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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 256 Today's Peep Welcomes Barry Manilow for a Conversation on Life, Music, Memorable Jingles and His Legacy
Barry Manilow, the legendary performer who has sold a staggering 85 million albums worldwide, brings his unmistakable warmth and candor to this intimate conversation about his extraordinary musical journey.
Despite approaching his 82nd birthday, Manilow expresses genuine surprise at his enduring popularity, noting that audiences are "getting crazier and crazier" at his performances. "You know, at this point I thought, doesn't this end? But it doesn't seem to," he reflects with a mixture of humility and wonder that has characterized his decades-long career.
The conversation shatters common misconceptions about Manilow's live shows. Far from the sedate piano ballad performances many might expect, he describes dynamic, high-energy concerts where he and his singers "run around the stage," delivering fresh, contemporary arrangements of his classic hits. "I think there are some people that don't know what I do. They think I'm going to sit at the piano and play ballads, and it's not that at all," Manilow explains.
Music enthusiasts will appreciate Manilow's candid revelations about his iconic songs and jingles. He shares that "I Write the Songs" wasn't actually his composition but Bruce Johnston's, and that "Mandy" was originally called "Brandy" and performed as an uptempo number before he transformed it into the beloved ballad. Equally fascinating is his discussion of the famous commercial jingles he created, some of which remain instantly recognizable ("I Am Stuck on Band-Aid") while others have faded from public memory.
With a new album on the horizon—potentially his last—and upcoming performances in Northern California, this conversation captures Manilow at a poignant moment in his storied career. Don't miss his shows at the Golden One Center in Sacramento, in Oakland, or at San Jose's SAP Center this July, where you can experience firsthand the electrifying performance mastery that has captivated audiences for generations.
Good morning. Yes, it's another morning podcast, the Pat's Peeps podcast, number 256. And this, my friends, is a very special podcast for us. As I look out my studio windows in the beautiful foothills of Northern California, it is a gorgeous day and it's a beautiful day to talk to none other than the man who sold 85 million albums worldwide, barry Manilow. Barry Manilow, back by popular demand. Sacramento is waiting you. I'm a sacramento native. You are the soundtrack of my youth, barry, and it's really an honor to oh you, betcha barry. I had, I had the biggest crush on this girl mandy novelle and anytime I would hear that song mandy.
Speaker 1:I would play this for mandy, hoping, just just hoping, barry, that maybe it would soften her up a little bit, you know, and maybe I'd have a chance.
Speaker 2:But you know, I bet you there's a lot of guys with that same story.
Speaker 1:I bet If she was listening right now. Mandy Novell, I'm mentioning your name to the great Barry Manilow. Barry, oh my gosh, you know you're coming to Sacramento back by popular demand. I cannot wait to see this show. You're coming to the Golden One Center July 19th. You're actually going to be in Oakland the 18th, on the 20th at the SAP Center in San Jose. And, of course, your residency in Las Vegas Are you loving touring as much as you ever have, barry?
Speaker 2:Yeah, there were a couple of years that I didn't, but I really do like it now. You know, I like being with the band, I like being with the crew and these audiences. They're getting crazier, they're getting crazier and crazier. You know, I, I, you know, at this point I thought you know, doesn't this end, but it doesn't seem to be it. And really, after you know I'm 100 years old, I've been doing this for a while. I thought you know, doesn't this go away for a while? But it doesn't seem to want to do that. It's so exciting night after night. So, yeah, I'll keep going until they stop coming.
Speaker 1:When you say that the audiences are getting a little crazier these days, is it just because they just love the music so much? When you say crazy, they're just crazy over the music and the opportunity to see Barry Manilow live in concert.
Speaker 2:I don't know. You know that curtain goes up and you know the sound of an audience of thousands and thousands of people out there. You know it's just thrilling. It is just thrilling. And you know I'm one of the lucky guys. I've got a catalog of music that I could fill up the entire evening with songs that everybody knows. Not many people can say that, and I do. You know there were these years there that I used to do a lot of album cuts, but I don't do that anymore. I give the audience what I think they want. They want to hear songs that they know and I've got them. So it's, you know, it's an exciting evening. You know, I think there are some people that don't know what I do. They think I'm going to sit at the piano and play ballads, and you know it's not that at all. It's just filled with energy and very uplifting. It's a really great place to be.
