Barry Manilow “A Very Strange Medley” Reaction | Asia and BJ

[@davehess1019]

Barry Manilow was a jingle writer before he became a singer song writer , he wrote all the jingles you're listening to

[@riverebec1]

He didn't write all of them; some of them he just sang.

[@davehess1019]

@@riverebec1 yes , he did write all of them, that's what he did before he became what he is today, he was a jingle writer

[@riverebec1]

@@davehess1019 Yes, I've been following his career since the 1970s. He talked about his jingle writing days on the talk shows of the time and said he preferred to sing on jingles rather than just write them because singers get residuals. So, he didn't always write the jingles he sang on, such as the Dr. Pepper commercial. He has a musical opening on Broadway next month.

[@spenguinfan2967]

No. He wrote State Farm, Stridex, and Band Aid. Randy Newman wrote Dr. Pepper. Other writers wrote McDonalds, Pepsi, etc. He reportedly made $500 for Like a Good Neighbor.

[@soulcornflake1]

The Debbie that sings that final note on the McDonald's jingle is Debra Byrd, who was a longtime behind the scenes vocal coach on American Idol.

[@melodymcdonald2140]

When Barry wrote the State Farm commercial song back in 1971, he was paid a flat $500 for it. No residuals, never received another dime. That song has been in use in some form for more than 50 years now… he said had he known he would have have asked for more money! 😁. He sang on the McDonalds commercial so he did he did get residuals for that… he said that one paid for his first Steinway piano!

[@scapito]

💜

[@catherinedorney6092]

❤❤

[@angelagraves865]

Omg, I'm 7 yrs old again. Lol My mom had this record and I knew every word of it. Barry was the first concert I ever went to. 🤣💜

[@jackiegoodspeed1849]

Awww lucky you. My dad went and didn't take me. I was sooo mad.

[@hopemurphy9093]

I was a teen in the 70’s and Barry obsessed. I took my daughter to see him when she was 14. She now has my live album and cherishes it.

[@riverebec1]

@@hopemurphy9093 Sounds like you and I spent our teen years equally obsessed.

[@scapito]

Y'all know I'm a Fanilow. He's so talented and such a wonderful human. 💜 Thanks for doing this one. Was curious how many of these you'd recognize. Barry was a popular jingle writer and back up singer/ piano player (notably for Bette Middler) before making it big. Most of the jingles were purchased as a flat fee... no royalties. He was doing whatever he had to do to make $ and get his name out there.

[@melodymcdonald2140]

Right… he only got royalties when he sang on the commercial. Luckily he was in demand and did a lot of commercials… we had no idea he was so popular before Mandy came out… 😁

[@scapito]

@@melodymcdonald2140 💜

[@marylee7467]

How cool is that, that he wrote all these? I love his medley of these. Lol

[@rickgibson4641]

When Barry was working at the CBS mail room, he had a friend he was working for one of the advertising agencies there a New York. Knowing that Barry was a musician and attending Juilliard, his friend told him names of different accounts that they were handling and told Barry that if he ever could write a jingle and they decided to use it that he would get $500 a pop. That’s all that he made off. Those jingles was $500 each. Some of them were used for quite a while like the state farm in Band-Aid for instance

[@riverebec1]

I remember the Band Aid commercial very well. A very young John Travolta was in that commercial!

[@riverebec1]

I was in high school when this album came out. This is the jingles medley where he sang all the jingles he either wrote or sang on before his own music career took off. Haven't listened to it in years! It still makes me laugh!!

[@williambanks2223]

One thing everyone fails to mention, i think, is that Barry used to be Bette Midler's pianist. He was a great jingle writer.

[@GrammyTapDancing]

He wrote commercials before he became famous check out his greatest hits.

[@davidbanachek7966]

I bought that album when it first came out in 1977. I was 12 yo. Most jingles don't last forever. Marketing departments will eventually change their marketing campaigns including the associated jingles, but some jingles endure. He wrote some memorable ones.

[@jamielandis4308]

We always loved this back in the day because knew all of these! I think you may be the first folks to react to this. My favorite Manilow song is “I Write The Songs.” These jingles are all from the 70’s.

