Spent Time With An Old Friend Last Night

On a lark knowing I would probably enjoy it, I bought tickets months ago to see Barry Manilow.  (George said yes without even blinking.  Love that man!)  I hadn't intentionally listened to any of his songs in a while, so I pulled out my 4 CD Boxed collection.  I refreshed myself on which of his songs I loved the most and made my children despise him.  So the concert was last night and I was surprised by a few things.

I didn't put much thought into who the other attendees would be, but I was slightly taken aback with just how old the crowd was, even older than Elton John.  There were people using walkers and let me be clear,  good for them!!  Rock on!!  I hope that someone will take me to a concert when and if I have the privilege of making it to that age!  But on this night,  it made me feel young and George, at fifty-one, was a young stud in his new skinny jeans!


One of my best friends is a Fanilow and has attended several of his concerts.  She was on the front row with some of her family and they said some women cry at his concerts.  And I thought... really?

Can you see where this is going?

Barry Manilow is seventy years old, has had hip surgery and his movements are slower and more gingerly than I must have pictured.  It took me a few minutes to acclimate to this, and to stop worrying about him. Probably because I understand all to well,  the need to really pay attention to how I move my body.  One trip up, literally, and there are repercussions that can last for months.  Thank you sprained ankled from months ago.

Unfortunately I was so concerned about getting a good picture of him and putting it up on Facebook, I wasn't fully paying attention to his first few songs.  And then I heard... "I Am Your Child" and tears sprang to my eyes.


Barry and I go way back. In my tweens on the piano, I played "Ready to Take A Chance Again" over and over.  I have a forty five record of "Can't Smile Without You" that was well played.  His music just infiltrated my childhood and young adult years and I happily sang along.  He wrote the songs that made me romantic soul sing.

Back at the concert,  he announced it was time for his most romantic song.  And it is one of my very favorites.  He joked that if you don't get lucky after this song, it is not his fault!!

You can't see him in my video below, only the light shining on the piano but you can hear him and he is belting it out!

When he was taking his last bows and I knew it was over, I became verklempt again!  It only lasted a moment but I didn't want him to go.  The whole concert brought me back to my younger days and my naive belief in romance and love.  It also reminded me of my piano playing days.  I use to play some great love songs.  I remember oh so clearly, sitting, playing and singing "The Rose", "You Light Up My Life" and "Feelings."  So funny how these same themes have come back around again in my forties.  It is all about LOVE and romance. Barry even talked about finding your passion.  If you don't like what you are doing, change it because it makes all the difference in the world.  He remarked he is still shaking his hips at seventy because this is what he loves to do.

I'm glad I took a chance on Barry.  It was a great hand holding night out with my hubby.  I even sat down a few minutes ago at the piano for the first time in ages and plunked out a very rusty "Ready to Take A Change Again."

Can I say "It's A Miracle?"