Oh my god. Hilarious. Barry Manilow has recorded an album of duets with dead people. They are all dead. Dead, dead, dead. And he’s releasing it a few days before Halloween on October 27th.

After all, Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett have duets albums. Why not Barry? Of course, Barbra did resurrect Elvis for her album. Now it’s Barry’s turn to be the crypt keeper.

And what a group! Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and Jimmy Durante he got from one of those Hollywood Boulevard souvenir shops. Whitney Houston? Why not Michael Jackson? (Probably couldn’t get permission.) Barry’s also got Andy Williams, Louis Armstrong, “Mama” Cass Elliot, Sammy Davis Jr., Dusty Springfield, John Denver, and Frankie Lymon.

also check out http://www.showbiz411.com/2014/09/23/radio-serious-court-ruling-against-sirius-xm-over-playing-but-not-paying-for-pre-1972-music

“My Dream Duet” is the name of the album. Barry didn’t dream of singing with people who were alive– and breathing. No, it was a visit to the cemetery that turned him on.

One thing you can say about this– Barry won’t have to fight with the duet singers over interpretation.

Here’s the track list. Disappointed– no “Monster Mash.”

The Song’s Gotta Come from the Heart,” with Jimmy Durante
“Goody Goody,” with Frankie Lymon
“Dream a Little Dream of Me,” with Mama Cass
“I Believe In You and Me,” with Whitney Houston
“Sunshine on My Shoulders,” with John Denver
“Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” with Judy Garland
“Moon River,” with Andy Williams
“The Look of Love,” with Dusty Springfield
“The Candyman,” with Sammy Davis, Jr.
“I Wanna Be Loved by You,” with Marilyn Monroe
“What a Wonderful World”/”What a Wonderful Life,” with Louis Armstrong

Cheek to Cheek is here! Already getting great notices in the UK, where it came out yesterday, the Tony Bennett- Lady Gaga project is a winner for both singers and for us. More importantly, as I told you when the pair taped their PBS special (airing next month), Gaga turns out to a fabulous jazz singer with a rich, textured voice.

Indeed, even though Gaga sings perfectly well on her own rock songs, this form seems like it’s her metier. Jazz standards give her a chance for more emotional readings, whether comic or dramatic. There’s so much personality in her voice that suddenly she feels like the natural progression from Bette Midler than begins with Barbra Streisand. She’s their heir. Who’da thunk it?

Tony, of course, just keeps going. At 88, I guess he’s a tribute to bad living followed by a clean life. When you think that Tony Bennett sort of wandered around for about 20 years and then was rediscovered– well, thank goodness. His phrasing, reading, and intelligence are impeccable. You can tell that he’s mentored Gaga, too. She is damn lucky.

There are 11 duets on the album, and a pair of solos for each singer. Gaga excels on “Lush Life” by herself. Bennett takes a new crack at “Sophisticated Lady,” and “Don’t Wait Too Long,” both of which he’s done before. Let’s face it, he’s sung every standard over the last 60 plus years. But Tony never fails to bring new colors to songs each time he tries them.

You know, Tony labored under the shadow of Frank Sinatra for years. But since Sinatra’s death, we’ve had this extraordinary Bennett Renaissance that no one could have expected. Compare “Cheek to Cheek” to Sinatra’s late – career duets albums. Ol’ Blue Eyes couldn’t have pulled this off at 68, let alone 88. (He died at age 82.)

As for Gaga, this turn of events guarantees that she will be with us forever. Unlike Madonna, Gaga has about ten career possibilities. She’ll be able to do anything she wants, especially Broadway, when her fan base ages out. Movie musicals? Why not? We are stuck with her, but in a good way. If she takes care of that voice, Lady Gaga will be getting a Kennedy Center honor and lots of other things 30 and 40 years from now.

Congrats to Tony’s sons, Danny– his manager, and Dae–his producer on “Cheek to Cheek.” They nailed this thing.

Between now and next Tuesday, September 30th, around 30 albums are going to be released in time for the Grammy deadline. One of them, from Aretha Franklin, is a surprise that I announced last week. The Queen of Soul is releasing a transcendent version of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” in keeping with her history of extraordinary covers (think Aretha on “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Let it Be,” or “I Say a Little Prayer”).

But one surprise that won’t be happening from Adele herself. Even though internet is buzzing with rumors of a “25” album from Adele on September 25th, it’s not in the works. I am assured by those who know that Adele has no “Beyonce” strategy up her sleeve.

There still could be a “25” album before the end of the year. But my guess is that if she has the tracks together, Sony would launch Adele in mid January. That’s the time when “21” took off, and it didn’t do so badly (10 million copies or more). That will also be exactly four years since “21” was released.

Adele may have stoked the rumors in May when she posted this Tweet. But as she says, “later in the year.” Not this week.

Bye bye 25… See you again later in the year x pic.twitter.com/HEmY14El5s

— Adele (@OfficialAdele) May 4, 2014

Scratch the Rolling Stones as MusiCares’ Person of the Year. Mick, Keith, Ronnie, and Charlie et al have declined the chance to be honored for their humanitarian or charitable work. Sources tell me that as the Stones have scooped up hundreds of millions for their 50th anniversary tour, they’re not interested in seeing fellow stars sing their songs next February in tribute to them at the record industry’s most prestigious event.

Well, humbug to them. There are plenty of stars who’d be honored to be honored by MusiCares, my favorite annual charity. So far Persons of the Year have included Sting, Bono, Carole King, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin, Don Henley, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and David Crosby.

The names I hear bandied about include, of course, Bob Dylan, plus Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Garth Brooks, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend of The Who, Led Zeppelin, Smokey Robinson, and so on. Madonna could be honored for her work with Kabbalah (that would be a weird night). Seriously: why not a Berry Gordy tribute to Motown? Or a memorial celebration of Michael Jackson with Diana Ross? Or what about Diana Ross herself? Or Lionel Richie?

I’m told the Stones turn down didn’t leave MusiCares “shattered.” They’ll get “satisfaction” elsewhere, believe me. MusiCares is bigger than the Rolling Stones. It helps hundreds of musicians with financial and life problems, many of whom have no health insurance or are in trouble after years of entertaining us.