RIP Cynthia Weil: 1940-2023.

Either way, it is one of the most perfect pop songs ever written, and it makes me cry sometimes because everything about this song is so perfect and beautiful.

I really enjoyed hearing this original version. I didn't know Barry Mann was also a good singer.

If you're looking for a hit, these two master songwriters would be a good place to start. Who put the bomp was a huge hit for Barry.

Mann recorded it in 1976 while he was under contract to Arista Records. This sounds like a completed version because it was supposed to be released as part of a Mann solo album. Arista wound up releasing one single ("The Princess and the Punk") and apparently bailed out on the album. Mann wound up moving to United Artists. In the next year, the song was recorded by five more artists -- most of whom released their records a few months before Dolly Parton's version came out in October 1977. These include Randy Bishop and BJ Thomas. When Dolly's version appeared, there were three other recordings of the same song available on two singles and one LP...but hers was the one that really shined. What I like about it is that Mann and Weil wrote the lyrics so that they could apply to anyone in the same situation. It's not about Barry, or Dolly, or Randy, or Katy; it's about YOU if you want it to be.

Probably the best song Mann-Weil ever wrote. I still like Dolly's better because of the way her voice retains a child-like quality which adds to her astonishment. Glad you put this one up.

I agree.. It is a wonderful demo by two of my favorite and most influential songwriters in my life.. And as for Dolly Parton, there is no one in the entertainment world that I respect more than her.. She is the epitome of talent, beauty, kindness and business savvy. She knew it would have been a gamble to venture into the pop/country world, but she chose the best song to do so and was able to laugh at all her naysayers straight to the bank!

Nice one! It's wonderful hearing other versions, and one from the songwriter!

So beautiful and wonderful. Thank you for posting.

Wonderful. Thank you Barry and Cynthia.

Love this song so much

Thanks for putting this up.

Timeless! Made me cry today.

This is a great version

Hearing this song by the original writer puts the lyrics into context, it makes sense, I had a feeling it was wriitain by a guy about a lass, not that Dollys was bad it isn't its fantastic i love it, I love this version too, and the comparison with Burt and Neil is spot on 👍

Huge Dolly Parton fan, and it was hard for me to think of this as anything but a country/Dolly song, but here it almost sounds like something Neil Sedaka might have recorded. Interesting how a good song can be transformed into nearly any style.

Please never delete this! Its my favourite version. I was so sad because the BJ Thomas version on a different channel got taken down for copyright :(

I agree with Mark Frumento!! 👌 This version should have so many more views, in my humble opinion! 🙏 Such a beautifully written song . . . . musically and lyrically! 👏 🎹 🎤 🎶 ☮

The original !!! beautiful 🙏

Thanks for this. i love all Cynthia Weil's key changes

I can totally hear Davy Jones had it been written about a decade earlier.

This is a finished product. Very nice going, Barry. Condolences.

I didn't think I would hear this version because it was unreleased,glad you made the effort to make it heard.

Imagine had Dolly not had the opportunity to record this great song. Her first crossover break through Top 40 Pop hit. Would all of her later success have happened? Would 9 to 5 have happened? It is interesting to ponder.

Damn... all this time I thought (U too?) Dolly wrote this. I love her version but Barry gives it a nice spin. Thanks B & C!!!!!

I am a Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil fan. Great writers

This song SLAPS

Love IT!!!

brilliant, from old friends cynthia and barry love and peace jve

Quelle fraîcheur musicale!

Wow! I never heard this original version until now. I liked Dolly's and Patti Labelle's but this is now my favorite.

Great and new to me - thx!

The arrangement speaks of the times....Herb Alpert meets Burt Bacharach.

BARRY AND CYNTH LOVE AND LOVE. j vincent Edwards

A great song took on a whole different style when they let Dolly sing it

I like this one better!

I agree. I really enjoyed Eileen's story about the song.

This demo version is better that the "faster" version he recorded

Rip Cynthia

His wife was "Weir", so it was Mann and Wier composer, right ? Sounds like a Burt Bacharach song. I know Dolly recorded this song. I was a Dolly fan from the album "Touch Your Woman"

A female singer puts a different perspective on it. In fact, as a kid, I thought the song was called, "he'll come again."

I think I personally like this arrangement better than BJ Thomas's. The opening few bars of the BJ Thomas recording, before his voice comes in, seem ... confused.

These two are only behind Burt Bachrach!!!

Just like Jimmy Webb has the best version of Wichita Lineman, Barry Mann has the best version of Here You Come Again. And that's saying a lot, because the Dolly Parton version is fantastic too.

I wasn’t familiar with this chap. Thanks.

Both BJ and Barry sang this better than Dolly in my humble opinion.

Who played bass on this? They did a stellar job!

i actually prefer the version of BJ Thomas, released as an album track even shortly before Dolly Parton's version back in 1977.

B.J.Thomas makes a good cover

BARRY MANN-CYNTHIA WEIL TOP BRILL BLDG SONGWRITERS HAD ALREADY PROVIDED BJ THOMAS WITH HIS HIT "I JUST CAN'T HELP BELIEVING" AND "ROCK & ROLL LULLABYE" AND NOW HAD THE PERFECT BJ THOMAS SONG FOR HIS FOLLOW UP TO HEY WON'T YOU PLAY. SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND DOLLY PARTON GOT IN THERE AND TOOK THE SONG INTO THE TOP10 AND BJ LOST A SONG THAT WAS MEANT FOR HIM. LISTEN TO HIS VERSION. JF

I like this so much better than dollys version .

Same arrangement as Dollys.

Not even close to Dolly, but acceptable.

dolly's is the best the one and only best-this guy's not ever a singer