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Friday, November 1, 2013

"Stronger Than Before" by Carole Bayer Sager

Song#:  0603
Date:  05/16/1981
Debut:  83
Peak:  30
Weeks:  13
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  For folks who are familiar with pop/AC music, if they hear Bayer Sager's name they may recognizing her as a songwriter. In collaboration with others (specifically with her now ex-husband Burt Bacharach), she has written numerous hits and has won a Grammy and an Oscar. Because she's had great success writing, her short solo singing career has often gotten overlooked. Her self-titled debut album was issued in 1978 and featured the quirky #69 entry (#6 UK) "You're Moving Out Today," co-written by Bette Midler. Her second LP didn't fare well but her third and final album "Sometimes Late At Night" featured this Top 30 entry, which was her best and last effort on the singles chart.

ReduxReview:  Although a great songwriter, Bayer Sager is not the most gifted vocalist. Her voice is an odd combo of a little girl shoved inside an 80 year-old woman - young sounding but wobbly. Luckily, some of her songs rise above the voice like this one. I had always liked this song, but never got around to buying it. Then Dionne Warwick did a version and I ended up liking her's better, so I never went back to Bayer Sager's. But it is definitely a nice slice of AC.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  While still in high school, Bayer Sager co-wrote the song "A Groovy Kind of Love" which turned in to a #2 hit for The Mindbenders (1966) and a #1 for Phil Collins (1988).

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