana"...

[mshilarious]

I got the stones, but not the talent. A lot of Barry's stuff is not easy to do. If you saw his week on AI3, you would have seen all of the finalists struggle with his tunes.

So many great songs . . . "Weekend in New England" . . . what was that movie with Dudley Moore, Chevy Chase, and Goldie Hawn? Lemme look it up . . . oh yeah, "Foul Play". That movie was funny as hell, with Barry singing the theme. I note he didn't write it though.

I can think of one tune I might take a hack at

[Llarion]

Originally Posted by mshilarious

I got the stones, but not the talent. A lot of Barry's stuff is not easy to do. If you saw his week on AI3, you would have seen all of the finalists struggle with his tunes.

So many great songs . . . "Weekend in New England" . . . what was that movie with Dudley Moore, Chevy Chase, and Goldie Hawn? Lemme look it up . . . oh yeah, "Foul Play". That movie was funny as hell, with Barry singing the theme. I note he didn't write it though.

I can think of one tune I might take a hack at

Ready To Take A Chance Again... Great tune...

I missed him on AI; Bummer! I haven't watched that since Kelly Clarkson won... But I'll bet it was hilarious watching a bunch of 20-somethings butcher his material... I imagine the girls did better than the guys though...

There are a lot of non-radio songs he's done that are great.

Good luck on your tune, look forward to hearing it!

[Dogman]

Ok, I have none of his tunes, but will look for some tab, and see what I can butcher....

[Dogman]

Llarion, nice sounds. Very well mixed. No vocals though.....What's up with that? Come on...I'm gonna do vocals, and will try and do Copa.....

Anyway, very good sounding. That is an excellent mix. Everything sounded good on this end. Very clean...

[fraserhutch]

Knock Manilow all you want, he wrote song great tunes, IMO.

[7string]

I actually LIKED Barely Manenough! He did write some good songs. I've always loved Mandy and a few others. But I think my favorites are You Deserve A Break Today and the Pepsi jingles. And people wonder why I can't hold my weight...

If I could play piano I'd probably attempt something with Mandy. It's my favorite that he did other than the jingles.

[Llarion]

Originally Posted by 7string

I actually LIKED Barely Manenough! He did write some good songs. I've always loved Mandy and a few others. But I think my favorites are You Deserve A Break Today and the Pepsi jingles. And people wonder why I can't hold my weight...

If I could play piano I'd probably attempt something with Mandy. It's my favorite that he did other than the jingles.

Try Mandy on classical.. I've heard it done, it's lovely...

[xfinsterx]

Wow.
Ive seen it all.
A Barry Manilow thread....I need to get a new hang out.

J/K.

But for the record i cant stand his voice.

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by xfinsterx

Wow.
Ive seen it all.
A Barry Manilow thread....I need to get a new hang out.

J/K.

But for the record i cant stand his voice.

He should have stuck to songwriting. A lot of the most annoying tunes he recorded, he didn't write.

[Llarion]

Originally Posted by xfinsterx

Wow.
Ive seen it all.
A Barry Manilow thread....I need to get a new hang out.

J/K.

But for the record i cant stand his voice.

A lot of people can't. Totally cool. But, certainly, It's difficult to argue that he has writing chops up the wazoo, and he's a consummate showman.

I'd like to hear someone like you, with your chops, do a speed metal arrangement of a Manilow tune... One in which the lyrics would become ironic...

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by Llarion

I'd like to hear someone like you, with your chops, do a speed metal arrangement of a Manilow tune... One in which the lyrics would become ironic...

Or just change the lyrics:

Where did you get that?
Why did I hold you?
When will this painful burning end?
And when can I have sex again

[Zaphod B]

Nice job, Llarion.

Sorry, I don't have any Manilow covers to post!

[Monkey Allen]

Nice work, sounds fantastic...now who's gonna do a cha cha version of the copa?

[chrisharris]

I don't know how "official" this list is, but it has samples, lol.

http://www.barrynet.com/bmnet246.html


"Somewhere In The Night" is one of the worst songs ever written. I'd almost blacked it out of my memory until I hit that sample.

In fairness, he has a ton of songs that are better than most of what's in the top 10. Just don't ask me how I know this, lol.

[Llarion]

Originally Posted by Zaphod B

Nice job, Llarion.

Sorry, I don't have any Manilow covers to post!

Thanks to you and Monkey!

Chris, it's OK to admit you like him or at least some of his music. On that list the tune I did was the #76 favorite..

Listen to these:
#11, #36, #41, #42, #54 (one of my favs), #55, #62 (amazing tune), #66 (my favorite "road" song of all time), #82...

[Llarion]

No takers??

PUSSIES!!!!