Barry Manilow, “Weird Al” Yankovic Upgraded to 3.0

August 12, 2010 By Joe Marchese — 8 Comments

And Legacy’s Essential train just keeps on rolling along. Upgrades to Essential 3.0 have been announced for two popular volumes in the long-running series, The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic and The Essential Barry Manilow. The new editions will expand the 2-CD releases with a third disc containing 6 and 7 tracks, respectively. While none of the tracks on the third discs appear to be rare, Essential 3.0 titles are usually priced very similarly to the original 2-CD sets (retailing for approximately $25, they can often be found as inexpensive as $15) and therefore a terrific bargain for fans who didn’t already buy the first release.

The tracks on Al’s Disc 3 encompass 20 years of the musical humorist’s career, from his 1983 debut (“Ricky”) to his second-to-last studio album, 2003’s Poodle Hat (“Wanna Be Ur Lovr” and “Genius in France”). Manilow’s 8 tracks are likewise eclectic. The heartfelt “All the Time” and showstopping “Sweet Heaven” were notable omissions from the original set, so they’re particularly welcome. Legacy has seen fit to include the too-little-known early gem “I Am Your Child” while Manilow’s latter-day patriotic anthem “Let Freedom Ring” might sit oddly in this collection. Fans will be happy to know that 1982’s hit Four Seasons cover “Let’s Hang On” is included, but the same year’s charting “Oh, Julie!” still isn’t making a long-awaited appearance on CD. In its original form, The Essential Barry Manilow was notable for including some rare and new-to-CD mixes; it’s disappointing that Disc 3 doesn’t appear to be following suit.

Even in 2-disc form, The Essentials remain the best one-stop shopping for both the Yankovic and Manilow catalogues. In 3-disc form, the deal is even sweeter for those who haven’t bitten yet.  You can pre-order The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic 3.0, due on August 31, here and The Essential Barry Manilow 3.0, set for October 12 release, here.

You know the routine: click on the jump for full track listings and complete discographical information for all 3 discs of both releases!

Barry Manilow, The Essential Barry Manilow 3.0 (Arista/Legacy, 2010)

Disc 1

  1. Mandy
  2. It’s a Miracle (Single Edit)
  3. Could It Be Magic
  4. I Write the Songs (Single Edit)
  5. Bandstand Boogie
  6. Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again
  7. Beautiful Music
  8. This One’s for You
  9. Weekend in New England
  10. Jump Shout Boogie
  11. Looks Like We Made It
  12. Daybreak (Live)
  13. New York City Rhythm (Live)
  14. Can’t Smile Without You
  15. Even Now
  16. Copacabana (At The Copa)
  17. Ready to Take a Chance Again

Disc 2

  1. Somewhere in the Night
  2. Ships
  3. When I Wanted You
  4. I Don’t Want to Walk Without You
  5. One Voice
  6. I Made It Through the Rain
  7. Lonely Together
  8. The Old Songs
  9. Somewhere in the Night
  10. Memory
  11. Some Kind of Friend
  12. Read ‘Em and Weep
  13. When October Goes
  14. I’m Your Man (Club Mix)
  15. Brooklyn Blues
  16. Hey Mambo
  17. I’d Really Love to See You Tonight (Up-Tempo Mix)

Disc 3

  1. Let’s Hang On
  2. You’re Lookin’ Hot Tonight
  3. Keep Each Other Warm
  4. All the Time
  5. Let Freedom Ring
  6. Sweet Heaven
  7. I Am Your Child

Disc 1, Track 1 from Barry Manilow II (Bell 1314, 1974)
Disc 1, Track 2 from Arista single 0108-A, 1974
Disc 1, Track 3 & Disc 3, Track 7 from Barry Manilow I (Bell 1129, 1975)
Disc 1, Track 4 from Arista single 0157-A, 1975
Disc 1, Tracks 5-7 from Tryin’ to Get the Feeling (Arista 4060, 1975)
Disc 1, Tracks 8-11 & Disc 3, Track 4 from This One’s for You (Arista 4090, 1976)
Disc 1, Tracks 12-13 from Barry Manilow Live (Arista 8500, 1977)
Disc 1, Tracks 14-16 & Disc 2, Track 1 from Even Now (Arista 4164, 1978)
Disc 1, Track 17 from Foul Play: Original Soundtrack (Arista AL-9501, 1978)
Disc 2, Tracks 2-5 from One Voice (Arista 9505, 1979)
Disc 2, Tracks 6-7 from Barry (Arista 9537, 1980)
Disc 2, Tracks 8-9 & Disc 3, Track 1 from If I Should Love Again (Arista 9573, 1981)
Disc 2, Tracks 10-11 from Here Comes the Night (Arista 9610, 1982)
Disc 2, Track 12 & Disc 3, Track 2 from Greatest Hits, Vol. II (Arista 8102, 1983)
Disc 2, Track 13 from 2:00 a.m. Paradise Café (Arista 8254, 1984)
Disc 2, Track 14 from RCA single 14397, 1986
Disc 2, Tracks 15-16 from Swing Street (Arista 8527, 1987)
Disc 2, Track 17 from Hot Summer of ’78 – The Mixes (Arista UK 74321-56666-2, 1996)
Disc 3, Track 3 from Barry Manilow (Arista 8570, 1989)
Disc 3, Track 5 from The Complete Collection…and Then Some (Arista 07822-18714-2, 1992)
Disc 3, Track 6 from Manilow (RCA 7044, 1985)

