The original version was recorded byCaptain & Tennille, who worked with Johnston in the early 1970s withthe Beach Boys. It appears on their 1975 albumLove Will Keep Us Together. The first release of "I Write the Songs" as a single was by teen idolDavid Cassidy from his 1975 solo albumThe Higher They Climb, produced by Johnston. Cassidy's version reached number 11 on theUK Singles Chart in August of that year.[6] After Manilow's hit, Johnston recorded the song for his 1977 albumGoing Public.
Johnston has stated that, for him, the "I" in the song is God,[3] and that songs come from the spirit of creativity in everyone. He has said that the song is not about his Beach Boys bandmateBrian Wilson.[7]
Manilow was initially reluctant to record the song, stating in his autobiographySweet Life: "The problem with the song was that if you didn't listen carefully to the lyric, you would think that the singer was singing about himself. It could be misinterpreted as a monumental ego trip."[4] After persuasion byClive Davis, then president ofArista Records, Manilow recorded the song, and his version of "I Write the Songs" was the first single taken from the albumTryin' to Get the Feeling. It first charted on theBillboard Hot 100 on November 15, 1975, reaching the top of the chart nine weeks later, on January 17, 1976.Cash Box said of Manilow's version "Good work Barry" describing the song as "melodic, ballad-like beginning grows into an operatic crescendo, all done in clear production that all age groups will appreciate."[8]Record World called it "an uplifting production number" and "perhaps [Manilow's] strongest offering since 'Mandy.'"[9]
After his version reached number one, Manilow himself composed anovelty song based on this song which he recorded under the title "I Really Do Write the Songs" in which he sings about how he composes each part of a song and the line "Sometimes I really do write the songs" at the end of each verse. In the finale, he sings, "sometimes...ah, what the hell...I write the songs."[25] Unreleased at the time, it was included as a bonus track on the reissue of his albumThis One's for You in 2006.[26][better source needed]
It was covered by Frank Sinatra as "I Sing the Songs".[27]
^Barry Manilow (November 8, 2014).I Really Do Write The Songs. Sony Music Entertainment.Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. RetrievedJuly 22, 2021.
