Barry Manilow II explained

Barry Manilow II
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Barry Manilow
Cover:	Barrysecondalbum.jpg
Released:	October 1, 1974 1996 (re-release) 2006 (re-release)
Studio:	Hit Factory, New York City Mediasound, New York City
Genre:	Pop^[1] easy listening
Length:	38:14 (original release) 41:37 (1996 re-release) 44:23 (2006 re-release)
Label:	Bell Arista (Re-release)
Producer:	Barry Manilow, Ron Dante
Prev Title:	Barry Manilow
Prev Year:	1973
Next Title:	Tryin' to Get the Feeling
Next Year:	1975

Barry Manilow II is the second studio album by Barry Manilow released in 1974. Propelled by the major success of its lead single "Mandy" and featuring a further international hit in "It's a Miracle", the album was a commercial breakthrough for Manilow.^[2] First issued by Bell Records, it was reissued after the company was reorganized into Arista Records. The album's success spawned a notable parody in the picture sleeve of Ray Stevens' 1979 single, "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow".

Album peaked at #29 on Canada’s RPM Album Chart.

Track listing

Side 1

1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:18
2. "Early Morning Strangers" (Barry Manilow, Hal David) - 3:24
3. "Mandy" (Scott English, Richard Kerr) - 3:32
4. "The Two of Us" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 3:05
5. "Something's Comin' Up" (Barry Manilow) - 2:51

Side 2

1. "It's a Miracle" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 3:58
2. "Avenue C" (Buck Clayton, Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert) - 2:37
3. "My Baby Loves Me" (Ivy Hunter, Sylvia Moy, William "Mickey" Stevenson) - 3:18
4. "Sandra" (Barry Manilow, Enoch Anderson) - 4:35
5. "Home Again" (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer) - 5:34

1996 Remaster

1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby"
2. "Early Morning Strangers"
3. "Mandy"
4. "The Two of Us"
5. "Something's Comin' Up"
6. "It's a Miracle"
7. "Avenue C"
8. "My Baby Loves Me"
9. "Sandra"
10. "Home Again"

Bonus track:

1. "Halfway Over the Hill"

2006 Expanded Edition

1. "I Want To Be Somebody's Baby"
2. "Early Morning Strangers"
3. "Mandy"
4. "The Two of Us"
5. "Something's Comin' Up"
6. "It's a Miracle"
7. "Avenue C"
8. "My Baby Loves Me"
9. "Sandra"
10. Home Again

Bonus tracks:

1. "Good News"
2. "Halfway Over the Hill"

Charts

Chart (1974/75)	Position
United States (Billboard 200)^[3]	9
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4]	66

Personnel

• Barry Manilow - lead vocals, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements, acoustic piano (1-6, 9, 10)
• Don Grolnick - acoustic piano (7)
• Ellen Starr - acoustic piano (8)
• Jon Stroll - clavinet (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 - guitar (2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10)
• Sam T. Brown - guitar (7)
• Will Lee - 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 - drums (8, 9, 10)
• Lee Gurst - percussion (1, 6)
• Norman Pride - congas (1, 2, 5-8, 10)
• George Young - saxophone (2)
• Artie Kaplan - saxophone (6)
• Stanley Schwartz: saxophone (6)
• Jack Cortner - horn and string arrangements
• Ron Dante - backing vocals
• Melvin Kent - backing vocals (1)
• Ken Williams - backing vocals (1)
• Charlotte Crossley - backing vocals (6)
• Robin Grean - backing vocals (6)
• Sharon Redd - backing vocals (6)

Production

• Producers: Barry Manilow and Ron Dante
• Engineers: Bruce Tergesen, Harry Maslin and Michael DeLugg
• Recorded at The Hit Factory and Mediasound Recording Studios (New York City)
• Design: The Music Agency
• Front Cover Photo: Joel Brodsky
• Back Liner Photo: Linda Allen

References

1. Book: Ruhlmann, William. Barry Manilow. Bogdanov. Vladimir. Erlewine . Michael . Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . Unterberger . Richie . Woodstra . Chris. January 1, 1997. AllMusic Guide to Rock. Miller Freeman, Inc.. San Francisco. 577.
2. We began! . Cash Box . 17 May 1975 . 11 . 4 February 2022.
3. Web site: Birds of Fire - Mahavishnu Orchestra | Awards | AllMusic . allmusic.com . 1 January 2014.
4. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 191.