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It was a sound that defined a generation, a voice that echoed in the lonely hearts of millions. But behind one of Barry Manilow’s most iconic anthems lies a story of such profound sorrow that it continues to bring listeners to their knees, decades later. The song in question is none other than the powerhouse ballad, “Read ‘Em and Weep”, a musical masterpiece that captured a level of raw, unfiltered heartbreak rarely seen in popular music.
When “Read ‘Em and Weep” was first unleashed upon the world in 1983, nestled within the landmark album “Greatest Hits, Vol. II”, no one could have predicted the emotional tidal wave it would become. It wasn’t just another song on the radio; it was a public declaration of private pain that soared up the charts, becoming an instant, yet sorrowful, anthem for the heartbroken. It resonated so deeply because it felt real, touching upon the universal agony of love that has been lost and the lingering sting of unrequited affection.
The song begins with a stark, grand piano flourish, like the curtain rising on a devastating tragedy. Then, Manilow’s voice emerges—a vessel of pure, unadulterated emotion, painting a harrowing picture of a love affair that has crumbled into dust. The lyrics are not mere words; they are shards of a shattered heart, chronicling a devastating journey from the dizzying heights of passion to the desolate depths of sorrow and brutal rejection.
Martha Jensen, a retired music teacher and a fan who saw Manilow live in ’84, recalls the moment she first heard it. “I was in my car, and the song came on the radio,” she said, her voice trembling with the memory. “I had to pull over. It felt like he had reached into my chest and pulled out all the secret heartaches I’d ever known. He wasn’t just singing a song; he was singing my life. I just sat there and wept. We all did.”
The chorus itself is a raw, powerful cry of defiance and agony. When Manilow belts out that titular phrase, “Read ’em and weep”, it’s not a gentle suggestion. It is a gut-wrenching challenge to the world, a desperate plea to witness the sheer magnitude of his suffering. The almost furious repetition of the phrase was a stroke of genius, hammering home the inescapable intensity of his loss, a feeling that millions recognized as their own.
Even now, the song’s dramatic arrangement—the swelling strings that weep alongside him, the crashing piano chords, the relentless, driving beat of the drums—acts as the soundtrack to a million untold heartbreaks. It explores the depths of the human condition, but it is also a testament to the incredible resilience of the human spirit. It’s about the refusal to be completely broken by despair and finding the strength to vow to rise from the ashes of a shattered love.
