From McDonald’s to Band-Aid: 4 TV Commercial Jingles Written by Barry Manilow

In 1965, Barry Manilow landed a job in the mailroom at CBS and soon became known as the “piano-playing mail boy” while taking night classes at New York College of Music before attending Juilliard. “After delivering the mail, I’d go into the rehearsal room,” Manilow told the Recording Academy in 2019. “Willie [stepfather Willie Murphy] had gotten me a little spinet piano, which was great in our apartment. But at CBS, they had these wonderful Yamaha grand pianos.”

Manilow continued, “I became known as the piano-playing mail boy. I worked at CBS from nine till four. Then I went to the twilight classes at Juilliard, and I played in piano bars in the evening. That was how I survived.”

Eventually, Manilow, who was around 21, was promoted to file clerk at the network while working as an accompanist for other artists. After briefly leaving his job to go on the road with actress and singer Jeanne Lucas, when Manilow returned to CBS in 1967, he was asked to take on the role of music director of a new show, Callback, showcasing young talent, and later arranged a new theme song for The Ed Sullivan Show.

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From then on, Manilow continued arranging and composing for television and eventually moving into writing commercial jingles, including the Pepsi song “Feelin’ Free” and “Bathroom Bowl Blues” for the Green Bowlene toilet cleaner in the early ’70s and “Be a Pepper” for Dr. Pepper in 1977, along with other promotional ditties for Dodge and beverage and fast-food chains.

“I learned the most about music working in the jingle industry,” said Manilow. “It was the best music college I could ever imagine. What I learned most of all in my jingle days was how to write a catchy melody.”

Soon after, Manilow started getting jobs as a background singer in commercials, including “Give Your Face Something to Smile About” for Stridex acne products in 1971 and the Randy Newman-penned “Join the Pepsi People” for Pepsi. “That’s when I started to make some big money,” Manilow said. “I never considered myself a solo singer. I was behind other singers playing piano, arranging, conducting, writing, but never did I think about performing or singing.”

Here’s a look back at five commercial jingles Manilow wrote the music or lyrics for throughout the 1970s and early ’80s for some iconic brands.

[RELATED: 8 Songs You Didn’t Know Barry Manilow Wrote for Other Artists]

“Stuck on Band-Aid” for Band-Aid (1971)

Likely one of Manilow’s most iconic jingles, “Stuck on Band-Aid” was written “in one pass” in 1971, along with lyricist Donald B. Wood.

I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, ’cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me
‘Cause they hold on tight no matter what on fingers, toes, and knees
I am stuck on Band-Aid brand, ’cause Band-Aid helps heal me

The iconic tune won Manilow a CLIO Award in 1976 from the advertising agency Young & Rubicam.

“Like a Good Neighbor” for State Farm (1971)

In 1971, Manilow also came up with the melody for Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is there, and got paid $500 without any additional residuals. “You get residuals if you’re singing or talking on the commercial, but as a composer, you get a flat fee,” said Manilow. “It’s been going for 45 years, but nobody expected a jingle to last that long. Same thing with Band-Aid. And $500 was great for me at that point.”

For the jingle, Manilow was only given the company slogan. “They just give you the lyric: ‘Whenever you’re driving and wherever you’re bound… like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,’” recalled Manilow. “That’s it. Then you try to write a catchy melody, something that will stick in listeners’ ears in 15 seconds. For television, you get 15 seconds. If you’re lucky, 30.”

After hearing it played on TV for more than four decades, Manilow said: It’s my greatest hit!”

“You Deserve a Break Today” for McDonald’s (1982)

In 1982, Manilow worked for one of his biggest clients: McDonald’s, and wrote the “You Deserve a Break Today” song. “That was the granddaddy of all of them,” said Manilow, “the first big one.” 

“Grab a Bucket of Chicken” and “Finger-Lickin’ Good Day” for KFC (1983)

By the 1980s, Kentucky Fried Chicken became one of the most popular fast-food chains in America and was expanding domestically and internationally, opening its first store in China in 1987. In the early ’80s, Manilow wrote a finger-lickin‘ good jingle for the brand: “Grab a Bucket of Chicken.” Manilow also wrote and sang a second jingle for KFC: “Finger-Lickin’ Good Day.”

Photo: CBS via Getty Images