Mid 70's Pop/Pop Rock/Soft Rock by Songwriting monster... Barry Mann - Survivor (1975 RCA Victor) (2005 Arista, BMG Japan CD Release)

 

Half of the successful writing team of Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, songwriter Barry Mann played an integral part in the success of the Brill Building sound and its dominance of the pop charts in the early '60s. Before becoming a songwriter he also made the charts as a performer, singing the novelty song "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)."

German Single cover

 Mann began his career at Don Kirshner's Aldon Music. Crafting rock music with a level of sophistication that had never before been attained, Mann, along with wife and partner Cynthia Weil, wrote such classic tunes as "On Broadway," "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" ("the most-played song of the 20th century"), and "Uptown." It was Mann who supplied the majority of the music for these compositions and the duo continued to provide hits for other artists through the decades. In addition to his continuing successful collaboration with Weil, Mann has provided keyboards and production skills to artists such as B.J. Thomas and the Pointer Sisters, and co-wrote Dan Hill's hit "Sometimes When We Touch." In 1987, Mann was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame and was awarded two Grammys, including Best Song for "Somewhere Out There." (Steve Kurutz, allmusic.com)

Barry Mann and his wife Cynthia Weil

 Notes:

Track listing on the CD differs from the tracks that were listed on the back cover of the original vinyl

 LP Track 1 "I'm A Survivor" was not included in the original vinyl LP but was included in subsequent pressings of the original vinyl LP

Track 12 "Nothing Good Comes Easy" is listed as a bonus track on the CD but it was included in the original vinyl LP (from Discogs.com)

Mann in the '70s

I think everyone who has owned a radio or TV in the last sixty years knows the music of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. The couple, together with Gerry Goffin/Carol King, is considered the most successful songwriter couple of the so-called Brill Building Sound and, together with the British John Lennon/Paul McCartney, probably the most successful pop songwriters in the world.

But now briefly to the album. I still like the album very much. It spreads a good pop flair with sometimes light country borrowings. Of course you can't deny parallels to Kenny Rogers (as some contemporaries liked to do big and wide), but to reduce it to that would not do the album justice. Besides the really great songs, the production is also top with the possibilities of the seventies. Produced by Mann, together with Bruce Johnston, as well as Terry Melcher on the song ''Nothing Good Comes Easy'', himself. Mann's performance is expressive and soulful, giving the songs (soulful) depth. For me, four and a half stars out of five. Enjoy.(Frank)

Flac (zippy)

mp3@320 (zippy)

Flac (M)

mp3@320 (M)

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