- published: 01 Mar 2009
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Singin'... is a 1977 album release by Melissa Manchester on Arista Records.
This was Manchester's sixth album and fourth and final collaboration with producer Vini Poncia who had produced her 1975 commercial breakthrough Melissa.
After the first of Manchester's two 1976 album releases': Better Days & Happy Endings failed to consolidate her stardom Arista had attempted to restore Manchester's chart fortunes by making the lead single from the subsequent Help Is on the Way album not a Manchester original but rather the Michael Franks composition "Monkey See, Monkey Do". This strategy proving unsuccessful Arista then had Manchester record "Singin'..." which eschewed Manchester's songwriting - save for one track: "No One's Ever Seen This Side of Me" - in favor of outside material including remakes of hits by Michael Jackson ("I Wanna Be Where You Are"), Sly and the Family Stone ("Stand"), Three Dog Night ("Let Me Serenade You") and the Beach Boys ("The Warmth of the Sun"). The tracklisting was completed by Manchester's versions of songs written and previously recorded by James Taylor ("You Make It Easy") and Wendy Waldman ("My Love Is All I Know") and a new song: "Sad Eyes" written by David Spinozza who played guitar on the album.
singing's a fine lively hood, the only one I got!
Struggled to make the rent sometimes,
since termination of the day job.
Kinda weird my work day starts when the sky is cool and black.
But I guess I should figure out on what I should fall back.
I could take up auto-body and work in some guy's shop.
Fixin' bitchin hotrods,
I sure like cars a lot.
Perhaps I'll study law,
be a public defender.
But I'll need a lot of Maalox.
I couldn't take the pressure.
Would you like me for your vet?
Or your docter who examines you?
Lady luck I met.
So your ass should say phew!
But I'll just do what I do
cuz I like it a whole lot.
Singin's a fine livelihood!