It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve

If the approach of the New Year is getting you down because you’re alone or suffering from a terminal illness, take some advice from Barry Manilow.

“Don’t look so sad,
It’s not so bad you know.
It’s just another night,
That’s all it is, it’s not the first,
It’s not the worst you know,
We’ve come through all the rest,
We’ll get through this.”

“Just Another New Year’s Eve” was composed by Barry Manilow and his songwriting partner, Marty Panzer, in 1977 for his album “Barry Manilow Live.” In an interview for “Music World” written by Jason Blume, Panzer reported that they wanted to write a song with a message about New Year’s Eve that hadn’t been said before. “Though New Year’s Eve is generally thought of as a celebration of the coming new year, it is for many, if not most, a time of introspection and looking back over the year (or years) that have passed. It’s often a time of regret, anxiety, and an acute sense of loneliness.” Panzer continued, “Barry wanted to write a song of comfort and encouragement for those people who were possibly hurting on New Year’s Eve, more than they were celebrating.”

Together, Panzer and Manilow wrote and recorded 30 songs. Panzer went on to write music for Disney and is the co-author of Kenny Rogers’ “Through the Years.”

“It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve” was written in just one day. The duo based the melody for the song on Johann Sebastian Bach’s, “Goldberg Variations.” 

What’s memorable about “It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve” is the combination of sadness and hope.

“We’ve made mistakes,
But we’ve made good friends too.
Remember all the nights we spent with them?
And all our plans,
Who says they can’t come true?
Tonight’s another chance to start again.”

We’re not alone, we’ve got the world you know.
And it won’t let us down, just wait and see.
And we’ll grow old, but think how wise we’ll grow.
There’s more you know, it’s only New Year’s Eve.

Listen to Barry Manilow perform the song in the video below.