The man, the myth Barry Manilow returns to the Broadway stage

>> i bring you genuine " manilow on broadway " glow sticks .

>> those are cool. don't waste them! don't waste them! oh, my lord.

>> i love it.

>> i am a monster manilow fan. i have been. the amount of hits that this guy has --

>> 50 top 40 hits.

>> and what he's written outside of the stuff that he performs. he's truly one of the great entertainers of our generation.

>> the thing people don't know about manilow is even before "mandy" and "i wrote the songs" broke, he wrote some of the best-known jingles of the '70s. so get up

>> how do you know that?

>> i know everything.

>> he did that?

>> from the time it went on in 1970 till the time --

>> he was in my dad's car with the eagles and jim croce . he was one of the cassette sleeves in my dad's car.

>> this is the thing. it's sort of the sound track of our lives. when you come to the show, you watch this audience creating community around him. these memories, these songs, the way that he connects with us this early. it's a remarkable experience.

>> as you said that, because it is, in my life, i had broken up with a girlfriend. i was missing her. i was listening to " weekend in new england ."

>> what a song.

>> got really choked up, got back with her, which was a mistake.

>> but it wasn't his fault. not his fault.

>> are you sure?

>> all of my tortured years, again, i loved rock music , but i always slip back, i'd listen to barry manilow and the carpenters. and whether it's " weekend in new england ," i've got a sad memory of a girl breaking my heart there, "mandy." "could it be magic"? i could go on and on.

>> manilow is always there for us.

>> he is. with all due respect to clive davis who is, you know, the king of music, it wasn't about barry manilow 's performing. it was the songs. it all comes down to the songs. this guy is one of the great songwriters. they had songwriters like this back in the '40s and the '50s. he was a master.

>> was louis the youngest guy there? i mean, was it all people in that demo?

>> you know something? it is a remarkable wide range of people that connect to this music, young people , older people. i will tell you, those glow sticks , you have never seen a concert like this. people are standing up and waving their glow sticks of all ages. it's a good deal.

>> mika , "the new york times" called this musical chicken soup for the soul . that's a good way to -- like i said, i always listened to zeppelin, and i listened -- you know, beatles, the kinks, the rolling stones , stuff like that. but when you needed musical chicken soup , that was -- you put on manilow or the carpenters or whatever. but do you have a favorite barry manilow song? do you know any manilow songs?

>> i do.

>> what's your favorite?

>> i can't. i can't -- i shouldn't speak.

>> what song?

>> i'm a scold. it kind of drives me crazy.

>> he drives you crazy?

>> i'm sorry. barry manilow does.

>> you are a hater of great popular culture.

>> no, i'm not. i'm unpop cultured. but my best friend used to make fun of me. i think there's "coming to america" he sang or something.

>> neil diamond .

>> did he sing "don't cry out loud"?

>> "even now." "copa."

>> "i write the songs."

>> "can't smile without you."

>> "can't smile without you" sing-along on broadway at the james. nothing --

>> really? do i need to go?

>> i'm telling you --

>> you need to be converted.

>> i think the world will open to you.

>> it will. "i write the songs." "could it be magic?" "trying to get the feeling again." did he do "new york city rhythm"?

>> oh, yeah.

>> "on broadway ."

>> he had to, right?

>> oh, yeah.

>> we'll wave our glow sticks as we go to commercial break.

>> we should turn off the lights. pretend it's the super bowl . all right. we're going to get --

>> i'm sorry, i'm not with you.

>> we're going to get mika to scold out.

>> i admit this. i'm going to try.

>> you would love it, mika , i'm telling you, you would love it. take your daughter.

>> i tell you what. we'll go as a group.

>> yes.

>> you'll have a good time.

>> group therapy .

>> group therapy . chicken soup for the soul .

>> you can catch " manilow on broadway " live at the st. james treater in new york city . for more information, visit manilowonbroadway.com and also mojo.msnbc.com. jordan, great to see you.

>> the lights go out, the glow sticks come out.