In 1978, five of his albums were on the best-selling charts simultaneously, a feat equaled only by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Mathis. He has recorded a string of Billboard hit singles and multi-platinum albums that have resulted in his being named Radio & Records number one Adult Contemporary artist and winning three straight American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. Several well-known entertainers have given Manilow their "stamp of approval," including Sinatra, who was quoted in the 1970s regarding Manilow, "He's next." In 1988, Bob Dylan stopped Manilow at a party, hugged him and said, "Don't stop what you're doing, man. We're all inspired by you."
As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists, such as Bette Midler and Dionne Warwick, Manilow has written songs for musicals, films, and commercials. From February 2005 to December 30, 2009, he was the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton, performing hundreds of shows before ending relationship with the hotel. From March 2010, he has headlined at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide
Brandy
Barry Manilow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And dishes in the sink
Your side of the bed is cold
I haven't slept a wink
So I read your goodbye letter
To the face inside my drink
Lay me down and roll me out to sea
And some pictures in my mind
A pocketful of memories
I never thought I'd find
And it's rainin' like a Monday
And the world seems so unkind
Lay me down and roll me out to sea
Lay me down roll me out to sea
Callin' on a mighty wave to cover me
Lay me down roll me out to sea
Heaven if you're ready shine your light on me
Now listen to my story cause I haven't told it all
I saw her with her new love
She turned to me and called
When they asked, how ya' doin'?
I coulda' crumbled like a wall
So lay me down and roll me out to sea
Lay me down roll me out to sea
Callin' on a mighty wave to cover me
Lay me down roll me out to sea
Heaven if you're ready shine your light on me
Barry Manilow's song Brandy is an emotional ballad about heartbreak and loss. The song's opening lyrics set the tone for the sad tale about a relationship that has ended. The dust on the piano and dishes in the sink suggest that the singer has let his life go a little bit since his lover left him. The reference to the cold side of the bed implies that he is struggling to sleep without his partner by his side. The most powerful image in the first verse is the line, "I read your goodbye letter to the face inside my drink." This suggests that the singer is drowning his sorrows, and the drink is a stand-in for the person he has lost.
In the chorus, the singer asks to be laid down and rolled out to sea. This could be interpreted as a desire to be washed clean of his pain and heartache. He talks about having memories and pictures of his lover, but they only seem to cause him more pain. The line, "And it's rainin' like a Monday, and the world seems so unkind" highlights his despair and sense of hopelessness. The second verse adds another layer of sadness to the song, with the singer revealing that he has seen his ex-lover with her new partner. The fact that she speaks to him as if nothing has changed makes him feel like he could "crumble like a wall." As the song comes to an end, the singer continues to ask to be laid down and rolled out to sea, hoping that heaven will shine a light on him.
Line by Line Meaning
Got dust on my piano
My living space is neglected and lacks upkeep
And dishes in the sink
There is work to be done around the house
Your side of the bed is cold
The singer's romantic partner has left, causing emotional pain
I haven't slept a wink
The singer is having trouble sleeping due to emotional distress
So I read your goodbye letter
The singer is re-reading a letter from their partner that expresses that they have ended the relationship
To the face inside my drink
The singer is using alcohol to cope with their emotions
Lay me down and roll me out to sea
The singer desires to be free from their pain and move on from the relationship
Got your picture in my wallet
The singer carries a photo of their former partner with them
And some pictures in my mind
The singer has memories of their former partner that they can't forget
A pocketful of memories
The singer has many memories of their past relationship that they hold onto
I never thought I'd find
The singer didn't expect to have such strong memories of the past
And it's rainin' like a Monday
The gloomy weather reflects the singer's emotional state
And the world seems so unkind
The singer feels the world is against them
Lay me down roll me out to sea
The singer desires release from their pain
Callin' on a mighty wave to cover me
The singer metaphorically seeks a wave to take them away from their troubles
Heaven if you're ready shine your light on me
The singer seeks divine guidance to help them through their troubles
Now listen to my story cause I haven't told it all
The singer has more to say about their situation
I saw her with her new love
The singer saw their former partner with a new romantic interest
She turned to me and called
The former partner acknowledged the singer's presence
When they asked, how ya' doin'?
When asked about how they are doing, the singer was at risk of falling apart
I coulda' crumbled like a wall
The singer was in a vulnerable state and could have easily broken down emotionally
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICHARD KERR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
defdaz
I remember all my life
Raining down as cold as ice
Shadows of a man
A face through a window
Crying in the night
And night goes into
Morning, just another day
Happy people pass my way
Looking in their eyes
I see a memory
I never realized
You made me happy
Oh, Brandy, well, you came
And you gave without taking
But I sent you away
Oh, Brandy, well, you kissed me
And stopped me from shaking
And I need you today
Oh, Brandy
I'm standing on the edge of time
I walked away when love was mine
Caught up in a world
Of uphill climbing
When tears are in my mind
And nothing's rhyming
Oh, Brandy, well, you came
And you gave without taking
But I sent you away
Oh, Brandy, well, you kissed me
And stopped me from shaking
And I need you today
Oh, Brandy
Riding on a country bus
No one even noticed us
Yesterday's a dream
A feast of mourning
Crying on the breeze
The pain is calling
Oh, Brandy, well, you came
And you gave without taking
But I sent you away
Oh, Brandy, well, you kissed me
And stopped me from shaking
And I need you today
Oh, Brandy, well, you came
And you gave without taking
But I sent you away
Oh, Brandy, well, you kissed me
And stopped me from shaking
And I need you today
Oh, Brandy
Sue Clayton
So many people didn't believe me when I told them about this song coming before Mandy so now I can just tell them to look it up on you tube. Thank you for having it here.
M_Christine
@Lady Harmony I will do the same
M_Christine
This is an even more beautiful version
Lady Harmony
@Deborah Jordan....I mean the youtubers that react to songs. I would like them to react to this version. Requested it but don't know if they saw
Deborah Jordan
@Lady Harmony what do you mean "reactors?"
Lady Harmony
i would like the music reactors to take a listen
Paul Callas
I never knew this one existed, either. You can hear the emotion in his vocals. Thank you for sharing. This is great!!!
Laurie Chadwick
OMG this version. This. In one of the comments, someone mentioned this being about alcoholism and from that lens, this whole song, lyrics, now makes sense. I was today years old when I found out about these two other versions of this song. But this one. O M G. WOW. I'm so moved. It's brilliant. I miss the music from the 70s, about profound topics and emotions, and raw not perfect, slick performances. Wow again.
sbphillips177
Yes!! key word for me "NOT perfect" striving.....
kevscranes
I always thought this song was about alcoholism just living one day to the next. Scott's version has so much raw emotion than Barry's technically perfect version . When you came and you stopped me from shaking oh brandy. Anyway both very moving to listen to.