Night Songs
Barry Manilow · 2014
46 min · 16 tracks · pop music
A lush collection of jazz standards wrapped in Manilow's signature emotive delivery and rich orchestration.
Top tracks — play these first
-
→
I Fall in Love Too Easily Start here — This track highlights Manilow’s ability to convey vulnerability through his emotive phrasing, making it a poignant opener that sets the tone for the album.
-
→
You Don’t Know What Love Is — The poignant interpretation of this classic showcases Manilow's mastery of emotional nuance, transforming the song into a heartfelt reflection on love's complexities.
-
→
My One and Only Love — This romantic ballad emphasizes lush orchestration paired with Manilow’s smooth vocals, creating an intimate atmosphere that resonates throughout the album.
-
→
It Amazes Me — Manilow's rendition brings a fresh depth to this lesser-known standard, illustrating his skill in breathing new life into timeless melodies.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Manilow's emotive delivery and orchestration create a cohesive yet familiar take on jazz standards.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent orchestral arrangement throughout, with lush strings and brass complementing Manilow's vocals on every track.
- Each song is treated with a slow to mid-tempo pace, allowing for an emphasis on vocal delivery and lyrical interpretation.
- The final three tracks transition into a more reflective tone, creating a sense of closure as the album concludes.
- Composition 25% of the score
-
6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
-
7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
-
5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
-
6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
-
8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- warm lush arrangements for evenings
- intimate moments of heartfelt nostalgia
- steady pacing for relaxed listening
- sing-along favorites with friends
- for rainy day reflections
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy tracks
- prefer longer experimental pieces
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Revitalizes interest in jazz standards, showing continued artistic vitality in later career.
- Themes
- intimate vocal performances· poignant love songs
- Career context
- Released in 2014, Night Songs marks Barry Manilow's return to the studio after a five-year hiatus since his last album, 2009's The Greatest Love Songs of All Time. This album showcases Manilow's deep appreciation for classic jazz standards, reflecting a shift towards more traditional arrangements and vocal interpretations at this stage of his career.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Billy Joel· Paul Anka· Neil Diamond
Tracklist
- 1 I Fall in Love Too Easily Start here 2:32
- 2 Alone Together 3:01
- 3 Blame It on My Youth 2:45
- 4 I Get Along Without You Very Well 2:32
- 5 You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me 2:05
- 6 It Amazes Me 4:04
- 7 But Not for Me 2:10
- 8 It’s a New World 2:36
- 9 While We’re Young 2:37
- 10 You Don’t Know What Love Is 2:50
- 11 Ac‐cent‐tchu‐ate the Positive 2:43
- 12 My One and Only Love 3:58
- 13 I’ve Never Been in Love Before 1:59
- 14 I Walk a Little Faster 4:20
- 15 Here’s That Rainy Day 2:55
- 16 Some Other Time 3:12
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
Sync your library
Everything you track here works immediately — no account needed. Create one when you want to sync across devices.