Streisand at 80

[Gilly Goodness]

Can you believe it?

April 24. Ageless and Ever, EverGreen!

Before we got a boombox bluetooth speaker, in the car we had CD so one day I went to a thrift shoppe and on the dusty shelves was a Bab's greatest hits. Okery Dokey. That'll do.

1 CD in the car. That's it.

Life is short.

Why not listen to the greatest female singer the world has known. And a damn fine actress too.

So what are your favourite Bab moments.

Mine?

With Burt Bacharach in the audience, she flirts with Barry Gibb on GUILTY.

https://youtu.be/OnPbAERGim8

[Chris2210]

“Greatest female singer the world has ever known”?

Well I suppose the fact I wouldn’t automatically rubbish that is something of a testament in itself. There is something really hard to quantify about the quality of her voice - it’s not just the technical range and assurance.

I think my personal favourite is Evergreen - truly beautiful delivery.

[Gilly Goodness]

Think in some ways she has the same skill as Robert Palmer. Phrasin'. The ability to attack certain words but also restrain and simply offer a short sung word. Van Morrison displays this as well. It's a feel thing. Natural. Can't be taught.

But her pipes are huge. She handles tonal changes beautifully. An emotive voice. She sells the emotion. She adds bits of business. Character. Role play.

She's naturally funny. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She has courage.

[Gilly Goodness]

I think my personal favourite is Evergreen - truly beautiful delivery.

Here it is

https://youtu.be/udLeOOy6em4

Sheer beauty.

[luna65]

Her technical acumen is otherworldly - she is one of the best technical singers of her generation. And she can sing just about anything, which is also amazing. But she's something beyond just a mere song stylist. I enjoy her equally as an actress and a singer - one of my all-time favorite roles of hers is in What's Up, Doc? because she does embody that classic screwball comedy femme fatale, as it were. And people may think it's a trainwreck but I love her version of A Star Is Born.

Musically I'm particularly a fan of her '70s era - her version of "Stoney End" is awesome.

[luvyesmusic]

Just because I've been off a couple days, and I'm in a groovy, disco mood right now. Call me guilty.

*Oops I didn't watch your video at first, but I watched/listened to it, and great minds think a like. I also love Barry and Maurice's work with Dionne Warwick as well. Great time for music.

https://youtu.be/Phh9B1-4EYs

[luvyesmusic]

Hell, I love this one, too.

https://youtu.be/hQLGCX8D-1Y

[Kevin W]

Believe it or not, someone I know actually suggested to me that Mariah Carey was a better singer than Streisand. I played him 'Papa, Can You Hear Me?' and then 'A Piece of Sky' from the Yentl soundtrack. Dodgy film it may be, but her control in the first song and the power at the end of the second were enough to settle the argument. So those are my favourite moments, but there's also Guilty of course. An absolutely classic album.

[Gilly Goodness]

MY HEART BELONGS TO ME

https://youtu.be/tU2hIwiBZvI

This is my fave. 3 1/2 minutes. A world is created.

[luna65]

I've always really liked that song too.

[Chris2210]

Listening to some of those tracks again it occurs to me that beyond the amazing control and command of her range there's something that elevates her beyond any of those singers sometimes mentioned in the same breath that come into the diva category - taste. I think the uncanny beauty comes from the fact that she never seems to be using her considerable vocal talent to show off - there are no unnecessary syllables, no trills, no extra schmalz. Every note serves the song and leaves you wondering how it could be interpreted any better because it stretches beyond where your own imagination might go with the lines. Few have that gift. Coupled with that level of technical ability? Probably unique.

[pianozach]

I always liked how she approached Sondheim songs. There are a few (Children Will Listen, Putting It Together, and Send In The Clowns) where she actually had the cajones to ask Sondheim for additional lyrics, or even an additional section. He did that for her.

The Broadway album, the one that ends with Somewhere (from West Side Story) is quite nice.

There's an older album of hers that I've always been fond of, Barbra Steisand And Other Musical Instruments, where several songs are given new settings. One song features her singing along with kitchen appliances and vacuum cleaners.

Concerto for Voice and Appliances

[Gilly Goodness]

Officially 80 and one day!

Happy Birthday your Highness!!!! 👩🍳

[cybrkhatru]

MY HEART BELONGS TO ME

https://youtu.be/tU2hIwiBZvI

This is my fave. 3 1/2 minutes. A world is created.

This is the one I was gonna mention too. My mom played the hell out of this album (and the Songbird album) when I was a kid, so most of my favorites are from this period.

Props to her version of "Somewhere" from the Broadway Album too. That version is PERFECT. And "What Kind of Fool" from Guilty.


Jayysus, when my Mom goes I'm not gonna be able to listen to this stuff without completely turning to mush. I'm misty just thinking about it now....


Oh, and What's Up Doc is AWESOME!!!!!

[cybrkhatru]

Listening to some of those tracks again it occurs to me that beyond the amazing control and command of her range there's something that elevates her beyond any of those singers sometimes mentioned in the same breath that come into the diva category - taste. I think the uncanny beauty comes from the fact that she never seems to be using her considerable vocal talent to show off - there are no unnecessary syllables, no trills, no extra schmalz. Every note serves the song and leaves you wondering how it could be interpreted any better because it stretches beyond where your own imagination might go with the lines. Few have that gift. Coupled with that level of technical ability? Probably unique.

And something that many of the divas who followed her would've done well to learn.... that "taste".....