In 1975, Barry Manilow put a new spin on the classic "if a tree falls in the woods" question: if a song that sounds ironic at face value becomes a chart-topping smash hit, is it really ironic? Prior to releasing the track, Manilow might have thought that nothing could water down the noticeable paradox of his No. 1 hit single, "I Write the Songs." At the very least, he struggled to grapple with the song as he felt his power as a songwriter start to dwindle under his relationship with Arista Records.

Manilow wanted to cut records that he wrote. If Arista owner Clive Davis was going to convince the singer to record a single called "I Write the Songs" (that he didn't even write), it was going to require quite the compelling argument. Davis opted for tough love, and it worked.

In the mid-1970s, Barry Manilow was beginning to enjoy the height of his fame as a new, Frank Sinatra-esque crooner. Yet, despite this success, Manilow faced a creative crisis. He was a singer, sure, but he wanted to be a respected songwriter, too. But after his biggest commercial success to date was a song someone else had written, "Mandy," Manilow felt his reputation as a songwriter begin to fade. When Arista Records owner Clive Davis recommended Manilow try singing a song called "I Write the Songs" (that, you guessed it, Manilow didn't write), the singer was more than hesitant.

"It was an intriguing song," Manilow wrote in his memoir, Sweet Life. "The melody was simple, but the lyric was ambitious. It gave credit to "music" for having written every song. I am music, and I write the songs, the lyrics went. I liked that. Many times, I had felt that another force was helping me to create the music I made. The problem with the song was that if you didn't listen carefully to the lyric, you would think that the singer was singing about himself. It could be misinterpreted as a monumental ego trip."

The Beach Boys' Brian Johnston, who wrote "I Write the Songs," later explained that the first-person narrator is actually God, not himself or his bandmate Brian Wilson. Nevertheless, Manilow was unable to get over this lyrical hurdle of singing about writing songs he didn't write. So, Manilow told Davis he wouldn't do it. "But it's a smash hit for you, Barry," Manilow recalled him saying. "Maybe," Manilow replied. "But I want to write my own songs."

The relationship between an artist and a record executive is a delicate one. On the one hand, an artist must feel like they have some semblance of creative control over their art. But on the other hand, a record executive is looking for creative pursuits with the most financial reward. And as the old adage goes, money talks. Arista Records owner Clive Davis effectively didn't take no for an answer, choosing to give his client, Barry Manilow, a bit of a tough love talking to. "'You're being foolish and childish,' he told me," Manilow wrote. "'You are a terrific arranger and producer. With the right elements, this could be a number-one record for you. They don't come along so easily, Barry. You really shouldn't turn this down."

Manilow ignored Davis' warnings at first, walking out of the office committed to not recording "I Write the Songs." However, after considering the professional ramifications of not heeding the advice of his record label, Manilow caved. "[Producer Ron Dante] and I used every commercial trick we could think of on it," Manilow recalled. "I changed keys three times. The orchestra was huge. We used tons of background vocals, and I hit the highest note I've ever sung at the end. To this day, whenever I listen to that song, I swell with pride at our work on the record."

"As Clive had predicted, ["I Write the Songs"] shot to No. 1 in two months."