CAROL OF THE BELLS
By
Barry Manilow

***************

Hark! How the bells, sweet silver bells
All seem to say, “Throw cares away.”
Christmas is here, bringing good cheer
To young and old, meek and the bold

Ding, dong, ding, dong
That is their song
With joyful ring, all caroling
One seems to hear words of good cheer
From everywhere, filling the air

Oh how happy are their tones
Gaily they ring, while people sing
Songs of good cheer, Christmas is here
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas

On, on they send on without end
Their joyful tone to every home

On, on they send on without end
Their joyful tone to every home
Ding, dong, ding, dong
Ding, dong, ding, dong

A NICE BOY LIKE ME

***************

Walkin’ around
Uptight
And lookin’ for noise
Frantic on a Friday night
Just one of the boys
Phony defenses, they fall in my way
A case of hot fire turnin’ to stone
Just a wind up poet with a chip on his shoulder
Meetin’ Saturday mornin’ alone

Won’t you tell me what’s a nice boy like me
Doin’ in a place that never closes?
I can hardly hear ya’
Holy Moses
Lookin’ so sad
Just tell me what’s a nice boy like me
Doin’ by the dance floor after hours?
Dozin’ over rolls of whiskey sours?
Feelin’ so bad
I’m feelin’ so bad for me

Lost in the crowd
Alone
And drinkin’ my third
I’m hungry for company, but I can’t think of the words
Watchin’ the girls, my heart in my hands
What a misplaced, pitiful sight?
Just a stiff upper lip who’ll be knowin’ tomorrow
What he shoulda been sayin’ tonight!

Wontcha’ tell me what’s a nice boy like me
Doin’ in a place that never closes
I can hardly hear ya’ Holy Moses
Lookin’ so sad
Now won’t you tell me what’s a nice boy like me
Doin’ by the dance floor after hours?
Dozin’ over rolls of whiskey sours
Feelin’ so bad
I’m feelin’ so bad for me

Watchin’ the girls, my heart in my hands
What a misplased, pitiful sight?
Just a stiff upper lip who’ll be knowin’ tomorrow
What he shoulda been sayin’ tonight

And tell me what’s a nice boy like me
Doin’ in a place that never closes
I can hardly hear ya’
Holy Moses
Lookin’ so sad
Now won’t you tell me what’s a nice kid like me
Doin’ by the dance floor after hours
Dozin’ over roll of whiskey sours
Feelin’ so bad
I’m feelin’ so bad for me

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER

***************

You know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen,
But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it,
You could even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names;
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,
Santa came to say:
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
“Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer,
You’ll go down in history.”

A GIFT OF LOVE

***************

Here in this sighlent night
Now all the world is right
As if we’sundenley been giving
A gift of love
A gift of love

Warm as the fire glow
Soft as the falling snow
A pre….. micael we live in
This wonder of a gift of love

Night falls
At this coldest time of the year
Love calls

Here where I love you so
Now as our blessings grow
We shear the greatest gift we’ll ever know
A gift of love

A gift of love

LONDON

***************

New York winter
Traffic squeals
The city feels…. so old
Late December
Taxi ride
Then run inside
It’s cold
Got your letter Monday
I think
Or Tuesday
I lose track
Since then I’ve been thinking of you…
And I’ve been
Looking back to
London
Can you believe it’s
So many years since
London
Hitching a ride and
Carrying knapsacks

London
In the park
By the Thames
Drinking tea
London
Sitting in the pubs and
Living in walk-ups
London
Learning the accent
Leavin’ to love you
London

We were young
We were sure
We were…..free
Was it really ages
Ago
The memories
Never fade
Can you hear Big Ben where
You are
And are you
Glad you stayed in
London
Dodging the rain with
Broken umbrellas

London
Reading the Times
On Saturday picnics
London
Counting stars
’til the stars
All were gone
London so many plans and
Nothing but time in
London
Nothing to fear ’cause
Nothing could last in
London

We grew close
We grew scared
I moved on
Oh London
What were we scared of
Why did I run from
London
Part of me still has
Never come back from

London
Is it fair
That I miss
You so much
Take good care
All my love
Keep in touch
New York winter
Taxi ride
Then run inside
It’s cold

LIFE WILL GO ON

***************

Goodbye
There’s a word I hated
All my life
Unanticipated tears
Can hurt so much
My friend
It’s so sad to see you
At love’s end
I’ve been through the pain myself
It’s really wrong
To play it strong

Go on and cry
’til you run dry
It’s alright
Go on and scream
At broken dreams
It’s alright
Let sorrow have it’s day
And when it’s done
Life will go on
In time

Thoughts of “might have been”
Will leave your mind
And sweet forgetfulness
Will come
Don’t worry now
Just when or how
Go on and cry
’til you run dry
It’s alright
Go on and scream
At broken dreams
It’s alright
Let sorrow have it’s day
To cry out
It’s no crime
In no time
Life will go on
Go on and cry
’til you run dry
It’s alright
Go on and scream
At broken dreams
It’s alright
Let sorrow have it’s day
And when it’s done
Life will go on and on
It’s alright
Yes it’s alright
Let sorrow have it’s day
And when it’s done
Life will go on and on