Speaker 1:If you're not sitting at the piano, which again I think you're right. I think most people would imagine that. What do you do? Are you just up there? Are you just dancing, singing, playing to the crowd? How are you doing that these days All?
Speaker 2:of that, all of that. Yeah, I've got my three background singers who you know we all run around the stage. It's a really great show.
Speaker 1:It's really great, and the audience just loves it so far, well. And then you talk about the people, barry, who sing the songs. You know people love you know I'm a guy that I like the deep cuts. I mean I always enjoy that, but people want to hear that. I mean, and you just go down the list, I mean, you know, could it be magic? Looks like we made it Mandy. I write the songs, can't smile. I mean you go on and on One of the things that I love about what you do and I donles, like you do, a whole medley of jingles. No one else gets to do that, but yours is so popular you still enjoy doing that, barry.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I wish I could tell you that the audiences love that, but you know they don't air those commercials anymore. You know the Pepsi commercial you deserve a break today. The McDonald's thing, but they do air two of them. They air I Am Stuck on a Band-Aid and a Band-Aid Stuck on Me, and then the other one is like A Good Day in the State Farm. So I can do those two. But every time I try to do any of the other ones it's like silent.
Speaker 1:I guess you have to be my age to remember all of these great songs I certainly remember. What is it you come in here to the Golden One Center Again. This is going to be coming up on July 19th on a Saturday, beautiful venue. What does it feel like, barry, to sell like 85 million albums? Tell all of us who are never going to have the pleasure of selling one what that's like for your career.
Speaker 2:It's a miracle. It is Like I said, I really didn't expect it to last as long as it's lasted, but you know I'm a very grateful guy.
Speaker 1:What do you enjoy the most now? Do you enjoy touring and seeing the people? Do you enjoy the singing? What did you enjoy most in? Do you enjoy the singing, Do you? What did you enjoy most in your career? The writing, the singing, the performing.
Speaker 2:All of it. I do like. I like the music, you know. It just never lets me down. I've got a great band. You know I come in with great ideas and they love it and we change things around. Show after show, I change things around. You know the songs that you hear on the old records, the ones that we do now the same songs. They sound much more energetic, much more contemporary. I don't play around with the song itself, but I always try to make them more contemporary, and that's always fun to do too.
Speaker 1:Do you have any projects coming up that we can look forward to other than the tour?
Speaker 2:I'm in the middle of finishing up. It'd probably be the last album that I make, and I've been working on it for a while and it sounds pretty good. So I think it'll be out at the end of the summer. That's, that's what I was just told. So, um, you know it's, it's uh, I think it's a solid album.
Speaker 1:We'll see well I I can tell you that you're fans or you're looking forward to it. A couple of notes, because I know we're on limited time here. I'm curious. It's interesting. Is it true when you say I write the songs which everyone knows? You? Your great song, was it really written by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys? Was that true? Is that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it really was, and you know, and it got me in trouble because most of the people that listen to that song thought I was singing about myself. And of course that's not true. The song is about the spirit of music. That's what it's about. But you know, I got myself in trouble because a lot of people thought I was on this terrible ego trip. I write the songs and make the whole world sing. Who does he think he is?
Speaker 1:Bob Dylan. That's funny. That's funny. All right, since again I know I'm on limited time with you, but I'll have one last question. Originally was Mandy, was it called? Brandy but you wanted to avoid some confusion with Looking Glass, who had a song called Brandy at the time. Right, wow, how did that go?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we changed it from Brandy to Mandy and it was originally an uptempo song. I found the love song Hiding in Mandy and made it into a song that you don't know.
Speaker 1:Well, barry, listen, I know there's a lot of people that want to talk to you. I could literally go on with you for an hour. We could have a wonderful conversation. I really appreciate your time and again, if you want to see, I mean this, this guy's the master. I mean you're talking about a guy who sold 85 million albums coming to the Golden One Center July 19th. He got the residency coming up in Vegas. You actually eclipsed Elvis' run there in Vegas, which is an amazing thing. Barry, I want to say thank you for your time. I want to say thank you for your time. I want to say thank you for what you've done for the soundtrack of my life and I really look forward to seeing you come into Sacramento and to grace our Golden One Center on July 19th.
