Something's Comin' Up (1974)

Performer: Barry Manilow                                      Writers: Barry Manilow
Highest US Chart Position: N/A                                 Label: Arista Records
Musicians: Barry Manilow, Jon Stroll, Stuart Scharf, Will Lee and Jimmy Young

“Something’s Comin’ Up” was the B-side to Barry Manilow’s first huge hit, “Mandy.” The single was released in October of 1974 and reached the number one spot exactly three months later in January of 1975. This song was the last cut on side one of Barry Manilow II, and is one that really deserved to be released on its own. It’s one of those rare tunes where the music itself genuinely reflects the lyrical content. It celebrates new beginnings in a general way, and in that sense it fits any number of specific situations. For me it always represented the start of a new relationship and has accompanied me on numerous infatuations. When the record was released I skipped the single and went right for the album, and it quickly became one of my favorites. All of the tracks are terrific and it really solidified Manilow’s career in the public eye. In fact, it wasn’t until after the success of “Mandy” that the record company went back and re-released the single from his first album, “Could It Be Magic,” for the third time. His self-titled debut album also entered the charts after being re-released by Arista in the wake of the success of the second album and essentially kept the singer-songwriter in the charts while he worked on his even more impressive follow up, Tryin’ to Get the Feeling.

The song begins with a very Manilow-esque introduction on the piano. Jimmy Young on the drums hits the high-hat on two and four along with the half notes from Will Lee’s bass. Guitarist Stuart Scharf enters on two and four as well when the vocals begin and adds a nice chordal shiver behind the lyrics. They begin with something in the air, and an almost fearful resistance to change. The music then modulates up a step for the second half of the verse and the music intensifies throughout. Then, just before the chorus, comes one of the most distinctive features of the song as Young hits the high-hat on the upbeats of one, two, and three of the bar going into the chorus. It’s the same device used on Bill Withers’ song “Use Me,” and it’s a fantastic way to launch into the chorus. The chorus is also unique in the way that it seems to lope along. Then we hear Jon Stroll’s electric piano in the mix, as well as congas by Norman Pride. The end of the chorus segues into the opening melody and then seamlessly into the second verse, this time cushioned by strings. But there’s a lyrical shift here as well, where he mentions specific California locations, and also makes a reference to anger as the impetus for the change.

The end of the second chorus, instead of easing back the way it did the first time through, charges ahead with Manilow climbing to his upper register and Young snapping out the upbeats on his high-hats into a vocal and percussion break. Congas and handclaps punctuate the lyrics until the high-hats lead into a full-blown ad-lib chorus to the fadeout. The juxtaposition of the music in the verses, with their mysterious foreboding, and the dramatic chorus where the lyrics talk about something old dying and something new being born is, again, such a magnificent way to support the ideas in the lyrics. The other cut from the album that was released as a single was “It’s a Miracle,” a number twelve hit that, while great, isn’t even the second best song on the album for me. “Something’s Comin’ Up” is one of the great B-sides in pop music history. It has always been one of my favorite songs and Barry Manilow was clearly inspired in both the writing and the arranging.