Barry Manilow is arguably more than a pop icon. He is a pop phenomenon. With a career spanning seven decades, he’s best known for hits such as “Could It Be Magic”, “Mandy”, “I Write the Songs”, “Can’t Smile Without You” and “Copacabana (At the Copa)”. His accolades are extensive as his career, including 51 top 40 singles, with 13 that hit number one, 28 that appeared within the top ten and 36 in the top 20. He’s released 13 platinum and six multi-platinum albums. Nominated for a Grammy a total of 15 times, winning once, he’s sold 85 million records worldwide throughout his career.
When you look at all his accomplishments, one wonders where such talent was born. You can look at his studies at the New York College of Music and the distinguished Juilliard school and think, “surely he cut his musical teeth there”. But Manilow has credited another source entirely. He said that the best music college he could ever imagine was not the hallowed halls of any academic institution . . . but the merry world of advertising and writing jingles.
In 1964, a then 21-year-old Manilow began working as a jingle writer and singer. He often wrote music which accompanied the lyrics and then sang the jingle, such as in “I’m Stuck on Band-Aid (Cuz Band-Aid’s Stuck on Me)!” He was also simply the singer, lending his signature voice to tunes like “You Deserve a Break Today” for McDonald’s and “Finger Lickin’ Good Day” for KFC.
Perhaps his most iconic jingle is one he wrote the lyrics and music for and sang himself. This legendary jingle was used for more than 50 years by the company which purchased it and became an integral part of their branding. Manilow was paid a flat fee of $500 for this now famous jingle. It begins, “Like a good neighbor . . .” And well, you know the rest. You even know the company from just the opening bars. That’s how illustrious it is.
Barry Manilow has never hidden his jingle-jamming days from his exhaustive resume. In fact, he celebrates it, sometimes playing jingles at his concerts, much to the joy of his “Fanilows”. In 2009, he was also awarded an honorary Clio Award for his work in the industry, one of advertising’s most prestigious honors. When accepting his award, he said it was through writing jingles he learned how to create a catchy melody.
So, there you have it, folks. One of the most brilliant musicians of this era found his footing by writing jingles. Truly, these little songs are magic when you think about it. They have the power to evoke emotions and to cement a brand like no other form of advertising. And if you’re in need of a tune to get your customers’ toes tapping, look no further than Dicky Dog. We offer a FREE estimate so you don’t have to guess at the cost of our services. So, contact us today and let us create something truly memorable for you and your clients.
