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
Harmony
Barry Manilow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unforgettable harmony
Harmony
First there was harmony
And there was rhyme
This was our time
Harmony
And that's just about all we had!
Suddenly
A little harmony
And the poverty's not so bad
Thin, we were
Poor as sin in berlin, we were!
Patches on our pants
Mercif'lly, when you're in harmony
You're in a trance
Others went marching
Not us, we'd dance
No one in grodnogubernia
Ever learned to dance like this!
Spoken:
(Believe it or not I was a rabbi before all this started!
In grodnogubernia yet!)
If you're in grodnogubernia
Tell em', this you shouldn't miss!
Harmony
All arm in arm were we
Well, except when the punches flew
Squabbles, sure
But squabbles don't endure
When there's harmony in the brew
Then did we
Oh, so splendidly blend, did we
Like a spell had come
It was clear
My pals and I could hear
A different drum
Outside they hollered!
But we hadâ?¦harmony!
In this joint
All encounters with counterpoint
End in harmony
And it's clear
No man's a solo here
Not even me
No solo mio!
No we've got harmony!
When we've got harmony
Then just maybe we've got a chance
Harmony, the best is harmony!
And the rest is a song and dance!
Where you find
You're in harmony
There you find
Shelter in a storm
Every note
A button on the coat
That keeps you warm
Stars have the heavens
But we've got harmony!
Harmony!
Harmony!
Harmony!
Troubles disappear
And what you feel is what you hear
Not what you see!
Yes, first there was
Harmony!
The lyrics of Barry Manilow's song, 'Harmony' celebrates the power of harmony amidst poverty and struggles in life. The song reminisces about some of the hardships and little joys that the singers experienced in Grodnogubernia, focusing on the importance of staying together in harmony. The lyrics convey an indulgent feeling that is reminiscent of a time and place that provided a sense of belongingness, despite the difficulties of the era. It spoke of how harmony brings a sense of shelter in a storm, and the different rhythms blending together provide a sense of magic that transforms even the most challenging situations. The song also celebrates friendship and camaraderie, with the singer reminiscing about spending time with his 'pals,' listening to a different drum.
The opening lines repeat the word 'Harmony' and build up to the significance of the word to the author, emphasizing the beauty of the word as a starting point for a song. The refrains reinforce how important harmony is, not just as singers or musicians. The words underline the necessity of working together, blending in different parts, and moving in unison. The chorus repeats the word harmony and stresses the importance of everyone singing together, allowing their voices to blend and create something beautiful. The song reminisces on a time when poverty was rife, and the singers would patch together their garments. But, when they sang together, the impossible transformed into something magical, lifting them up into a trance.
In summary, 'Harmony' is a celebration of the power of music and highlights the need to stay together, despite the challenges. It emphasizes that it is the connection between people that matters most, especially when it comes to creating music. The song powerfully conveys an unspoken elegance with its nostalgic and sentimental lyrics that evoke a sense of community and warmth.
Line by Line Meaning
Harmony
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Unforgettable harmony
Harmony is memorable and significant
Harmony
The importance of harmony is emphasized
First there was harmony
Harmony was the first thing that was achieved
And there was rhyme
Rhyme was also a significant part of the music
This was our time
The time and place of the music was significant
Harmony
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Did we have harmony
The presence of harmony is questioned
And that's just about all we had!
Harmony was a significant part of their lives
Suddenly
Something unexpected happened
A little harmony
Even a small amount of harmony made a huge difference
And the poverty's not so bad
When there is harmony, poverty feels less severe
Thin, we were
They were poor and struggling
Poor as sin in berlin, we were!
They were extremely poor
Patches on our pants
Their clothing was worn and tattered
Mercif'lly, when you're in harmony
Harmony provides relief and comfort
You're in a trance
Harmony can put you in a state of euphoria
Others went marching
Others followed the norm
Not us, we'd dance
They were different and they danced
No one in grodnogubernia
Nobody in their hometown
Ever learned to dance like this!
Their style of dancing was unique
Spoken:
A dialogue is about to happen
(Believe it or not I was a rabbi before all this started!
The singer was previously a rabbi
In grodnogubernia yet!)
In their hometown
If you're in grodnogubernia
For those in their hometown
Tell em', this you shouldn't miss!
Inviting others to witness their unique style of dancing
Harmony
The importance of harmony is emphasized
All arm in arm were we
They were united and together
Well, except when the punches flew
There were occasional fights and arguments
Squabbles, sure
People will always have disagreements
But squabbles don't endure
Disagreements don't matter in the grand scheme of things
When there's harmony in the brew
Things work out when there is harmony
Then did we
At that time
Oh, so splendidly blend, did we
They blended together beautifully
Like a spell had come
Harmony felt magical
It was clear
It was obvious
My pals and I could hear
They were in tune with one another
A different drum
They were not following others
Outside they hollered!
People on the outside were making noise
But we hadâ?¦harmony!
They had something special and unique
In this joint
In this place
All encounters with counterpoint
They were familiar with counterpoint in music
End in harmony
Even encounters with counterpoint eventually end up in harmony
And it's clear
It's obvious
No man's a solo here
Nobody was alone
Not even me
The artist was not alone
No solo mio!
No one had to do things alone
No we've got harmony!
They had harmony and were together
When we've got harmony
When there's harmony, it feels good
Then just maybe we've got a chance
Having harmony is a positive thing
Harmony, the best is harmony!
There's nothing better than harmony
And the rest is a song and dance!
Everything else doesn't matter as long as there's music and dance
Where you find
In any place where
You're in harmony
When there is harmony
There you find
You'll find
Shelter in a storm
Comfort in times of need
Every note
Each sound
A button on the coat
Something that keeps you warm and secure
That keeps you warm
Something that provides comfort
Stars have the heavens
Celebrities have everything
But we've got harmony!
They have something just as special
Harmony!
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Harmony!
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Harmony!
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Harmony!
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Troubles disappear
Problems go away
And what you feel is what you hear
When there's harmony, your emotions and the music are the same
Not what you see!
Your visual perception doesn't matter, only what you hear
Yes, first there was
From the beginning
Harmony!
The importance of harmony is emphasized
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Barry Manilow, Bruce Howard Sussman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Grahamdalorian
I've worked as a concert stagehand, sound engineer and lighting tech for over 25 years. I've worked for just about everyone from Metallica to Celine Dion. No one was more professional and understood his role in all of it more than Manilow. He showed up on time, started the show on time, gave the audience everything they wanted, ended on time and was out the door so we could do our work for the next show. Not a fan of the music itself, but I have the utmost respect for him as a performer.
David Pogue
That's fantastic insight!
Mary Therese Jackson Lutz
He comes across as someone who has his “act” together. Bravo Barry. I am not a fan of his music either but respect his work ethic.
Person 1212
@Mary Therese Jackson Lutz His music was sensational and defined an entire era! To each his/her own though.
Mary Therese Jackson Lutz
@Person 1212 I agree—my mother loved his songs
Isa Isabel
Thank you so much for expression your respect for Barry Manilow as a great professional as he is.
He deserves our empathy, respect and love.
I feel very grateful to you. ❤
Nesto Leon
Barry always seems so grateful for his wonderful career!
Rande Richardson
As always, CBS Sunday Morning does it right. Wonderful career retrospective. Manilow is a legend as stated. It’s a crime that someone who has played such an outstanding role in American music has not been recognized by the Kennedy Center. Here’s to hoping that honor comes soon.
David Hal Chester
AGREED!
Janet K.
YES!!