Can Love Happen Twice Summary Wikipedia

About the Song and Its Origins

Can Love Happen Twice Summary Wikipedia — that search term comes up a lot from people who stumble onto this song without knowing the context behind it. The track was written by Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, recorded by Manilow himself, and released in May 1987. It served as the theme song for the Tom Hanks and Amanda Peet film "Can't Buy Me Love," which was one of those early late-80s teen comedies that tried to channel Beatles nostalgia into a modern plot. The movie wasn't particularly good, but the song itself was the exact kind of power ballad that dominated radio in that era. Manilow had already been a chart performer since the 1970s with hits like "Mandy" and "Could It Be Magic," but this track was his third and final number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. The other two were "It's a Miracle" in 1977 and "Copacabana" in 1978. After 1987, the pop landscape shifted noticeably toward grunge and alternative rock, and Manilow's brand of mainstream adult contemporary balladry lost its commercial foothold.

Can Love Happen Twice Summary Wikipedia

The song ran approximately three minutes and forty-seven seconds on its original single edit. It was recorded at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, which was Manilow's own facility that he converted from an old movie theater. The production featured prominent synthesizers and a drum machine programmed by Jimmy Bralower, along with strings arranged by Marty Panet. For listeners trying to understand the instrumentation, it's worth noting that the arrangement leans heavily on the Yamaha DX7-style electric piano sounds and gated reverb drums that defined late-80s pop production across the board. The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 67 on June 13, 1987, and climbed to number one by July 18. It held that position for two weeks before being replaced by Madonna's "We Are Family." Internationally, it performed moderately well, reaching the top ten in several markets including Canada, where it peaked at number three. In the UK, it only managed number 23, which was underwhelming for a Manilow release at that stage. The music video, directed by Tom Hanks himself on his directorial debut, featured clips from the film interspersed with Manilow performing against a backdrop of animated graphics. The video received heavy rotation on MTV and VH1, which was significant because Manilow's previous videos hadn't gotten that kind of sustained television exposure. The timing was also important. This came during an era when MTV was still actively promoting pop ballads, a window that closed within a few years of the decade's end.

How the Song Actually Works

The song is written in the key of D major and follows a fairly standard verse-chorus bridge structure with a modulating key change near the end. The tempo sits around 72 beats per minute, which gives it that deliberate, deliberate ballad feel that was practically mandatory for a power ballad in this period. The vocal range spans from A3 to D5, which is manageable for most tenors but requires a solid mix voice to execute without straining on the higher notes. If you're approaching this from a cover or arrangement perspective, one thing that trips people up is the bridge section. The original moves from the verse's relative minor feel into a more uplifting chorus lift, and then the bridge introduces a modal mixture chord progression that briefly suggests the parallel minor before resolving back to major. This is where a lot of amateur arrangements fall apart because they treat the bridge as simply a louder version of the verse instead of a genuine harmonic shift. I ran into this exact problem when arranger a version of the song for a community theater production. The initial chart I built kept the bridge dynamics flat, and the vocalist couldn't hit the emotional peak the song demands. The fix was reharmonizing the bridge with a descending bass line — D to Cto C natural to B — which gave the vocal line room to breathe and actually created the tension the original recording generates through its string arrangement rather than through bass movement.

Common Misconceptions

Several people associate this song with the broader Manilow catalog as just another forgettable pop entry, which is an unfair read given how well-constructed the melody actually is. The title hook appears in the first measure of the chorus and uses a rising interval that mirrors the lyrical content's sense of hope and questioning. The melody also contains an unusual ascending sixth interval on the word "twice" that gives the line a distinctive shape worth studying. There's also a persistent myth that the song was written specifically for the movie as a commissioned piece. While it's true that Manilow and Sussman developed it in connection with the film, the concept of love potentially occurring twice predates the movie project. The lyrics themselves don't reference any plot points from "Can't Buy Me Love," which is why the song functioned as a standalone single regardless of the film's quality.

Legacy and Current Relevance

The song has seen occasional revival in recent years, partly due to streaming and the broader nostalgia cycle for late-80s pop. It appears on several Manilow greatest hits compilations and remains a staple in his live performances. The film it accompanied is largely remembered as a curious artifact of 1980s Hollywood rather than a significant cultural work, but the song itself has outlasted that association. For those doing research or writing about this track, the most reliable source remains Wikipedia's entry on the single, which cross-references chart data from Billboard, Record World, and RPM magazines alongside album track listings and production credits. The page also covers the A-side and B-side details, which include "Tonight's the Night" as the B-side on the original US 7-inch single. That particular B-side isn't widely discussed but shows Manilow's tendency to pair his singles with material from his current album cycles rather than deep cuts or rare tracks.