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."
Being At War With Each Other
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One father one mother
So why do we complicate
Our lives so much
By being at war with each other
Mm, maybe I'm crazy
But I don't understand it
To dig more holes
It's such a waste of a planet
There must be a reason
That I can't see
Maybe somebody else now
Knows better than me
All I know is
Everyone else is
A sister or a brother
So we've got to look around
Again and stop
Being at war with each other
Being at war with each other
Oh
Maybe I'm crazy
But I don't
No, I don't understand it
(There must be a reason)
There must be a reason
(There must be a reason)
There must be a reason
That I can't see
Somebody else must be
Better than me
All I know is
Everyone else is
A sister or brothers
So we've got to look around
Again and stop
Being at war with each other
Being at war with each other
Barbra Streisand’s “Being at War with Each Other” is a call for unity and understanding in a world plagued with division and strife. The song highlights the paradox of humanity, where even though we all come from the same parents, we choose to see each other as enemies and end up destroying ourselves and the planet. According to the lyrics, there is no logical reason to be at war with each other, and the constant digging of holes symbolizes our tendencies to dig ourselves deeper into a hole of ignorance, hate, and self-destruction.
The song’s opening lines, “Everyone comes from One father one mother So why do we complicate Our lives so much By being at war with each other,” question the senselessness of war and the need for peace among all humanity. Streisand points out that when we are in a state of war, we cannot make any progress or live up to our full potential as individuals or as a society. The song’s central theme is that everyone else is a sister or a brother, which means that we are all connected, and that our diversity should be a source of strength and not division.
Streisand admits that she may not understand why people can't seem to get along, but she pleads for us to look around and see the bigger picture. The repeating refrain, “There must be a reason That I can't see Maybe somebody else now Knows better than me,” highlights the idea that we can’t always know everything, and that we should be open-minded and willing to learn from others.
In summary, “Being at War with Each Other” is an uplifting, soulful plea for peace and unity. It's a call to reflect on the things that unite us rather than those that divide us.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone comes from
Every person on earth has a common origin, a father and a mother.
One father one mother
Two individuals are responsible for every person's existence, a father and a mother.
So why do we complicate
Given that we all share the same roots, why do we create so much complexity in our lives?
Our lives so much
We make our existence harder than it should be by battling and competing with each other.
By being at war with each other
By fighting and struggling against everyone else around us, we only cause harm to ourselves.
Mm, maybe I'm crazy
The singer feels like she may be talking out of turn or going against the accepted way of thinking.
But I don't understand it
The actions and attitudes of people towards each other are confusing and beyond her comprehension.
Why do we seem to vote
Why do we consistently make choices that lead us further down the path of aggression and conflict with each other?
To dig more holes
To create more problems and divide ourselves even further, instead of trying to find common ground and work together.
It's such a waste of a planet
The actions and choices of humanity that lead to war and conflict are not only harmful to each other, but also to the planet itself.
There must be a reason
There must be some underlying logic or explanation for why we consistently choose to create conflict rather than seek peaceful solutions.
That I can't see
Despite her best efforts, the singer cannot fathom why humans don't work together more often.
Maybe somebody else now
Perhaps someone else has the answer or the insight into why people war against each other.
Knows better than me
Another person could have more knowledge or understanding gained from experience that puts them in a better position to comment.
Everyone else is
Everyone on the planet, regardless of background or culture, is fundamentally related to each other.
A sister or a brother
All people are siblings, linked through the same common ancestors, and therefore should look out for each other.
So we've got to look around
Everyone needs to pay more attention to their surroundings and see how they can help rather than hinder.
Again and stop
As in the past, we must work together to find solutions to problems, and cease the fighting and conflicts that only lead to death and destruction.
Being at war with each other
Referring to figurative ‘war’, the singer pleads for humanity to work together and avoid the negative consequences of battling against each other.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CAROLE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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I love Melinda Vesterfelt