''Barry Manilow II'' is the second studio album by

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...

released in 1974. Propelled by the major success of its lead single "

Mandy Mandy or Mandie may refer to: People * Mandy (name), a female given name and nickname * Iván Mándy (1918-1995), Hungarian writer * Mark Mandy (born 1972), Irish retired high jumper * Philip Mandie (born 1942), a former judge on the Supreme Cou ...

" and featuring a further international hit in " It's a Miracle", the album was a commercial breakthrough for Manilow. First issued by

Bell Records Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 in New York City by Arthur Shimkin, the owner of the children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benny ...

, it was reissued after the company was reorganized into

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

. The album's success spawned a notable parody in the picture sleeve of

Ray Stevens Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian, known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "Misty", as well as novelty ...

' 1979 single, " I Need Your Help Barry Manilow".

Track listing

Side 1

#"I Want To Be Somebody's Baby" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:18 #"Early Morning Strangers" (Barry Manilow,

Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...

) - 3:24 #"

" (

Scott English Sheldon David "Scott" English (January 10, 1937 – November 16, 2018) was an American songwriter, arranger and record producer. He is best known as the co-writer of "Brandy" which he wrote with Richard Kerr. This song became a No. 1 hit fo ...

, Richard Kerr) - 3:32 #"The Two of Us" (Barry Manilow,

Marty Panzer Marty Panzer (March 20, 1945) is an American songwriter and first song-writing partner of Barry Manilow. He is the author of over 30 songs recorded by Manilow and over a hundred songs for Disney Pictures. He also co-wrote the song " Through The Ye ...

) - 3:05 #"Something's Comin' Up" (Barry Manilow) - 2:51

Side 2

#" It's a Miracle" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 3:58 #"Avenue C" (

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

Jon Hendricks John Carl Hendricks (September 16, 1921 – November 22, 2017), known professionally as Jon Hendricks, was an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and rep ...

, Dave Lambert) - 2:37 #" My Baby Loves Me" (

Ivy Hunter George Ivy Hunter (August 28, 1940 – October 6, 2022), known as Ivy Jo Hunter, was an American R&B songwriter, record producer and singer, most associated with his work for Motown in the 1960s. Life and career Raised in Detroit, Michigan ...

Sylvia Moy Sylvia Rose Moy (September 15, 1938 – April 15, 2017) was an American songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she ...

William "Mickey" Stevenson William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, a ...

) - 3:18 #" Sandra" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:35 #"Home Again" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 5:34

1996 Remaster

#"I Want To Be Somebody's Baby" #"Early Morning Strangers" #"Mandy" #"The Two of Us" #"Something's Comin' Up" #"It's a Miracle" #"Avenue C" #"My Baby Loves Me" #"Sandra" #"Home Again" Bonus track: #"Halfway Over the Hill"

2006 Expanded Edition

#"I Want To Be Somebody's Baby" #"Early Morning Strangers" #"Mandy" #"The Two of Us" #"Something's Comin' Up" #"It's a Miracle" #"Avenue C" #"My Baby Loves Me" #"Sandra" #Home Again Bonus tracks: #"Good News" #"Halfway Over the Hill"

Charts

Personnel

* Barry Manilow - lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements, acoustic piano (1-6, 9, 10) *

Don Grolnick Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a sessi ...

- acoustic piano (7) * Ellen Starr - acoustic piano (8) * Jon Stroll -

clavinet The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...

(1), electric piano (2-6, 8, 9, 10) * John Barranco - guitar (1, 6) * Dick Frank - guitar (1, 6, 8, 9, 10) * Bob Mann - guitar (1, 6, 10) * Charlie Brown - guitar (2, 3, 10) *

Stuart Scharf Stuart Scharf (1941 – November 8, 2007) was an American composer, guitarist, and record producer. Scharf grew up in Crown Heights and attended Winthrop Junior High School. Scharf graduated, with honors, from CCNY in 1962 (mathematics majo ...

- guitar (2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10) * Sam T. Brown - guitar (7) *

Will Lee William Lee (born William Lubovsky; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hooper' ...

- bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 6) * Russell George - bass (4, 8, 9, 10) * Bob Cranshaw - bass (7) * Chris Parker - drums (1, 6) * Jimmy Young - drums (2, 3, 5) * Bill Lavorgna - drums (7) *

Allan Schwartzberg Allan Schwartzberg (born December 28, 1942) is an American musician and record producer. He has been a member of the rock band Mountain, Peter Gabriel's first solo band, toured with Brecker Brothers' Dreams, B.J. Thomas, Linda Rondstadt, Stan Get ...

- drums (8, 9, 10) * Lee Gurst - percussion (1, 6) * Norman Pride - congas (1, 2, 5-8, 10) * George Young - saxophone (2) *

Artie Kaplan Artie Kaplan is an American recording artist, songwriter and a session musician. He has also been a music contractor where he was hired to musicians for sessions. In the 1960s, he was casting musicians for sessions for Aldon Music. When musicia ...

- saxophone (6) * Stanley Schwartz: saxophone (6) * Jack Cortner - horn and string arrangements *

Ron Dante Ron Dante (born Carmine John Granito, August 22, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, session vocalist, and record producer. Dante is best known as the real life lead singer of the fictional cartoon band the Archies; he was also the voice o ...

- backing vocals * Melvin Kent - backing vocals (1) * Ken Williams - backing vocals (1) * Charlotte Crossley - backing vocals (6) * Robin Grean - backing vocals (6) *

Sharon Redd Sharon Redd (October 19, 1945 – May 1, 1992) was an American singer from New York City. She was the half sister of Snap! singer Penny Ford. Life and career Sharon Redd was born on October 19, 1945 in Norfolk, Virginia, to Gene and Katherine Re ...

- backing vocals (6)

Production

* Producers: Barry Manilow and Ron Dante * Engineers: Bruce Tergesen,

Harry Maslin Harry Maslin is an American record producer, recording/mixing engineer, and studio owner/designer. In the mid-1970s, he engineered No. 1 hits for Barry Manilow (" Mandy"), and Dionne Warwick & The Spinners (" Then Came You"). As a producer, his c ...

and Michael DeLugg * Recorded at

The Hit Factory The Hit Factory is a recording studio in New York City owned and operated by Troy Germano. History On March 6, 1975, Edward Germano, a singer, record producer, and one of the principal owners of the Record Plant Studios New York, purchased the ...

and Mediasound Recording Studios (New York City) * Design: The Music Agency * Front Cover Photo:

Joel Brodsky Joel Lee Brodsky (October 7, 1939 – March 1, 2007) was an American photographer, best known for his photography of musicians, particularly his iconic "Young Lion" photographs of Jim Morrison. In his lifetime, he is credited with photographing o ...

* Back Liner Photo: Linda Allen

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1974 albums Barry Manilow albums Bell Records albums Arista Records albums Albums produced by Ron Dante Albums with cover art by Joel Brodsky