Customer Reviews

Barry Live in Britain

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I owned the recording of this Barry Manilow shortly after it was released many years ago. During one of our moves, I lost some of my albums, and did not think I could ever replace this one. I was so disappointed because I loved every song that was on it. I looked for it so many times, but thought it was not released again. Last week, I was on Amazon, just going thru Manilow cds, etc., and could not believe my eyes when I saw that it was out on a cd. I could not wait to get it. I have it, and it is even better than the first. ALL the songs are great----I love the tribute he does to London, plus all the other great ones, but to top it off is his rendition of "We'll Meet Again", and has the crowd going crazy, and singing with him----then my very favorite "One Voice"---- this is soooo beautiful. This has to be a favorite for all Barry Manilow fans, and when you hear this one, you will all be fans!!!! Thank you Amazon!!!

Barry gets his London fans on their feet as soon as he makes his appearance onstage to the "One Voice" intro. A nice mixture of romantic melodies and hand-clapping rhythmic tones keeps this CD in balance. "We'll Meet Again" is a very moving song similar to his "Best of Me" song from the Boxed Set, creating a high mood of atmosphere. "It's a Miracle", the final track, is toe-tapping nonetheless and a great ending to the CD. Highly recommended not just to any Manilow fan, but any pop or adult contemporary fan!

I've seen the video from which this album was made. The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars was the holdback on the material that they chose to inlude on this CD. "Nickels And Dimes", "Ships", "If Should Love Again", "This One's For You", "Sunday Father" just to name a few along side his dialogue were left out. These were essential to the concert's flow. I don't mind that "Can't Smile Without You" was omitted. They can shelve that one til dust covers it to the point of barely visible. (I think I hear some women growling at me. Let them. It's a bad song whether studio or "live".)
He pours his heart out still in "Even Now" and in "Stay". This is what Barry is great at. Ballads. I must give credit to Kevin DiSimone and James Jolis on "Stay". They accompany him on the song not as two guys singing with him, but as two guys who have the same thought and it's pure coincidence. Why they left out "I Write The Songs" is beyond me. It's a sin. Barry on the video sets it up, "Aren't you tired? Here's to you, gang, here's to you. We've got one more." So warm. I won't drop a star down. "One Voice" leads into the "It's A Miracle" finale. Good enough. You would do yourself well to find this and the concert that was taped just a scant 3 or 4 months before this in Pittsburgh, PA. (The Barry Manilow Concert). It's the best video I've ever seen. E-Bay vendors unearth these things.
Include more songs.

Recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1982(?), this is a great collection of 12 foot-stompin' mainly high-energy song tracks and great versions of those songs, totaling a wee bit over 58 minutes. I would have LOVED to be at this concert! Man!--You can feel the energy over the CD. The music is crystal clear, too. Excellent quality. I'm guessing the actual concert ran an additional hour (like Barry's concerts generally do) and I wish the CD was longer and included the whole concert. (Arista Records--can you take care of this please???)

"It's a Miracle" runs 5:50 minutes and includes a little ode to London built in to the middle of it--cool--nice tribute--classy.
"The Old Songs Medley" runs 10:05 minutes and includes "The Old Songs" (duh), "I Don't Wanna Walk Without You" (one of my favorites--sounds like a little dance steppin' in this one by Barry), and "Let's Hang On" (high-energy), and back to "The Old Songs" for a finish to the medley.
"Even Now" runs 3:46, always beautiful and always sad. (I'm with someone else but I still think of you--concept)
"Stay" runs 3:42 and is a duet with another male singer I've seen in a Barry London video. Beautiful song. (We used to. . . Stay with me tonight and I'll make everything all right.)
Beautiful Music runs 7:01 and includes "Beautiful Music, I Made It Through the Rain",and ending with "Beautiful Music".
Bermuda Triangle runs 4:38 and sounds just like The Islands. It is a fantastic calypso version, complete with steel drums. I LOVE it! (Concept is a guy goes to Bermuda with his girl and she disappears with another guy. So, Bermuda Traingle "very bad". Barry even sticks a "woe is me" in there. Cute. Chitty chats with audience after for a sec. Says he must look like a little singing nose to those at the top rows of the Hall)
Break Down the Door runs 5:31 is high energy and includes "Break Down the Door (duh, again), and Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed." By the amount of applause this must have been even more awesome in person, but it was great on this CD.
Copacabana runs 3:53 is always great. As the eternally classy guy he is, Barry thanks his musicians and singers for their hard work during this song.
Could It be Magic/Mandy runs 5:41. Guess what songs it includes? Do I need to say it? Come on now. Beautifully done, as always. Barry's Signature Songs, along with Copa. Lots of applause here, too.
London We'll Meet Again says it runs 6:06, but don't think so, unless Arista cut some of it. Anyway, another ode to London to include the tune "We'll Meet Again." The master showman includes the audience in singing with him and they LOVE him in London! My God! The applause is super!
One Voice runs 2:53. I read somewhere that Barry said this song came to him in a dream. Beautiful song--beautiful concept. Must have been a beautiful dream. (It starts with one voice--singing in the darkness--then other voices join in.)
It's a Miracle runs 1:49 and ends the CD and the evening. Barry concerts usually seem to begin and end with "It's a Miracle" and a few notes of "Could It Be Magic".

I vote for "Sir" Barry, anytime, and this great CD! The more I play it, the more I LOVE it! The more I love it, the more I play it. It's a vicious cycle. H-E-L-P ME!!!

Here's an great alumb on cd and if you are an Barry Manilow fan than this cd is for you and this is one of the ones that I thought I had already but i didn't until now.

Rondall Banks

Excellent cd. I recommend it to anyone

I really like this one, then again I like live performance anyway, but this one is really nice.