Barbra Streisand has recorded more than 60 albums, almost all with Columbia Records. Her early works in the 1960s (her debut The Barbra Streisand Album which won two Grammy Awards in 1963, followed by The Second Barbra Streisand Album, The Third Album, My Name Is Barbra, etc.) are considered classic renditions of theater and nightclub standards, including her version of Happy Days Are Here Again. Beginning with My Name Is Barbra, her albums were often medley-filled keepsakes of her television specials.
Starting in 1969, Streisand tackled contemporary songwriters; like many talented singers of the day, she found herself a fish out of water in attempts to tackle rock, but her vocal talents prevailed and she gained newfound success with the pop and ballad-oriented Richard Perry-produced album Stoney End in 1971. The title track, written by Laura Nyro, was a big hit for Streisand.
Streisand's 1980 album, Guilty featured the songwriting, production and vocal talents of Barry Gibb and was the best-selling album of her recording career. During the 1970s, she was also highly prominent in the pop charts, with number-one records like The Way We Were, Evergreen, No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (her duet with Donna Summer), and Woman In Love; some of these came from soundtracks of her films. She recently took part in supporting Haiti in singing "We are the World 25th anniversary.
When the 1970s ended, Streisand was named the most successful female singer in the U.S. - only Elvis Presley and The Beatles having sold more albums. [1]
[1] In 1982, New York Times music critic Stephen Holden wrote that Streisand was "the most influential mainstream American pop singer since Frank Sinatra."
A Gift Today
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From every loving relative and friend
Gifts we wish you very much
Things you cannot wear or touch
Or tell time with, or write with, or spend
If we could have the power to raise the one on high
Command for you a gift today
What money makes, money takes away
We command you something special
Grand and worthy of this day
The gift that I would grant you is may you never trade
For glory, or success, or fame
Your own good name
Yes, your own good name
We command you something special
Grand and worthy of this day
The gift that I would grant you is when you need a friend
You'll find one half as good and true
As you know, ooh
As we all know, ooh
We command you something special
Grand and worthy of this day
The gift that I would grant you is when you meet the one
The one you′ll love your whole life through
She'll love you too
Like she's loved by you
If we could have the power to raise the one on high
Command for you a gift today
Wealth we wouldn′t wish you or things that gold can buy
What money makes, money takes away
Happy birthday, 13th birthday
From the ones who love you so
Goodbye to childish things now, to boyish thoughts and ways
May love bless everyday you know
To a boy, "Farewell"
To a man, "Hello"
To a man, "Hello"
In Barbra Streisand's song "A Gift Today," the lyrics convey the idea that gifts given to a loved one are merely tokens of the much more profound and important gifts of love, friendship, and good character traits. The first verse introduces the idea that these gifts, although appreciated, are not as valuable as intangible gifts such as love, friendship, good character, and integrity. The second verse continues this theme but emphasizes the idea that if one could command a gift for someone special, one wouldn't wish them wealth or things that gold can buy; instead, one would wish for them to possess their own good name and to have good friends.
The chorus speaks of something special-grand and worthy-of the day, which is a reference to the recipient's birthday. Streisand emphasizes that the best gifts in life are things that cannot be bought. The next verse talks about how the gift of friendship is crucial in life and how it is essential to find someone half as good and true as oneself. The final verse offers the personal touch of Streisand's hopes for the recipient to meet someone to love and be loved by.
Overall, the song's theme centers around emphasizing the importance of the intangible gifts of life over the tangible ones, such as material objects or wealth. It highlights the true essence of friendship, love, and good character, which cannot be bought or sold.
Line by Line Meaning
These gifts are just a token of bigger ones unspoken
The gifts being given are just small tokens of a greater love and support that the recipient has from their friends and family, which is not expressed through material things.
From every loving relative and friend
The love and support being expressed through the gifts is from every person who cares for the recipient, both related and unrelated.
Gifts we wish you very much
The giver truly wishes the recipient to have the gifts they are being given and hope they bring some joy to them.
Things you cannot wear or touch
The gifts being given are not material items that can be physically held or worn.
Or tell time with, or write with, or spend
The gifts being given cannot be used to tell time, write, or spend like usual material possessions.
We command you something special
The giver wants to bestow a special gift upon the recipient.
Grand and worthy of this day
The special gift given by the giver should be grand and significant for celebrating this special day.
The gift that I would grant you is may you never trade
The gift the giver would like to give is the hope that the recipient never compromises or gives up their own good name for the pursuit of fleeting things like glory, success, or fame.
For glory, or success, or fame
The giver hopes the recipient doesn't compromise their good name for achievements that can bring temporary fame or success.
Your own good name
The gift the giver wants to give the recipient is the desire that they continue to have a good reputation and the respect of others.
The gift that I would grant you is when you need a friend
The giver wishes to give the recipient the gift of being able to find good friends when they need them the most.
You'll find one half as good and true
The giver wishes for the recipient to have the gift of finding someone to be their friend who will be as good and true to them as they are.
As you know, ooh
As the recipient already knows, true friends are hard to come by and highly valued.
As we all know, ooh
As everyone else in the community also knows, true friends are important and valuable to have.
The gift that I would grant you is when you meet the one
The giver wishes to give a gift to the recipient for when they finally meet the person they will love for the rest of their lives.
The one you'll love your whole life through
The gift being wished upon the recipient is finding and sharing life with someone who they will love for eternity.
She'll love you too
The gift the giver wishes to give is that the recipient finds a partner who will also love them as much as they do.
Like she's loved by you
The giver hopes the recipient finds someone who loves them as much as they love that person.
Wealth we wouldn't wish you or things that gold can buy
The giver hopes the recipient doesn't become consumed by seeking wealth or chasing material possessions that can be bought with money.
What money makes, money takes away
The giver expresses a warning that things which are gained through money or material purchases can easily be taken away and are not always valuable.
Happy birthday, 13th birthday
The giver is sending birthday wishes to the recipient on their 13th birthday.
From the ones who love you so
The wishes and gifts being sent are from the people who love and care about the recipient.
Goodbye to childish things now, to boyish thoughts and ways
The giver is acknowledging that the recipient is growing up and needs to start leaving behind childish thoughts and behaviors.
May love bless everyday you know
The giver wishes that the recipient experiences love and blessing in every day of their life.
To a boy, 'Farewell'
The giver is saying farewell to the recipient as they make the transition from boyhood to manhood.
To a man, 'Hello'
The giver acknowledges the recipient as they enter into adulthood, with greetings of 'hello' instead of 'farewell'.
To a man, 'Hello'
The giver of gifts is ushering the recipient into a new phase of their life, declaring it to be an exciting new beginning to adulthood.
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robo
on Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)
I love Melinda Vesterfelt