Debby Boone "You Light Up My Life" vs Barry Manilow "Could This Be Magic"

Just realized that "You Light Up My Life" bears an eerie resemblance to "Open Arms."

Jody is that you? That doesn't sound like your posting style. Anyway, I remember seeing Patti sing "You Light Up My Life" on television maybe 20 years ago, and my parents were in the room. They made a comment to the effect of "there's something wrong with that woman." I know I've heard it again more recently as well, but can't put my finger on it. I don't believe it's on record.

In a fit of dementia, I was looking at the AMG listing for Barry Manilow, and I cannot believe the photograph of him on the cover of his Greatest Hits lp. I mean, Manilow is not by any stretch of the imagination an attractive man, but this shot does less than nothing for him. His hair, his smirking expression that only serves to make him look sleazy, the star necklace that would look more suitable on a 12 year old girl, the white shirt and white background that make his head and neck appear to float in space disembodied, the lousy typography that sits just far enough to the left that the 'g' in Greatest is obscured by his hair... did I mention the sleazy expression? As horrible as it all is, I can't stop staring at it.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc000/c048/c04820tf54p.jpg

A sex-crazed septuagenarian played up his Hollywood connections to prey on 11 starry-eyed young beauties at his Manhattan pad, authorities said Tuesday.

Oscar-winning songwriter Joseph Brooks, who penned the syrupy '70s ballad "You Light Up My Life," and his sleazy personal assistant are accused of luring the aspiring models and actresses to Brooks' E. 63rd St. apartment with promises of parts in his next movie.

"For the most part, they were people who read an ad and thought this might be the big chance to be a star," said Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal.

"I feel like a weight has been lifted," said victim Loretta Spruell, 23, of Washington State, who once tried out for "American Idol." "I'm glad he is going to be held accountable for all the lives he's destroyed and not hurt anyone else."

Brooks, 71, turned himself in Tuesday to face 82 counts of sex-related charges, including rape. He whined about being fingerprinted, sources said. His Seattle-based assistant, Shawni Lucier, is to turn herself in next week.

Lucier, 41, is accused of lining up the trysts for her boss with beautiful women from Oregon, California, Florida and Washington State.

"She acted as the gatekeeper," said Lt. Adam Lamboy of the Manhattan Special Victims Squad. Lucier would then fly with the women and drive them to Brooks' home.

"Brooks would say, 'You ought to have a glass of wine, that's part of the procedure,'" said District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.

The women, ages 18 to 30, were "incapacitated" by the drinks, prosecutors said. Toxicology tests have been inconclusive.

"He may very well have drugged them," said Lisa Friel, chief of the DA's Sex Crimes Unit.

Brooks, who also co-produced the 1983 flick "Eddie and the Cruisers," allegedly used his Oscar as a prop to have the women audition for a role as a boozing hooker who drives men wild.

"This could be you, this could be you holding the Oscar, in the sense, 'I can make you a star,'" Lamboy said.

Brooks bankrolled the 1977 romance flick "You Light Up My Life" and penned Debby Boone's title track. He also composed commercial jingles, including one for Pepsi in 1970.

He had a stroke in April 2008 but before then "wasan intimidating presence," Morgenthau said.

Lucier's neighbor Brenda Taylor was shocked by the news - especially since Lucier has three daughters: "Didn't she think how someone could do that to your daughter? That's really messed up."

Patti Smith thing?

Loretta Spruell kind of looks like Billie Piper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agl4IvNnQPo

Blimey! Number one in the 'non-ironic cover version' list, I reckon.

Thanks for that.

I know that song was all over the USA at the time, and subsequently. It wasn't a hit here, so I can safely say "If you'd started the vid at the point where the music starts, most Patti fans would be "I don't know this one of hers, is it unreleased?", it sounds so much like her own.

Used to great effect (as a seduction tool!) in Todd Solondz' creepy "Happiness"

That Patti Smith one, esp. after her nice, genuine talk with the kids, oh it just fills my heart with emotion. So good. And it really made me cherish any version of the song.

Good lord do I hate Patti Smith, and that clip does not help her cause in the slightest (sorry, Abbott).

Courtesy the guy who wrote "You Light Up My Life" (who as noted in velko's post above sounds like a real goddamn piece of work) -- he wrote/directed/starred in this film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypkivG0zAs

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110523/ap_en_mu/us_songwriter_dead;_ylt=AmK0_HbazKAanlbjCTI79whH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTM2NmptMzZvBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwNTIzL3VzX3Nvbmd3cml0ZXJfZGVhZARjY29kZQNvZmZwemYzMHJ0BGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3Nvbmd3cml0ZXJkaQ--

Geez. I guess those who hated "You Light Up My Life" back in the day are vindicated. Back to the original question....how is the winner here not Barry Manilow? Debbie Boone is a good singer though.

this movie looks amazing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DDSs_rW8LA

Haha I'm glad that clip resurfaced; I linked it earlier in the thread but it got taken down.

oh yeah, cool...naturally i didn't even bother to read the thread before posting

who knew greater crimes than that song lay ahead of Joe Brooks

Richard Schickel's thoughts at the time:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,916202,00.html

One thing missing from that review, courtesy of a YouTube comment:

One of the biggest bombs in cinema history!  I remember TIME's review in which they printed four of the same photographs of Brooks and gave them captions: Happy, Sad, Angry, Thoughtful. Part of this drivel looks like an ad for breathmints.
LanceRock 14 hours ago

However in keeping with the theme of the thread, Barry's crimes in front of the camera shouldn't be ignored, so...the entirety of the film, plus original commercial breaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C24LoKMtz4

What happened to Dave Q? Does anyone know his whereabouts? I haven't heard from him in quite a while--it has probably been several years at this point...

Last I heard he was still somewhere in London...I only met him the once in 2007, last I can recall ever talking with him in any way.

Meanwhile, a bit of 'history' -- the actual film performance of "You Light Up My Life" that won Brooks the Oscar. Didi Conn lip-syncing to Frenchie from Grease's vocals!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KU1II5ih8c

i found a youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnjNcIKnEu0

has anone heard patty smiths version of u lite up my life

xpost -- ha, was just reminded of that myself.

there Patti goes, and she don't know why

A Joe Brooks film fest sounds like the worst thing in the world, so I'm sure it's inevitable. That has to be one of the ten worst Oscars ever. OK, music Oscars.

It would indeed be the worst thing in the world. Seems like he had one half-acceptable film, though, Headin' for Broadway, from 1980. All up on YouTube, here's the first part:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ml2ZQBuZik

All the YouTube comments are interesting; a slew of folks who were 'there' at the time on Broadway, had small parts in the film, etc. Almost nothing about Brooks himself.

Me being me I've already watched through it all twice, such a strange mishmash of things going on it.

Patti's version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agl4IvNnQPo&feature=player_embedded

You light up my last will and testament.