About the song

When Barry Manilow recorded “If I Should Love Again” in 1981, it wasn’t just another ballad—it was the voice of a man standing quietly at the edge of heartbreak, looking toward love with both fear and hope. The song, which became the title track of his album that year, carries a tenderness that only comes from someone who has truly known love—and loss.

From the very first piano notes, “If I Should Love Again” feels intimate, almost like reading a page from someone’s private diary. Barry’s voice doesn’t rush; it moves gently, carefully, as if afraid to disturb a fragile memory. The lyrics are beautifully simple: they tell the story of someone who has loved deeply once before, who can’t imagine ever feeling that way again—but dares to wonder if love might one day find him once more. It’s that quiet conversation between yesterday’s pain and tomorrow’s possibility.

Musically, this song embodies everything that makes Barry Manilow’s ballads timeless—the lush orchestration, the piano that feels like a heartbeat, and the way his voice trembles ever so slightly when the emotion is too heavy to contain. It’s the sound of late-night radio, of a soft light in an empty room, of a heart learning to breathe again.

For those who grew up in the era of romantic pop classics, “If I Should Love Again” sits among the greats—a song that understands what it means to remember someone with both gratitude and sorrow. Even decades later, it still has the power to stop you in your tracks. It’s not just a love song—it’s a reflection on what it means to keep believing in love, even when your heart knows how much it can hurt.

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