That Lovin' Feelin'

I was sitting at a car wash this afternoon, listening to a CD I had made of some of my favorite Manilow songs. I was annoyed because this jerk in front of me was taking what seemed like forever washing his car: prewash, presoak, wash, foam brush, tires, wax, rinse, final rinse. He must have used every setting on that darn control panel. Seriously, it's supposed to be a quick car wash and I was sitting in my car getting more and more annoyed. And then, that song came on. You know the one. The song that brings all those old memories flooding into your heart and mind. That song that makes you forget how annoyed you are because once you hear it, you can't stop smiling.

Today, it was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" from the Greatest Songs of the Sixties. It seemed like an eternity ago that I first heard that song. I was sitting in an arena filled with fans waiting to see Barry for the first time since his hip surgery. We were all so excited about his return to the stage, not knowing what the show would be like or what songs he would sing. It was a magical night when he rolled out onto that stage in a wheelchair and the crowd was stunned. Leave it to Barry to make an entrance..."you wouldn't believe where I've been..." and his backup singers wheeling him all over the stage dressed in hospital attire. "It's a miracle..." and then he stands up! Wow. I was there for that.

And then, they were preselling the cd at the concert and although I had already ordered it I had to have it. I was taking a LONG train ride from Atlantic City to Boston and I was determined to listen to that CD. I didn't have a CD player with me so I purchased one (for a hefty price) at a Philadelphia train station. I plopped that sucker into that player and fell in love with the songs on that CD. But when it came to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" I was in awe. His arrangement of that song had me mesmerized. I hit the repeat on my CD player and listened to it over and over again..the bridge..the crescendo...the "gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone, gone..." ending. I can still remember that feeling..seeing him sing it live for the first time and then listening to the CD that next day.

That's the feeling. The Manilow feeling. That lovin' feelin' that came back...
Texas Fan