Speaker 2:You're just great, Pat. Thanks for all of that. I hope I see you at the show.
Speaker 1:Barry Manilow. You will see me at the show. Thank you, sir, for your time. Barry Manilow, bye-bye, bye. Awesome, there we go. I could have done an hour. I didn't even get to the tip of the iceberg Not even a tip of the iceberg. By the way, pat's Peeps 256 on this Tuesday, sunny day, beautiful day outside. As I look out the windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California, you know when you think about Barry Manilow and his jingles, how about this one Good neighbor steadfast is that.
Speaker 1:All of these jingles that we grew up listening to. You know he was like a good neighbor. State Farm is there. Everyone knows that. Remember, I'm stuck on Band-Aids because Band-Aids stuck on me. Remember that one Boy talk about I mean these just resonate with you. After all of these years, these things still stick in your mind.
Speaker 3:Well, stuck on Band-Aids Very popular, I am stuck on Band-Aid brand because Band-Aids stuck on me, Me be too long on me, Band-Aid me be too cool while I'm not, Cause they hold on tight and bad me, me two, two, one up Cause I hold on tight, and back to a band-aid Clinging so we touch.
Speaker 2:Only Band-Aid brand adhesive bandages from Johnson Johnson. Have our super stay-on adhesive. You'll notice the difference, cause it stays on you better than anything else you can buy.
Speaker 4:I ain't stuck on Band-Aid.
Speaker 1:Cause Band-Aid's the best. I mean, if you're, I guess you do have to be of a certain age to remember that. Remember there was other jingles that Barry sang, like this one. He sang this one. And he says the crowd kind of goes deaf not deaf, but silent at one point because some of them don't know the jingles. Ah, wow, makes me feel feel old. He wrote this one. Remember this mcdonald's ad you deserve a break today, yeah scrub the bottom and top.
Speaker 4:There is nothing so clean. That's my burger machine With a broom and a brush. Clean it up for the rush Before you open the door for to shine on the floor. When we finish one day, start all over again. Tell me what does it mean? At McDonald's, it's clean. You deserve a break today, so get up and get away To McDonald's. Mcdonald's, McDonald's, Wow.
Speaker 1:I knew that forever. I mean a classic from Barry Manilow. If you think about just his hit songs, don't forget about these jingles that stick with you.
Speaker 3:It's not a cola, it's something much, much more. It's not a root beer. They're all used by the score Bring Dr Pepper. The joy of every boy and girl.
Speaker 4:It's the most original song Drink ever in the whole wide world, Dr Pepper. Fine speech, my boy Thanks.
Speaker 3:Dad.
Speaker 1:Dr Pepper. There was something about Barry Manilow's commercials. They were epic sound. I mean, they were classy, sounding Very classy. And you know I mentioned to him that he does these in concert and people love it. Here's a little example of Barry in concert doing some of these jingles.
Speaker 4:Do you remember this one?
Speaker 1:Pats Peeps 256.
Speaker 4:There's barking at the kitchen, yelling in the hall, ringing at the doorbell, hounding on the wall, kids out of sight and kids in the way. No time to cook on this hickly day. Come on, come on. Come on, get a bucket of chicken finger lick and good, have a barrel of fun. Goodbye home, hub. Say hello to your family. Come on, everyone, it's Kentucky Fried Chicken. Have a barrel of fun. Oh yeah, how can we forget? Whenever you're driving and wherever you're bound Like a good neighbor.
Speaker 1:You can hear his accent there, that's great.
Speaker 3:Give your face something to smile about. Something to smile about with Stridex Come on over to Stridex for Disco Dazzle.
