David Pomeranz on the stories behind 6 of his greatest hits
MANILA, Philippines — David Pomeranz, a globally renowned artist, has undoubtedly made an indelible mark on the music industry. Filipinos, in particular, have a special place in their hearts for his timeless hits like Got To Believe In Magic, King and Queen of Hearts, The Old Songs, If You Walked Away and Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again.
These songs have become cherished staples in various music establishments, karaoke clubs, and public spaces that play music year-round, both in the Philippines and across the globe. Notably, many singers worldwide have paid homage to his work by covering these classic tunes.
What’s truly astonishing is the popularity of this American multi-platinum, award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and concert performer. He has achieved a remarkable feat by selling 40 million copies of his records worldwide. This is a testament to the widespread appeal and enduring quality of his music.
Thanks to the dedication of his Philippines-based manager, Mark and Christine Manalang, we had the privilege of embarking on a journey back in time.
David sends The STAR a memoir that tells the origins of his monumental hits, some of which trace their roots back to the early 1970s.
If You Walked Away: “I wrote this thinking about my relationship with my ‘then’ wife when things weren’t really going well for us. I really cared for her (and still do) but we were young and crazy and pretty unstable, and I began thinking about what it would be like if we actually split up. Would I still love her? The answer was, ‘Yes.’ Would I still care for her and wish her well? Again, ‘Yes.’ I thought that would be a lovely subject for a song, and If You Walked Away was born.”
Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again: “While living in San Francisco in late 1973, I received a call that The Carpenters were looking for a new song for their album. They were really hot at the time and I instantly threw myself at the piano and spent weeks trying to make it be something worthy.
“I submitted the demo to them but when I received no response (I figured that maybe they didn’t like it), my publisher then sent it to Barry Manilow who recorded his chilling rendition, which became my first big hit. (I later learned that The Carpenters HAD recorded it but didn’t include it on their album because they had too many ballads at the time. The surprise came when they finally did release it in the mid-‘90s, years later on their Interpretations album after Karen had passed.) Quite an honor.”
The Old Songs: “In 1979, my friend and lyricist Buddy Kaye and I came up with the idea of a song about a guy who wanted his girl back and thought of a ‘ploy’ to invite her to a romantic dinner and afterwards, play songs for her that would make her feel nostalgic and want to be back with him again. Pretty sneaky, right? Ha! We finished the song pretty quickly and I thought it might be too simplistic.
“Buddy assured me that it was fine and so, when I needed a song for my Truth Of Us album, I decided to give it a try. When I heard the tracks playing back at me over those monstrous studio speakers, I got chills and I realized Buddy was right. The song was good and I was so happy that I didn’t throw it away. After the album was released, Barry Manilow heard my record and decided to do it as well. Another hit!
“It’s one of my favorites to do in concert because the whole audience loves to sing along!’”
King and Queen of Hearts and Got to Believe in Magic: “These two songs are very close to my heart since it was because of them that I was first introduced to the Filipino people in 1983. If I said they are masterfully written, you might think me conceited to say such a thing but I can make that statement because although I was the one who sang them in the movie, Zapped (and on all its resulting hit recordings), they were written by the wonderful Charles Fox and Stephen Guyer (you know, Charles’ songs including Killing Me Softly, Ready to Take a Chance Again, etc.)
“I am thrilled to be the one to originate these songs and introduce them to the world. And my heart melts whenever I hear about them being played at someone’s engagement, wedding or prom. I’m so proud that people love them. “
Born For You: “I love this song and it’s one of the favorite melodies I’ve written. It’s really hard for me to get through singing it onstage without feeling emotional because not only is it about the miracle of two people who randomly find each other and fall in love, but it also makes me think of how fortunate I feel to have met and fallen in love with the people of the Philippines.
“The lyrics are by the wonderful David Zippel (Go The Distance), and when we finished writing it, we knew instantly that we had created something truly special and enduring.
“My thanks to the extraordinarily lovely and passionate people of the Philippines who share with me a deep mutual love of the beautiful melodies and lyrics that make life so worthwhile. I truly love you and feel blessed to have, over all these many years, be welcomed in as part of the family.”
On Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, come celebrate with David his 40th anniversary concert tour, Coming Home, with his special guest, Vina Morales, plus front acts Elisha and Andrea Gutierrez.
(Tickets are available at TicketWorld outlets and SM Tickets. For inquiries, contact the tel. nos. 0917-8105031, 0917-8292173, 0917-8189847 and 0917-8079387. The concert is presented by Newport World Resorts in cooperation with Full House Theater Company, Echo Jham and New DMC International Entertainment Management OPC.)
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