The story Barry Manilow, his friends and associates tell in the liner notes to his four-CD/one-VHS box set retrospective The Complete Collection And Then Some... is about a contemporary pop songwriter who is reluctantly transformed into an interpretive singer; becomes an easy-listening, commercial pop superstar to his surprise (and, to some extent, dismay); and, through travail, reclaims his original vision by writing and performing neo-classic pop with tinges of jazz and show music. The trouble with this story is that when you play the album, you still hear a lot of earnest, piano-based romantic ballads, the singer's own tunes virtually indistinguishable from those of others. David Martin, co-author of "Can't Smile Without You," frankly admits that he stole the song's title from a greeting card, but Manilow's own lyric collaborators don't dig much deeper. Manilow's real talents lie in arrangement -- he always puts in enough modulations, tempo shifts, and instrumental development to maintain interest -- and in his singing, which retains sincerity and some buoyancy despite the unrelieved plaintiveness of the melodies and lyrics. It's lonely housewife music, to be sure, but Manilow's performances transform it. His subsequent forays into Latin, jazz, classic pop, and show music are the works of an enthusiastic amateur, but no less winning for that, except for a few occasions that reveal a lack of taste. Like other box sets assembled in the early '90s, The Complete Collection And Then Some... tipped the scales more toward unreleased material. There were a few newly recorded songs, and a few that had been left off Manilow's regular albums, but the bulk of the previously unreleased material consisted of live performances, demos, and alternate takes. Many of the big hits are only heard in alternate versions, meaning that this was aimed at Manilow fans for whom the original demo of "Mandy," on which the singer accidentally sang "Brandy" (the song's original title), was more valuable. The set also included an hour-long video, Barry Manilow Performances, Volume One: The Highlights, which employed footage from Manilow's television appearances of the 1970s and '80s. [The Complete Collection was reissued in 2005 with a bonus fifth disc of DVD material.] ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Lily Tomlin (Performer), Barbara Cook (Performer), Ian Hunter (Liner Notes), Melissa Manchester (Vocals (Background)), Barry Manilow (Synthesizer), Barry Manilow (Piano), Barry Manilow (Arranger), Barry Manilow (Drums), Barry Manilow (Keyboards), Barry Manilow (Vocals), Barry Manilow (Vocals (Background)), Barry Manilow (Producer), Barry Manilow (Main Performer), Barry Manilow (Liner Notes), Barry Manilow (Compilation), Barry Manilow (Rhythm Arrangements), Barry Manilow (Choir Arrangement), Pat Coil (Piano), Tim Heintz (Synthesizer), Tim Heintz (Keyboards), Jeremy Lubbock (Arranger), Jeremy Lubbock (Conductor), Jeremy Lubbock (Keyboards), Jeremy Lubbock (Producer), Jeremy Lubbock (Liner Notes), Jeremy Lubbock (String Arrangements), Shelly Manne (Drums), Bill Mays (Piano), Bill Mays (Keyboards), Gerry Mulligan (Sax (Baritone)), John Patitucci (Bass), Bill Reichenbach Jr. (Trombone), Bill Reichenbach Jr. (Horn), Sam Riney (Saxophone), Tom Scott (Sax (Tenor)), Lorraine Feather (Vocals (Background)), David Foster (Arranger), David Foster (Producer), David Foster (Synthesizer Bass), Bill Champlin (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Corbetta (Keyboards), Ron Dante (Vocals (Background)), Ron Dante (Producer), Randy Edelman (Liner Notes), Bruce Johnston (Liner Notes), Davey Johnstone (Guitar), Richard Kerr (Liner Notes), Jimmy Maelen (Percussion), Peter Matz (Conductor), Roger Powell (Synthesizer), Jim Steinman (Arranger), Jim Steinman (Director), Jim Steinman (Producer), Michael Thompson (Guitar), Jay