Speaker 1:Disgusting for Disco Dazzle, that's disgusting. You know, barry Manilow has recorded and released 51 top 40 singles on the adult contemporary chart, including 13 that hit number one, 28 that appeared within the top 10, 36 that reached the top 20. He's released 13 platinum and six multi-platinum albums, you know, and he was never a favorite with a favorite artist of the music critics for whatever reason. Praised, though, by his peers in the recording industry, frank Sinatra, back in the 70s, predicted this man. He's next, I mean. And as well as producing and arranging albums for himself and other artists, barry Manilow has written and performed songs for musicals. He's written music, produced Grammy-nominated albums for Bette Midler, dionne Warwick, nancy Wilson, sarah Vaughan and, like I mentioned to him, he sold more than 85 million albums as a solo artist nationwide. Quite amazing. I am stuck on the band-aid, band-aid stuck on me. I am stuck on the band-aid.
Speaker 4:Band-aid stuck on me. I got the bathroom bowl blues. I've been meaning to start cleaning the bathroom ball.
Speaker 1:Where's the glow down? Vanish, vanish, the bathroom blues. The time Three, four, eight.
Speaker 4:It's the bathroom ball blues.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, monica, yeah, wow. His real name is Barry Allen Pincus, june 17th 1943. So he's about to be 82 years old. About to be 82. And, as I was, if I would have had more time I would have asked him about surpassing Elvis. I alluded to it there, but Elvis Presley's record for the most shows at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. He achieved that milestone September 26, 2023, with his 637th performance, breaking Presley's previous record of 636 shows. And Manilow's record-breaking weekend also included a series of concerts benefiting various charities.
Speaker 4:It's not a cola, because cola's by the score. So drink Dr Pepper, he's told us by the score.
Speaker 3:So drink Dr Pepper, the joy of every boy and girl Mmm it's the most original soft drink ever in the whole wide world.
Speaker 1:Dr Pepper, dr Pepper. I can see him, you know, when he said I don't just sit at the piano, I get up and I entertain. I can see him up on the stage doing this Dr Pepper Making everyone happy. You have to remember this.
Speaker 4:Generation, generation I mean.
Speaker 1:so not only was it the soundtrack of of our, of us, of a generation, you know, growing up listening to their radio songs like this, but it was a soundtrack of our life on television commercials. By the way again, as I mentioned to him, this song, written by Bruce Johnson and the Beach Boys, called I Write the Songs.
Speaker 3:I've been alive forever.
Speaker 1:And I wrote the very first song. I mean, when he breaks this one out in concert, the crowd must just be going insane. Very epic.
Speaker 3:And the melodies together. I am music and I write the songs. I write the songs. I write the songs that make the whole world sing. I write the songs of love and special things, every song he did.
Speaker 1:I mean it just takes you back. If you were listening to radio back in the day 70s, 80s you heard all of these songs. They were on the radio constantly. It's like Elton John. You know I can't smile without you, I can't smile.
Speaker 3:Without you, I can't laugh and I can't smile. Without you, I can't laugh and I can't sing. I'm finding it hard to do anything.
Speaker 1:You see, I feel as I was telling Barry Manilow there. You know, I had such a crush on Mandy Neville in high school and if I could only tell Mandy Navelle that all these years later, because she was so popular, because she was pretty, but she was so popular because the song Mandy was out Mandy Navelle, if you're out there listening by chance, mandy Neville, if you're out there listening by chance I finally got to say your name to Barry Manilow, told him I had a crush on you. I told Barry Manilow about you, mandy.
Speaker 3:Wherever you are, mandy Neville, I hope you're doing well. I remember all my life Raining down as cold as ice Shadows of a man, a face through a window Crying in the night. The night goes into morning Just another day.
Speaker 1:He seemed like a really nice guy too, didn't he? Happy people pass by. He seemed like he was enjoying himself. If I had another hour I mean literally I could have talked to him for another hour easily. I had eight minutes Happy. You made me. Oh man Well, you came and you gave. Well, I'll take it, but I sent you away. Oh man Well, you kissed me and stopped me Again. Barry Manilow coming to the Golden One Center July 19th it is a Saturday. He'll be in Oakland, july 18th. Sap Center, san Jose, july the 20th. It is a Saturday. He'll be in Oakland, july 18th. Sap Center, san Jose, july the 20th. And then the residency in Vegas. And he has a project coming a new album. Thank you to Barry Manilow. Thank you for listening to Pat's Peeps 256. Have a beautiful Tuesday. We'll see you on the radio. Will you kiss me and stop me from shaking?
Speaker 3:And I need you today, oh man.
