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The Archies said it best in their
song "I'm In Love" ... if there ain't no doubt about it, you've got to get up and shout it!*
Come on and shout it, then . . . Jeff Barry is one of the greatest pop songwriters ever, and there ain't no doubt about that!
(He wrote "I'm In Love," by the way.) As far as we're concerned, you can have your Gershwins, your Cole Porters, and
all those others. No disrespect intended, but when it comes down to rock 'n' roll, Jeff Barry is the man.
In his forty-five years (and counting) as a professional songwriter, he's written over one-hundred charting songs. He's
scored hits in all the major markets: Pop, Rhythm and Blues, Adult Contemporary, Dance/Disco and Country. Seven
of his tunes have topped the American Pop charts. Jeff has also composed for numerous movie soundtracks and stage musicals,
and he's written theme songs for no less than four popular American television series: "Family Ties", "One Day At A Time",
"Archie", and everybody's favorite, "The Jeffersons." Not to put too fine a point on it ... but this dude packs more
talent in his pinkie finger than most folks lug around in their whole bodies!
When Jeff sits down at his piano, there's
no limit to what he can create. He can write wickedly catchy Bubblebum rock tunes like "Sugar, Sugar." Then he'll
turn around and write a tragic ballad like "Tell Laura I Love Her." Or he'll rock you out with a sassy number like "Hanky
Panky." He'll bring a tear to your eye with a tender love song like "I Honestly Love You." He'll lay a soulful
groove like "Heavy Makes You Happy" on you when you least expect it. Or he might stir your spirit with a gospel-flavored
anthem, say, "River-Deep, Mountain-High." If you only bought records written or produced by Jeff Barry, you could easily
fill your music collection with the cream of twentieth-century Pop music. On the majority of songs he was involved with,
Jeff was the primary lyricist. We think his lyrics are pure poetry, but you don't have to take our word for it.
Judge for yourself! Here are ten of his best.
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