“Weird Al” Yankovic, The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic 3.0 (Way Moby/Volcano/Legacy, 2010)

Disc 1

  1. Another One Rides the Bus
  2. Polkas on 45
  3. Eat It
  4. I Lost on Jeopardy
  5. Yoda
  6. One More Minute
  7. Like a Surgeon
  8. Dare to Be Stupid
  9. Dog Eat Dog
  10. Lasagna
  11. Melanie
  12. Fat
  13. UHF (Single Version)
  14. The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota
  15. Trigger Happy
  16. Smells Like Nirvana
  17. You Don’t Love Me Anymore
  18. Bedrock Anthem
  19. Frank’s 2000” TV
  20. Jurassic Park

Disc 2

  1. Since You’ve Been Gone
  2. Amish Paradise
  3. Gump
  4. Everything You Know is Wrong
  5. The Night Santa Went Crazy (Extra Gory Version)
  6. Your Horoscope For Today
  7. It’s All About the Pentiums
  8. The Saga Begins
  9. Albuquerque
  10. eBay
  11. Bob
  12. Hardware Store
  13. I’ll Sue Ya
  14. Canadian Idiot
  15. Pancreas
  16. Don’t Download This Song
  17. White and Nerdy
  18. Trapped in the Drive-Thru

Disc 3

  1. Ricky
  2. Midnight Star
  3. Living with a Hernia
  4. Good Old Days
  5. Wanna Be Ur Lovr
  6. Genius in France

Disc 1, Track 1 & Disc 3, Track 1 from “Weird Al” Yankovic (Scotti Bros. 38679, 1983)
Disc 1, Tracks 2-4 & Disc 3, Track 2 from “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D (Scotti Bros. 39221, 1984)
Disc 1, Tracks 5-8 from Dare to Be Stupid (Scotti Bros. 40033, 1985)
Disc 1, Track 9 & Disc 3, Track 3 from Polka Party! (Scotti Bros. 40520, 1986)
Disc 1, Tracks 10-12 & Disc 3, Track 4 from Even Worse (Scotti Bros. 44149, 1988)
Disc 1, Track 13 from Scotti Bros. single ZS-68992-A, 1989
Disc 1, Track 14 from UHF/Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff (Scotti Bros. 45265, 1989)
Disc 1, Tracks 15-17 from Off the Deep End (Scotti Bros. 72392-75256, 1992)
Disc 1, Tracks 18-20 from Alapalooza (Scotti Bros. 72392-75415, 1993)
Disc 2, Tracks 1-5 from Bad Hair Day (Scotti Bros. 72392-75500, 1996)
Disc 2, Tracks 6-9 from Running with Scissors (Way Moby/Volcano 61422-32118, 1999)
Disc 2, Tracks 10-12 & Disc 3, Tracks 5-6 from Poodle Hat (Way Moby/Volcano 61422-32194, 2003)
Disc 2, Tracks 13-18 from Straight Outta Lynwood (Way Moby/Volcano 82876-89951, 2006)

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Joe Marchese
Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song and beyond, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with labels including Real Gone Music and Cherry Red Records, has released newly-curated collections produced and annotated by Joe from iconic artists such as Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Spinners, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Meat Loaf, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Liza Minnelli, Darlene Love, Al Stewart, Michael Nesmith, and many others.

Joe has written liner notes, produced, or contributed to over 200 reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them America, JD Souther, Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, BJ Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, Petula Clark, Robert Goulet, and Andy Williams.

Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray.

Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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8 thoughts on “Barry Manilow, “Weird Al” Yankovic Upgraded to 3.0”

  1. Jacob

    The Weird Al is kind of a letdown. Where is The Rye or the Kaiser, Nature Trail to Hell, Brady Bunch, My Bolongna, Spam, I Think I’m a Clone Now, Couch Potato, etc? The thing about these 3.0 collections, they always leave too much empty room on the disc. How about giving us 3 full discs?

    Reply
    1. Joe Marchese

      Agreed, Jacob. I was especially surprised with the Weird Al third disc because the initial 2-disc set was so heavy with more recent material, and the third disc doesn’t dig too deep, either. Surely there were a couple of rarities to go around.

      As for the shortness of the third discs, I’m sure it has to do with budgetary reasons, i.e. Sony keeps the price of the total package down to an amount similar to the 2-disc list price and considers the third disc as literally, a freebie/bonus. To fully pack the third disc with 15, 20 songs would jump the mechanical royalties, etc. up and therefore the total cost of the package would rise. At the end of the day, it’s a business, and we’ll have to wait for a complete, updated 3-disc Al (or Barry) retrospective, which really could be a box set.

      Reply
      1. Jacob

        The funny thing is, I would happily pay a little more to get more songs. It is just a waste to only put 6 songs on a cd. Oh well.

        Reply
  3. Shaun

    I have no real comment to make here, although I might check out the Weird Al compilation since I don’t have anything of this (but I’ve always enjoyed the guy)… I just wanted to comment on Elim Garak’s screen name. A fan of Star Trek-DS9! Great to see…

    It was my favorite of all the Trek shows, and still one of my favorite TV shows ever. It always seems like it’s the forgotten Trek series that never gets the props it deserves.

    Reply
  4. Tony

    The article states that the songs on ‘Weird Al’s collection only go up to the Poodle Hat album, but tracks 13-18 come from Yankovic’s most recently released full album, Straight Outta Lynwood.

    Reply

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