Summer of 78

Barry Manilow | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 19, 1996)
• Original Release Date: November 19, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000002VPX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,475 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You + 1978= love this CD. Bravo, Barry!, June 21, 2003

By 

CWC (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Summer of 78 (Audio CD)

I remember this CD getting little to no publicity upon its release. What a shame! The orchestrations are incredible; Barry's voice has never sounded better. I'm surprised by all the diappointed reviews I'm reading. Contrary to opinion, 1978 was a lot of disco, but not all disco. There were great non-disco songs that were traversing the airwaves at the time too. Although not all the songs are specifically from 1978... more like 1975-1978... that's a very minor point. These were/are some great songs and Barry has done an incredible job of bringing "new life" to this collection of wonderful "FM station" tunes. The orchestrations are rich, multi-layered. I love popping this CD into my car player, cranking it up, and singing along with Barry over and over again. These new versions are bright, fresh, and positive and leave you with a great feeling- and wanting more after they have ended.

The CD is definitely a "concept album," especially the way almost every song seems to flow into the other (for all those who remember when some songs on albums did that). I do agree with the one reviewer that I would have liked to have heard "Summer of '78" (a great new Barry Manilow original) in a more expanded and/or stand-alone version. This would have made a great single to release over the airwave and give this under-appreciated CD a boost. It would have been nice to have ended the CD with a shortened reprise from the song too to give the album an "ending" as well as having a "beginning."

I've given this CD to many of my B.M. friends (all around my age) who have all raved about this collection after having listened to it. Maybe it was a period of time you had to live through to truly appreciate the music here....

After some not so great CDs over the past few years from this talented artist, this one was a welcome relief. I, too, would love to see him do another album like this again. I highly recommend this CD and give it a "high five" star rating! And... yes, 1978 "... was one of those summers..." and "...I remember the summer of '78..." too! Bravo, Barry! Thanks for recreating some wonderful memories for me with these great songs!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ahh the 70s, November 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Summer of 78 (Audio CD)

I'm not much of a Barry Manilow fan or 70s music fan, however, I love this CD. It's one of the few we keep in the family van. The tunes here are catchy and the hooks, ah, you'll find yourself singing along.

I haven't heard or listened to the original version of this songs. I was born after Manilow's hits has stopped coming, so I thought at first that these were his originally in the 70s.

The music in this CD are different from the intense power ballads of the 80s; these are fresh and light, the pop song equivalent to equally fresh and light films of Meg Ryan like You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Gem, the Manilow way, and worth a listen, April 27, 2006

By 

Matthew J. Gallagher (Wilton, Connecticut United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Summer of 78 (Audio CD)

I agree with the reviewer who found this to be one of the strongest Barry Manilow recordings ever. He spoke, recently, of doing a follow-up to his tremendously successful '50's collection with a '60's collection and, then, maybe, a 70's one. He should just re-release this neglected minor masterpiece. It's just a terrific CD with one terrific song after another, with wonderful arrangements and fine vocals. Barry's version of "We've Got Tonite" is moving and terrific and could stand with any of his own Top 10 hits. "Just Remember I Love You," by Firefall, is another gem. This CD helped me through a difficult time, I remember, now almost 10 years ago. But that's Barry's magic. He's a singer of hope - and happiness - and romance. And more people like him than probably admit it. I recommend this CD highly. It's going to surprise you. "The Air that I Breathe," "Bluer than Blue," and "I Go Crazy" are other terrific covers Barry does - and he brings new life to them, in my opinion. If this CD had been released now - instead of 10 years ago, when Manilow's career was somewhat at an ebb - it would be a monster hit. Hear it and play it now. Pop it into the car CD and see if you agree with the other reviewers who also regard this as one of Barry's finest efforts. I wish he'd sing "We've Got Tonite" more in his own concerts. His beautiful arrangement and his slight change of lyrics, "... but I may stop searching, after today ..." stamp this as another Manilow classic of hoped for love in an often cold world - sentiments that never get old. I'm not ashamed to admit it: I consider him a national treasure. I just wish another equally talented man, John Denver, had gotten the later-in-life appreciation that Barry is garnering - and deserving. This CD is a true inspiration, filled with wonderful music and lyrics. And Barry's voice has never been better than in this inspired collection of '70's classics. He's brought a lot of joy to a lot of people, not a bad way to live your life, and the music on this CD tells you why.