MANILOW MAGIC [1982]

Released in 1982 as sort of a booster rocket to sales of 1981's If I Should Love Again album, Manilow Magic featured sixteen Barry Manilow songs, all but four of which made both the Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts. The album is unique in that it has a K-tel matrix number and is packaged as most K-Tel albums were back in 1982. However, the record itself features Arista labels with no mention of K-Tel to be found.   Only the lower part of the album's rear cover shines the light with the line: 
Distributed and Marketed by K-Tel International, Inc.
Not only was Manilow Magic issued in the United States but it was also stocked in Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom as well as other European countries.  Though the album maintained a somewhat similar tracklisting internationally, depending on the country of origin, Manilow Magic featured just 12-14 songs instead of the sixteen American fans got for their money.  Below are the Japan, Italy and UK covers, respectively


Manilow collectors were quick to note that the title Manilow Magic had been previously used as the title of a 1979 compilation that gave buyers the option of a more affordable single disc hits collection rather than the more expensive 1978 double album which was an extravagant package that could have fit on a single nineteen track record.


MANILOW MAGIC [K-TEL 1982]
21.88
Billboard Top 40s
PopCOUR&BDiscoACCBWLS
This One's For You291217
I Made It Through The Rain10418
Somewhere In The Night941320
All The Time
Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again101108
Losing Touch
Ready To Take A Chance Again115710
I Write The Songs1111
Can't Smile Without You3122
Mandy1111
I Don't Want To Walk Without You362(43)
Daybreak237218
You're Leaving Too Soon
Even Now19117
Could It Be Magic6476
One Voice

1 comment:

  1. Yikes! that's a low score on the K-Tel scale. Never fear, this Fanilow scores it at 88 on the SRK scale. I owned "the more expensive 1978 double album" and wore that puppy out.

    MIA from this compilation: It's a Miracle, Weekend in New England, Looks Like We Made It, Copacabana, Ships, When I Wanted You.

    ReplyDelete