Sandra, the main character of this song, is a great mystery, at least to me. The name was never mentioned all throughout the song, but that is its title. Even Barry Manilow, the voice behind this song, has kept mum on who Sandra is, or was, or if she did exist at all.
Sandra, the song, however, is a different thing. It wasn’t a major hit, but it did make people sit down and listen. The melody is haunting and the message is clear. It tells the story of a woman and her journey through life, transitioning from being a wife, to a mother, to a depressed and lonely woman. Then came the unexpected and tragic end.
She puts down the phone when her husband comes home
And she changes from mother to wife
Being a mother is never easy, but in the song, Sandra was happy being one. Still, there was a time when she felt depressed and turned to drinking as her way of coping. Yet, she knew when too much is no longer healthy.
She helps at the store in the holiday rush
And she picks up the kids after school
Depressed for a while when the youngest was born
Although that happens now and again
She might take a drink with her housework
Or when Michael’s kept late at the shop
A martini or two before dinner
But she always knows when to stop
In the latter years, Sandra’s life turned routinary and money became an issue. Dates and movie watching became things of the past.
They used to hold hands at the movies
Now it’s seldom if ever they go
Once you’ve paid for the sitter
And parked in the car
There’s no money left for the show
In the end, Sandra encountered death on a fine and ordinary day and in the most unexpected of all places
She was doing the dishes when a glass fell and broke on the tile
She cut her wrist quite by mistake
It was real touh and go for a while
The story of Sandra is typical of many women who chose to live a life of simplicity. In that sense, there may be no need to wonder if Sandra is actually real.
Listen to Sandra’s story one more time here
AKA Music 