[@johnnyborealis]

saw barry in the early eighties, great showman and very funny, doesn't take himself so seriously

[@CarmenFlores-id8dh]

What might have sounded like “Trident” is in reality “Stridex”. It was an anti-acne medication that was used in the 60s and 70s.

[@jackiegoodspeed1849]

Going out for chicken now. Man that bandaid one. Memories

[@surlechapeau]

Asia & BJ, you’ll love his "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", "Looks Like We Made It" and "Copacabana"!!!!

[@jackiegoodspeed1849]

All Manilow sings. So glad he was remembered.

[@charlessheifer2264]

Barry Manilow is a prolific song writer, He was also one of the writers for the "American Bandstand" theme.

[@michellecasey5752]

What a blast from the past. I was very very young when these were made, so you were not even alive when he did these originally.

[@davehess1019]

Barry Manilow Live was released 1977, I was 11 going on 12 , wow

[@ryanfeit1420]

Barry Manilow also wrote and sang the song "Bandstand Boogie". That song was the introduction to the long running dance show "American Bandstand" which was, of course, hosted by the legendary Dick Clark. "Bandstand Boogie" was played as the introduction to the show starting in 1975 until September 5, 1987 which was the last show to air on the regular networks. A couple of weeks later the show would be syndicated and did not play Mannilow's signature song. That last season from September 1987-May 1988 had its own theme song and the ratings dropped drastically until the show got cancelled. There are some full episodes of this show on youtube now, especially the mid to late 70's and the early to mid 1980's. These are really fun to watch. Asia and BJ, I recommend that you watch some of these episodes (and "Soul Train") for a good dose of nostalgia. Great reaction, btw!!!

[@lkms338]

Awwwww I remember all of these!!

[@PaulCarpenter-qt6bc]

The live album was released/performed in 1976, and part of this live performance was done around New Year's Eve 1976

[@SheilaStory-mn8kc]

Very talented man, nothing he can't do ❤😅😅😂

[@paulrt3]

When commercials were actually good, and people would sing the jingles!

[@jackiegoodspeed1849]

And sex wasn't thrown in all the time for good measure. Some of the commercials today are disgusting.

[@sergioalpert66]

"Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" has stood the test of time. I can't think of a jingle that has lasted over 50 years like that one has. Barry doesn't get any royalties from it. State Farm owns the jingle. Best purchase State Farm ever made.

[@maggynewtown3500]

Just like many artists wrote for others before they performed themselves, Manilow wrote many commercial jingles. I still have the album pictured.

[@mcm0324]

It's fun that he's still so proud of the jingles he wrote and enjoys them! It shows that every superstar started somewhere and worked their way up through hard work. He was then Bette Midler's piano player and she saw more in him and helped him with his singing career.

[@michellekeyes1507]

When this album came out, we all knew everyone of these jingles. He is an amazing talent - try Copacabana or Mandy.

[@davehess1019]

you should check out some of his great music, " This one's for you" All the time" " somewhere in the night" " Even now" " As sure as I'm standing here" " Outta be home with me" great great songs

[@ApricotRse]

Barry either sang or wrote all of the jingles in the medley. He wrote the melody for the State Farm jingle (the company provided him with the lyrics already written) and a female sang in it the actual ads. He wrote both the melody and lyrics for the Band-Aid jingle, but did not sing it. He wrote and sang on the Stridex (not Trident) jingle -- that was a pimple cream for teenagers back in the day. Barry only sang the "Feelin' Free" jingle for Pepsi and the "You Deserve A Break Today" jingle for McDonalds. He said the real money was in singing the jingles because the singer got continuous residuals for repeat play. A composer got paid one time only for the finished product...hence, he was paid a flat $500 for the State Farm jingle which they are STILL using nearly 50 years later. Barry often jokingly refers to that song as his biggest hit! Please react to more Barry -- I recommend the ballad "Even Now" next.

[@yourebusted5786]

It was more relevant then because they were the current ads. He wrote all of those jingles. Even though I'm not a big fan of his, that album has its moments.

[@trhansen3244]

Oh. You are a Manilow fan. Peter Griffin!

