Happy Birthday to the man who "Writes the Songs"

If I could pick one artist who wrote the soundtrack of my youth, it was Barry Manilow. It started in 1974 when his hit single "Mandy" skyrocketed to the top of the Pop charts. He was pretty much an unknown before that, at least to me. I remember hearing on the radio that he was going to be at a local record store, Harmony Hut at Cloverleaf Mall to sign autographs. I didn't go. I wish I had. Who knew that his career would be so phenomenal and last as long as it has when you consider he started as a jingle writer for MacDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, (it wasn't called KFC in my childhood. The word "fried" wasn't taboo yet) State Farm Insurance and countless others? I loved Barry's music. It spoke to me. I also loved it as a vocalist and sang his songs in talent shows throughout high school. His signature, the modulation to at least one higher key or 2 or 3 at the end of almost every song. I think I own every album, on vinyl no less, that he released through "If I Should Love Again" in 1981. That also included "Barry Manilow LIVE" I played that one over and over. It included this really cool medley of all of the jingles he'd written. It also had a song called "Lay Me Down" which I sung for a high school pageant not realizing I was singing about wishing to die. Whoops! I just loved the song! I saw him LIVE twice, an incredible entertainer. And even though it's probably been 25 years since I've heard "Weekend in New England," I can sing every word by heart. I can probably do that with almost all, heck, I can do it with all of his early hits. Now if I could only find someone to transfer my vinyl to CD. ♪♫Last night I said good-bye. Now it seems years. I'm back in the city where nothin' seems clear... ♫♪ Don't lie, you know you're singing along. :)