Barry Manilow (born June 17, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, United States) is … Read Full Bio ↴Barry Manilow (born June 17, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, United States) is an American pop singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana (At the Copa)".

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

Violets For Your Furs
Barry Manilow Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was winter
In Manhattan
Falling snowflakes
Filled the air
The streets
Were covered
With a film of ice
But

A little simple magic
That I'd heard
About somewhere
Changed the weather
All around
Just within a trice

You bought me
Violets for my furs
And it was spring
For a while, remember?
You bought me
Violets for my furs
And there was April
In that December
The snow
Drifted on the flowers
And melted where it lay
The snow looked like dew
On the blossoms
As on a summer day

You bought me
Violets for my furs
And there was blue
In the wintry sky
You pinned
The violets to my furs
And gave a lift
To the crowds passing by
You smiled at me
So sweetly
Since
Then one thought occurs
That we fell
In love completely

The day you bought me
Violets for my furs

Overall Meaning

The song "Violets For Your Furs" by Barry Manilow is a romantic song that talks about a winter in Manhattan where falling snowflakes made the air cold and the streets filled with ice. However, with a little magic that he had heard about, the weather changed all around, creating a beautiful atmosphere. The singer then goes on to describe how his lover bought him violets for his furs, which made it feel like spring temporarily in the cold winter. The flowers were covered in snow, but it looked like dew on blossoms on a summer day.

The central message of the song is about love and how a small gesture can change someone's world. The act of buying violets for the fur changed the atmosphere and added a sense of magic to the story. The song depicts the idea of taking pleasure in small things and how a tiny piece of love can brighten the darkest of winters. The reference to violets represents the idea of innocence, purity, and modesty, which beautifully aligns with the romantic mood.

The song was first recorded in 1950 by Frank Sinatra, a year after the song was written. More than three decades later, Barry Manilow also covered the song, adding his signature style to the classic composition. Interestingly, the song was written by Tom Adair and Matt Dennis, who were both popular during the golden age of Hollywood.

Line by Line Meaning

It was winter
The season was winter

In Manhattan
The setting of the story is New York City

Falling snowflakes
The weather was snowy

Filled the air
The air was full of snowflakes

The streets
The roads of the city

Were covered
They were blanketed

With a film of ice
The snow had frozen over

But
However

A little simple magic
A magical moment

That I'd heard
Something I knew about

About somewhere
From some unknown source