[@richiewest7495]

he the jingle master

[@brendarobbins3685]

I don't know who you guys are, but I am now a subscriber because you promote Manilow

[@scottmurray3490]

I hope you can react to his biggest hits LIVE. He is amazing & concistant live and sooo passionate. Emotional stuff- so brilliant

[@davehess1019]

Bette Midler used to be one of his backup singers , that's where she got her start

[@scapito]

Other way around I think. He worked for her playing piano and singing backup... right around the time his name was just starting to surface in the biz.

[@allenwhitmer8192]

@@scapito Right

[@kathieovercash8414]

He has written so many beautiful songs. There's a couple of songs I would really like for you to react to. I think you will love them. Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill. High On You, The Search Is Over, and Burning Heart by Survivor.

[@tylerhackner9731]

Love his stuff

[@scapito]

💜

[@keithminer9447]

Was at the concert that this was taped. Ravinia outside of Chicago

[@brendarobbins3685]

Don't sleep 😴 on Barry he brings the hits even with his jingles ...

[@charlenewebb5893]

Barry Wrote them all .I remember Lol

[@kreg517]

The reason he did all these jingles is, because he wrote all of them!!

[@GrumpyOldGuyPlaysGames]

Guy's got to feed himself somehow before he hits the big break, and Barry did it by singing and writing commercial jingles.

[@kensommers1646]

Just saw him in Veagas 2 weeks back, he still sounds great. React to the live version of " Trying to get the Feeling again".

[@yournamehere6002]

Vegas

[@susansinofsky1558]

he wrote all of these jingles!

[@ApricotRse]

One other fun fact: After after his first hit album, Barry decided he would still not quit his lucrative jingle writing and singing career unless he could follow up with a second hit album (which he did). He said he saw too many flash-in-the-pan pop stars who were one hit wonders that could not follow up their first success with another and he would not be one of them. Ironically, after 6 smash albums (including the one you have here, "Barry Manilow Live" and constant sold out tours, Barry discovered in 1979 that he had only $11K in the bank. The man in charge of his finances did not cheat him. Instead, he was very well meaning, but incompetent. Barry hired another business manager and began rebuilding the fortune he lost.

[@marywright2239]

Hey u guys I am a first time lister of 28 (82) and I am just living u both but reach up and play Ms Betty Wright, and Barry White

[@Hopefully_Sohyang]

💛

[@444kimmie]

He wrote them all. React to. “I write the songs”. State Farm since he wrote it for them. He wrote this song in 86 he wrote jingles before becoming known

[@MelodyDodd-l1p]

He wrote all these ad jingles

[@michaelasay8587]

Hey you 2...do the rest of his music!

[@trhansen3244]

I like the song I Write the Songs, Tryin' to get the Feeling and a few others. He's not as good as Elvis but he's better than Michael Jackson. Now I know that's not correct to say. But I am entitled to my own opinions. Until liberals attain complete power and shut down all dissenting voices. But that's at least a decade away.

[@supergacela]

yo todavía tengo el LP de ese concierto

[@kensternation]

It wasn't "name-dropping" these were all jingles that HE wrote.

[@healthhappiness5507]

He wrote those jingles

[@jimmiegentry7389]

He wrote the jingles before he got famous

[@terrihaleyssugarshack]

He wrote all of those jingles before he made it big.

[@markoes28]

H👽Mack ⚠️⚠️ Guerrilla Bars #33 ⚠️⚠️ It's one of those that's just stupid from beginning to end, to much 🔥🔥🔥

[@catherinedorney6092]

You deserve a break today! And he did the im a pepper hes a pepper shes a pepper wouldnt you want to be a peppertoo...dr pepper

[@wendymrazek1905]

Please react to Dimash " The Story of One Sky " live version it's a Masterpeace and " El amor en ti" ( four Dimash in one) 🙏

[@carmodyrowing]

Wish you two would swap seats so I don't have to keep turning my headphones around....

[@smw4628]

I know for a fact that he stole all these jingles from Charlie Harper.

[@trhansen3244]

You better back that up with some solid gossip or I will be forced to taunt you.