Mitchell (Synthesizer), Jay Mitchell (Keyboards), Sharon Redd (Vocals (Background)), Hinton Battle (Performer), Paul Shaffer (Piano (Electric)), Charlie Skarbek (Arranger), Charlie Skarbek (Producer), Mireille Mathieu (Performer), Will Rogers (Engineer), George Duvivier (Bass), Charlie Brown (Guitar), Kathe Green (Vocals (Background)), Allen Abrahamson (Engineer), Gerald Alters (Horn Arrangements), Gerald Alters (String Arrangements), Adrienne Anderson (Vocals (Background)), Adrienne Anderson (Liner Notes), Janfred Arendsen (Engineer), Eddie Arkin (Synthesizer), Eddie Arkin (Guitar (Acoustic)), Eddie Arkin (Arranger), Eddie Arkin (Keyboards), Eddie Arkin (Vocals (Background)), Eddie Arkin (Producer), Eddie Arkin (Liner Notes), Eddie Arkin (Horn Arrangements), John Arrias (Engineer), Alan Axelrod (Keyboards), Kevin Axt (Bass), Bob Babbitt (Bass), John Barranco (Guitar), Kevin Bassinson (Piano), Kevin Bassinson (Keyboards), Dennis Belfield (Bass), Dick Berkhe (Orchestration), Shawn Berman (Assistant Engineer), Ginger Blake (Vocals (Background)), Michael Boddicker (Synthesizer), John Bogosian (Engineer), Susan Boyd (Vocals (Background)), Michael Braunstein (Engineer), Michael Braunstein (Digital Engineer), Patti Brooks (Vocals (Background)), Bruce Broughton (Conductor), Vanessa Brown (Percussion), Billy Byers (Orchestral Arrangements), Monica Burruss (Vocals (Background)), Artie Butler (Arranger), Artie Butler (Conductor), Artie Butler (Orchestration), Artie Butler (Horn Arrangements), Artie Butler (String Arrangements), Debra Byrd (Conductor), Debra Byrd (Vocals), Debra Byrd (Vocals (Background)), Debra Byrd (Choir Director), Greg Calbi (Mastering), Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums), Laura Creamer (Vocals (Background)), Randy Crenshaw (Vocals (Background)), Charlotte Crossley (Vocals (Background)), Raymond Crossley (Keyboards), Dirk Dalton (Engineer), Michael Delugg (Producer), Michael Delugg (Engineer), Michael Delugg (Associate Producer), Michael Delugg (Remixing), Michael Delugg (Mixing), Lawrence Dermer (Arranger), Lawrence Dermer (Vocals (Background)), Lawrence Dermer (Producer), Kevin DiSimone (Vocals (Background)), Linda Dillard (Vocals (Background)), Rory Dodd (Vocals (Background)), Rory Dodd (Vocal Arrangement), Steven Donaghey (Bass), Kevin Ellman (Drums), Scott English (Liner Notes), Claude Ermelin (Arranger), Emilio Estefan, Jr. (Producer), Alan Estes (Percussion), Gary Falcone (Vocals (Background)), Dennis Farac (Guitar), Michael Federal (Bass), Michael Federal (Vocals), Donna Fein (Vocals (Background)), Jack Feldman (Liner Notes), John Ferraro (Drums), Michael Fisher (Percussion), Simon Franglen (Engineer), Simon Franglen (Synclavier), Dick Frank (Guitar), Mike Fuller (Digital Mastering), Steve Gadd (Drums), Leon Gaer (Bass), Joe Galdo (Arranger), Joe Galdo (Vocals (Background)), Joe Galdo (Producer), Claude Gaudette (Synthesizer), Bob Gaudio (Producer), Norman Gimbel (Liner Notes), Gary Grant (Trumpet), Gary Grant (Horn), Robin Grean (Vocals (Background)), Ed Greene (Drums), Lee Gurst (Percussion), Lee Gurst (Conductor), Lee Gurst (Drums), Jim Haas (Vocals (Background)), Bud Harner (Percussion), Bud Harner (Drums), Norman Harris (String Arrangements), Pat Henderson (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Hey (Trumpet), Jerry Hey (Flugelhorn), Jerry Hey (Horn), Jerry Hey (Horn Arrangements), Dan Higgins (Saxophone), Mitch Holder (Guitar), Marc Hulett (Producer), Marc Hulett (Compilation), Billy Hulting (Percussion), Phillip Ingram (Vocals (Background)), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Guitar), John Jansen (Associate Producer), Will Jennings (Liner Notes), Augie Johnson (Vocals (Background)), Jon Joyce (Vocals (Background)), Gail Kantor (Vocals (Background)), Tom Kelly (Vocals (Background)), Randy Kerber (Synthesizer), Randy Kerber (Piano), Randy Kerber (Keyboards), Billy Kidd (Keyboards), Billy Kidd (Vocals), Garry Kief (Executive Producer), Deni King (Assistant Engineer), Mike Kloster (Assistant Engineer), Mike Kloster (Mixing), Ren Klyce (Synthesizer), Ren Klyce (Keyboards), Ron Krasinski (Drums), Abraham Laboriel (Bass), Michael Landau (Guitar), Burton Lane (Liner Notes), Will Lee (Bass), Paul Leim (Drums), Jon Lind (Vocals), Jon Lind (Vocals (Background)), Michael Lloyd (Synthesizer), Michael Lloyd (Arranger), Michael Lloyd (Producer), Michael Lloyd (Engineer), Michael Lloyd (Mixing), Charles Loper (Horn), Keith Loving (Guitar), Bob Mann (Guitar), Robert Marullo (Synthesizer), Robert Marullo (Keyboards), Richard Marx (Liner Notes), Harry Maslin (Engineer), Harvey Mason, Sr. (Drums), Murray McFadden (Engineer), Joe Melotti (Keyboards), Joe Melotti (Vocals), Merle Miller (Vocals (Background)), Wally Minko (Keyboards), Tommy Morgan (Harmonica), Joel Moss (Engineer), Joel Moss (Mixing), Dee Murray (Bass), Don Murray (Engineer), Don Murray (Mixing), Don Murray (Engineering Supervisor), Dan Nebenzal (Engineer), Dan Nebenzal (Mixing), Nigel Olsson (Drums), Tony Orlando (Producer), K.T. Oslin (Performer), Bill Page (Horn (English)), Bill Page (Woodwind), Richard Page (Vocals (Background)), Marty Panzer (Liner Notes), Ken Park (Percussion), Chris Parker (Drums), Dean Parks (Guitar), Sir Arthur Payson (Engineer), Ron Pedley (Keyboards), Joel Peskin (Saxophone), Art Phillips (Guitar), Joe Pizzulo (Vocals (Background)), Mike Porcaro (Bass), David Pomeranz (Liner Notes), John Pondel (Guitar), Norman Pride (Conga), Dave Reitzas (Engineer), Joe Renzetti (String Arrangements), Richie Resnicoff (Guitar), Howie Rice (Bass), Howie Rice (Drums), Howie Rice (Keyboards), Howie Rice (Producer), Dana Robbins (Vocals), Dana Robbins (Woodwind), John "J.R." Robinson (Drums), Carmine Rubino (Engineer), Carmine Rubino (Mixing), Terral "Terry" Santiel (Percussion), Jason Scheff (Vocals), Jason Scheff (Vocals (Background)), Elliot Scheiner (Engineer), Eric Schilling (Engineer), Eric Schilling (Mixing), Stanley Schwartz (Saxophone), Carl Sealove (Bass), Holly Sherwood (Vocals (Background)), Holly Sherwood (Vocal Arrangement), Sterling Smith (Piano), Mindy Sterling (Liner Notes), Squeak Stone (Assistant Engineer), Jon Stroll (Piano (Electric)), Jule Styne (Liner Notes), Bruce Sussman (Liner Notes), Wally Traugott (Remixing), Eric Troyer (Vocals (Background)), Eric Troyer (Vocal Arrangement), John VanNest (Engineer), John VanNest (Mixing), Carlos Vega (Drums), Tommy Vicari (Engineer), Tommy Vicari (Mixing), Robert Vosgien (Digital Editing), Stu Woods (Bass), Jimmy Young (Drums), Ronald Zito (Drums), Tim White (Photography), Freeman Clemente (Vocals (Background)), Marc Levine (Bass), Gabriel Sutter (Assistant Engineer), Steve Welch (Keyboards), Bill Zehme (Liner Notes), Ran Ballard (Tape Restoration), Russ Freeman (Guitar), Greg Edwards (Engineer), Lady Flash (Vocals (Background)), Laurel Masse (Vocals (Background)), Marnie Riley (Assistant Engineer), Greg Gorman (Photography), Artie Kaplan (Saxophone), Susan Mendola (Art Direction), Carolyn Quan (Design), Don Ketteler (Production Coordination), Jeff Mirinoff (Guitar), Milton Sincoff (Production Supervisor), John Venable (Engineer), Enoch Anderson (Liner Notes), Ken Levy (Creative Director), Ken Berry (Guitar), Ramona Brooks (Vocals (Background)), Victor Vanacore (Keyboards), Victor Vanacore (Horn Arrangements), Victor Vanacore (String Arrangements), Victor Vanacore (Rhythm Arrangements), Billy Hughes (Vocals), Billy Hughes (Vocals (Background)), Neil Steubenhaus (Bass), Charles Fox (Liner Notes), Muffy Hendricks (Vocals (Background)), Earl Brown (Liner Notes), Dave Martin (Liner Notes), James Jolis (Vocals (Background)), Stu Scharff (Guitar), Larry Hall (Horn)
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