Barry Manilow released 'I Write the Songs' in 1975 as the first single off of his album 'Tryin' to Get the Feeling.'
It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated for Record of the Year in 1977.
Only Barry Manilow did not write the song, nor was it originally written with the intention of him singing it.
The song was written by Bruce Johnston for husband and wife duo 'The Captain & Tennille.' Johnston has said that the "I" in the song is "God" and that songs come from the spirit of creativity in all of us.
Manilow didn't even want to record the song at first. He said in documentary, "The problem with the song was that if you didn't listen carefully to the lyrics, you would think that the singer was singing about himself. It could be misinterpreted as a monumental ego trip."
At the insistence of then president of Arista Records Clive Davis, Manilow recorded his version which would propel the song into the spotlight.
