Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand
#1″People”. It’s unlikely that there is any song that is more requested from ,or connected to, Barbra Streisand than “People”. When power lyrics presenting the universal longing of all human beings are trusted to a voice like Streisand’s good things are going to happen. “People” was heard by the millions who saw and continue to view the movie Funny Girl . If patrons leave the movie with nothing but that one song in their minds and hearts they more than got their money’s worth. “People” is surely a love song, but it is also a provocative song about the human spirit. For both reasons it will remain the most often played and best loved song on the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand.
#2“I’m the Greatest Star” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” were to become great hits after being seen and heard by millions in Funny Girl audiences around the world. Both songs are buoyant , confidence laden, hope filled explosions on the screen. Though the visual effects that backed both songs were considerable, in both cases it was the giant musical instrument that is Barbra Streisand that filled the words with power., emotion and sense of an indomitable human spirit. In” I’m the Greatest Star”, Streisand, as Fanny Brice, sings out a prediction , her belief in herself and her talent. It’s a song we all relate to at some level. We all have many times in which we believe we are the greatest star “but no one knows it.”
“Don’t Rain on My Parade” is a song in which Streisand allows us the joy of hearing her emotion and joy rise to a crescendo that few besides Streisand can produce. Streisand reminds us of our own personal parade toward our own individual goals and we are lifted along with her.
#4″On a Clear Day” and #5 “Happy Days” are two other songs on the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand that lift our spirits. “On a Clear Day” was written as the title song of a movie that was not a critical success, but the song and sensitivity with which it was delivered were nearly prayer-like and certainly inspirational. In “Happy Days”, Streisand took a known song and tooled it into a Streisand masterpiece. Here is a re-arrangement and re-pacing of a song commonly sung with bounce and snap to create the impression of a completely new and powerful piece belonging on the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand.
#6″Evergreen and #7 “A Sleepin’ Bee “ are certainly love songs worthy of a place on the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand. “Evergreen” is of course the powerfully rich and warm theme song from another Streisand film, A Star Is Born. Among Streisand fans howerver “A Sleepin’ Bee” gets its own raves. Filled with exceptional lines right from the start: “When a bee lies sleepin’ in the palm of your hand…”, this song is a dreamer’s delight, that is made more so by the delicate treatment Streisand draws from her many faceted talent.
#8″The Way We Were ” and “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair” show Streisand’s ability to rein in the power of her voice and transform it into an instrument of touching melancholia. In “The Way We Were” Streisand shares bittersweet remembrances of love past. In “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair” Streisand considers the meaning of life passing by with “no one to want me”. The soul wrenching quality of Streisand’s voice in both of these numbers easily keeps them on the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand.
#10” Cry Me A River”. No list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand would be complete without this classic example of the rough, tough , powerfully emotional Streisand that Barbra turns loose in “Cry Me a River”. In this song she scampers through a series of emotions experienced by anyone who is betrayed in love. Then when the tables turn and the lover wants to come back Barbra responds with “And now you say you love me, well just to prove that you do, cry me a river, cry me a river, I cried a river over you.” If you ever want a window into emotional vengeance this song is for you and it’s also for the list of Top Ten Songs by Barbra Streisand.
Barbra Streisand has become a show business legend. She has excelled on stage, screen even occasionally on Television. she has succeeded as an actress, writer and producer. But it is likely that she will be remembered longest and with greates affection as a singer of songs. The songs on this list should guarantee that legacy.
