Tag Archives: Mandy

Music Monday: February 24, 2025

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Several now classic and legendary songs hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts 50 years ago. This week I am focusing on three of my favorite #1 songs of 1975 – Part 1.

The year started with Elton John in the top spot for two weeks with his cover of a 1967 Beatles song. One of the song’s co-writers-John Lennon, billed on the cover track as “Dr. Winston O’Boogie”-played guitar and contributed backing vocals to it. The two artists collaborated on Lennon’s song, “Whatever Gets You Through The Night” in 1974. It became a #1 hit on November 16 that year, a feat John predicted would happen. That forced Lennon to settle a bet by appearing on stage at John’s concert at NYC’s Madison Square on Thanksgiving night on November 28, 1974 where the two performed that song & a cover of The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There”.

John ended the year with two other #1 songs: “Philadelphia Freedom” hit the top spot for two weeks in April & “Island Girl” was #1 for three weeks in November 1975. He also provided backing vocals on Neil Sedaka’s song, “Bad Blood”, which was #1 for three weeks in October that year. That same month, John became godfather to Lennon’s second son, Sean. 1975 was one of several outstanding years for Elton John.

Elton John (L) and John Lennon (R) on stage at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on November 28, 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The next song to hit #1 in 1975 was by Barry Manilow. The first top selling record of his career reached that position for one week on January 18. Two more #1 records would follow for him over the years along with 11 Top Ten hits to add to his previous success as a jingle writer, a theme song writer & a pianist for The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler. I love a couple of other songs by him-“Weekend In New England” and “Trying To Get The Feeling”, specifically-but Manilow’s #1 track from 1975 had me from the line, “You kissed me and stopped me from shaking”.

Barry Manilow’s second album was released in October 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

On February 15, 1975 Linda Ronstadt took over the #1 spot for one week with a track from her fifth album, Heart Like A Wheel. That proved to be her breakthrough record, as it reached #1 on the Billboard Albums chart the same day her cover of the 1963 song by Dee Dee Warwick (sister to Dionne) gave Ronstadt the biggest selling song of her career. Ten Top 10 hits would follow in the next several decades as she successfully explored a number of different genres of music, but 1975 was the year Ronstadt broke through as one of the industry’s greatest talents.

Today’s Linda Ronstadt’s song is from her fifth album, released in November 1974. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Elton John: “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” (1974, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

Barry Manilow: “Mandy” (1974, written by Scott English and Richard Kerr).

Linda Ronstadt: “You’re No Good” (1974, written by Clint Ballard Jr.).

Stay safe & well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 392

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

May 2021 blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

I do not consider myself a full fledged “Fanilow” since I only like a handful of his songs and let’s face it, he recorded a heck of a lot more than a few tunes in his day. But I am not a hater, either, nor can I forget that in the early 1970’s Barry Manilow was the pianist & musical director for The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler.

But I do remember the first track I ever heard by him. I completely swooned over the lyrics, especially the line “You kissed me & stopped me from shaking”. He performed it during his first US television appearance in March 1975 on the show he wrote the theme for, “American Bandstand”. It was the first #1 hit of his career, hitting the top spot for one week on January 18, 1975. All these years later, I still find it enchanting.

“I’m standing on the edge of time
I’ve walked away when love was mine
Caught up in a world of uphill climbing
The tears are in my mind and nothing is rhyming“.

Manilow 1

Manilow 2

Top (L-R_: Barry Manilow and Bette Midler circa 1973. Bottom (L-R): Manilow and Midler circa 2003. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Barry Manilow: “Mandy” (1974, written by Richard Kerr and Scott English).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

25 Days Of Christmas Music 2018: Day 16

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Hi, Everybody!!!  Welcome back to the countdown.

day 16

Adorable shadow box DIY Christmas craft found on Pinterest (original source unknown). 

From the first time I heard “Mandy”, I was in entranced by this singer.  Then came “Weekend in New England”, “Trying To Get The Feeling Again”, “Could It Be Magic”, and a slew of others.  He also wrote the “American Bandstand” theme for Dick Clark.  He was the premier voice of pop music throughout the 70’s & 80’s.  Some call liking his music as a guilty pleasure, but I don’t.  I am a Fanilow and proud of it.  His take on this Christmas classic is fun, festive and has an old school swing sound.  It’s the grown-up version of the song we all sang as kids.  And I just adore it.

Barry manilow

Barry Manilow:  “Jingle Bells” (1990).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some things that I love with you  🙂

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, happy listening!!!