Barry Manilow - The Greatest Songs of the Fifties

A kind of a variation on Clive Davis' wildly successful American Classic Songbook albums for Rod Stewart, The Greatest Songs of the Fifties finds Barry Manilow singing vocal pop favorites of the Eisenhower era. Although there are songs that are indeed classics of the rock & roll era, there is no rock & roll here. Manilow has picked songs like "Venus," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?," "All I Have to Do Is Dream," and "Unchained Melody" (which originated in the '50s, but the Righteous Brothers had the biggest hit with it in 1965), which were on the pop crossover side of rock & roll in the latter half of the '50s. These are complemented by pop standards -- such as "It's Not for Me to Say," "Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight," "What a Diff'rence a Day Made," "Beyond the Sea" -- on an album that, in terms of repertoire, would not be out of step with the MOR pop LPs Mitch Miller produced at Columbia in the '50s and '60s. Of course, The Greatest Songs of the Fifties is a 2006 release, so it has a slick, semi-synthesized sheen and a warm, hazy glaze of nostalgia which, truth be told, isn't all that far removed from Manilow's big hits of the '70s, when Barry was romanticizing the Copacabana and doing big-band medleys on-stage. Given this, it shouldn't be a shock that Barry comes across as a slick, accomplished professional on these songs, never doing anything surprising but never resorting to hammy shtick, either, the way that Rod occasionally does on his songbook albums. That said, Greatest Songs isn't as rich musically as Rod's records, primarily because Manilow doesn't collaborate with an outside arranger here, or even many other producers: as the back cover says, "all song layouts created by Barry Manilow," and he keeps this within the realm of a nostalgic supper club revue. He does it well and he does it professionally, which will certainly make this record pleasing to his fans, but the record is just a shade too predictable (but never unpleasant) for listeners who aren't already firmly within Manilow's camp. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alyssa Park Violin Armen Garabedian Violin Artie Butler Arranger, Conductor Assa Drori Concert Master, Violin Barbara Porter Violin Barry Manilow Producer, Liner Notes, Arranger, Piano, Layout Design Bill Baker Music Preparation Bill Edwards Music Preparation Brad Warnaar French Horn Brian Benning Violin Bryant Byers Trombone Caroline Buckman Viola Carrie Holzman-Little Viola Charles Bisharette Violin Charles Loper Trombone Charlie Davis Trumpet Chauncey Welsch Trombone Chris Gray Trumpet Christina Soule Celli Clive Davis Liner Notes, Producer Connie Nassios Choir, Chorus Craig Gosnell Trombone Curt Berg Music Preparation Cynthia Moussas Violin Dan Greco Percussion Dan Higgins Saxophone, Woodwind Danielle Ondarza French Horn Danny Perito Music Preparation Dave Carpenter Bass Dave Stone Bass David Benson Producer David Speltz Celli David Stenske Violin Don Shelton Saxophone, Woodwind Doug Walter Conductor, Arranger Dynell Weber Violin Earl Dumler Oboe Eddie Arkin Producer Garry Kief Executive Producer Gary Foster Saxophone, Woodwind Gary Stockdale Vocals (Background) Gayle Levant Harp Gene Cipriano Woodwind, Saxophone George Shelby Saxophone, Woodwind Greg Bartheld Associate Producer Greg Huckins Saxophone, Woodwind Harry Shirinian Viola Irina Voloshina Violin Jeannine Isaacs Music Preparation Jennifer Munday Violin Jennifer Walton Violin Jim Atkinson French Horn JoAnn Kane Music Preparation Joe Melotti Piano Joe Soldo Contractor Joe Stone Oboe John "4 Daddman" Robinson Drums John Krovoza Celli John Mitchell J. Bassoon Jon Joyce Vocals (Background) Jorge Calandrelli Arranger, Conductor Kazi Pitelka Viola Ken Berry Arranger, Conductor, Guitar Ken Welch Vocal Arrangement Kenneth Burward-Hoy Viola Kevin Bassinson Arranger, Conductor Kevin Connolly Violin Larry Blank Arranger, Conductor Larry Corbett Celli Larry Lunetta Trumpet Larry McGuire Trumpet Liane Mautner Violin Marc Hulett Associate Producer Marcia Dickstein Harp Margaret Wooten Violin Mario Diaz de Leon Violin Mark Adams French Horn Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Viola Mike Lent Guitar Mitzie Welch Vocal Arrangement Neel Hammond Violin Olivia Tsui Violin Paul Klintworth French Horn Paula Hochhalter Celli Randy Crenshaw Contractor, Vocals (Background) Ray Ellis Conductor, Arranger Raymond Tischer Viola Rebecca Bunnell Violin Rodney Hurtz Viola Ron Pedley Piano Ronald Clark Violin Ronald Folsom Violin Rowena Hamil Celli Russ McKinnon Drums Samuel Formicola Viola Shari Zippert Violin Sheridon Stokes Flute Stefanie Fife Celli Stephen Ferrera A&R Steve Baxter Trombone Steve Becknell French Horn Steve Welch Piano Steven Juliani Music Preparation Tereza Stanislav Violin Tommy Morgan Harmonica Walter Afanasieff Arranger, Producer Warren Leuning Trumpet Wayne Bergeron Trumpet William Ross Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements Yan To Violin Yeli Lim Music Preparation Yvette Devereaux Violin