Barbara Streisand

Okay - for the last few days a coworker of mine has been trying to convince me that Barbara Streisand has an UNBELIEVABLE voice. I've been hearing comments like this for YEARS and have yet to hear what everyone else is hearing.

Could someone please recommend 'the cd' I should purchase that could possibly put me in Barbara's AMEN corner? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!

Her first three albums are where you will find the best of her - and even at that, its not so much about the voice as it is about the risks - the choices she makes and the wonderful arrangements...she was a HUGE risk taker long before it came into fashion - hear her early stuff and see what you think.

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It depends on which stage of Barbra's career you are listening to.

If you are listening to any album she has made in the last 8 years then what your hearing is indeed farshtinkener!

Overproduced, over analyzed and in most cases not well sung.

However....

The recordings that Barbra Streisand did in the first 10 years of her career remain some of the greatest recordings done by a vocalist, male or female, classical or pop, of the last 80 years.

Listen to the "My Man" off the "Funny Girl" soundtrack.

Listen to "Never, never will I marry" off of "The Third album".

Listen to "Spring can really hang you up the most" on "Off the Record"".

The list goes on and on.

..and in my humble opinion, the way Streisand sings the words, "..the skies above" in the legendary duet of "Happy Days/Get Happy" with Judy Garland, remains as one of the 10 most gorgeous sounds that has ever been recorded.

Updated On: 3/9/04 at 12:18 PM

or - instead of spending the money - just borrow a copy from a friend or go to the listening station at the library or even Barnes and Noble and see if you like anything you hear before purchasing. I am a great fan of her early years so I hope to add all those recordings to my collection eventually. But I can see how she is not for everyone. I actually love the version of I Am Calling You (from Bagdad Cafe) on her newest CD - there are additional lyrics I hadn't heard before and it's very haunting and a great arrangement. But as for most of her more recent ventures, I am with Voiceanth on this one.

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ooooo I agree...Calling You from her Movie ALbum is so gorgeous and haunting. I have had it on repeat for a month.

"The Essential Barbra..." CD has a lot of crap on it. Once Streisand moved to Hollywood it seems her tastes soured (exception: "The Way We Were.") The early stuff is prime. Rent "My Name Is Barbra" VHS.

Great responses! I'm looking forward to hearing/seeing some of this stuff!!

Check out the album variously referred to as "The Way We Were" that features the fabulous Scavullo portrait of her with her head wreathed by a black scarf, with fire-engine red lips, nails and ring.

Play the "My Buddy/How About Me" medley.

When she sings "You'll FIIIIIND somebody new, but what am IIII to do?!" that is the definition of a 'cri de coeur' - She sings like a knife of pain and loss has sliced right through her.

It's my personal single favorite Barbra cut.

DAMN, she used to be SO GOOD.

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If ever there was case of a pop singer coming close to the range, voluptuousness and girth of voice of an opera singer.....

It's Streisand singing, "When the Sun Comes Out" off of the second album.

She throws in everything from pianissimos to octave jumps to guttural tones to high notes in alt and all the while maintaining the basic integrity of the song.

In - freaking - sane singing.

Updated On: 3/9/04 at 07:11 PM

ok, she is the MOST incredible singer, nothing anyone says changes that, but i have a qustion...so many people were out in L.A. this weekend paying tribute to her...why? any one know the reason?

She is on Inside The Actors Studio in 2 weeks.