Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand; April 24, 1942 Brooklyn, Ne… Read Full Bio ↴Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand; April 24, 1942 Brooklyn, New York), is an Academy Award-winning American singer, theater and film actress, composer, film producer, and director. She has won Oscars for Best Actress and Best Original Song as well as multiple Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and an honorary Tony Award. She received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor on December 7, 2008. She is the most successful female recording artist according to the Recording Industry Assoc. of America (RIAA).

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."

Closer
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

As close as the sea is to the seashore
Tide still rises twice a day
That's just the ocean's way of getting
Closer, closer.

As close as today is to tomorrow
At midnight they can finally touch
'Cause every minute brings them that much closer

Closer

So on this silent night
I call your name
And suddenly all time and space disappears
I see your face in firelight

I hold you close in memory
And even though you're gone
I know you're here
As close as the glow is to the ember

You've always been a part of me
Now living in my heart you're even closer
Closer.
I see your face in firelight

I hold you close in memory
And even though I know you're gone
I know you're here....
As sure as there's snowfall in December

Your love lives in everything
Summer Winter Fall or Spring
Every thought of you will bring us closer
The distance may be large or small

Someday I pray that we may all be

Closer...
Closer.

Overall Meaning

The song "Closer" by Barbra Streisand is a deeply emotional piece about connection and loss. The opening lines compare the relationship between two individuals to the tide rising and falling, suggesting that no matter how close they are, there will always be highs and lows. As the song progresses, Streisand explores the idea of time and distance, likening it to the ever-shifting relationship between the sea and the shore.

The chorus of the song brings the theme of memory to the fore, with Streisand singing of holding her loved one in her memory and feeling their presence, even though they are physically gone. The lyrics are deeply reflective, suggesting that the past and present are always interconnected, and that even the smallest moments can have a powerful impact on our lives.

The final verse of the song brings together all of the themes explored earlier in the piece, emphasizing the idea that love is something that transcends time and space. Streisand sings of the way that her loved one's presence is felt in every moment, in every season, and in every thought.

Overall, "Closer" is a moving and deeply powerful song that speaks to the complexities of human connection and the power of memory.

Line by Line Meaning

As close as the sea is to the seashore
Despite the proximity of the sea and the seashore, the tide still rises indicating an inherent desire for closeness.

Tide still rises twice a day
The tide rises twice a day as a reflection of the ocean seeking a stronger kinship with the seashore.

That's just the ocean's way of getting Closer, closer.
These actions represent the call of the sea and the need for proximity and closeness.

As close as today is to tomorrow
There may be a distance between days, but in essence, they are quite close together.

At midnight they can finally touch
Even though the days are connected, at the moment of midnight, they finally come together symbolizing a desire to be as close as possible.

'Cause every minute brings them that much closer
Over time, it seems like tomorrow is gradually becoming closer as every minute passes by.

So on this silent night
On this quiet and peaceful evening, there is a chance for reflection and contemplation.

I call your name
The singer calls out to a lost love, longing for their presence and companionship.

And suddenly all time and space disappears
In this moment of intense focus and connection, time and space seem to hold no sway, as the singer is caught up in the intensity of their longing.

I see your face in firelight
The firelight helps to capture the image of the loved one in the mind's eye and emphasize the depth of feeling.

I hold you close in memory
Although the lost love has gone, the singer holds onto memories of that person as a way of retaining a connection.

And even though you're gone
Acknowledging the harsh reality of that lost possibility support the idea that it is still possible to retain that connection.

As close as the glow is to the ember
There is still a connection between elements in various states of fire, just as there can still be a connection even when one person is physically absent.

You've always been a part of me
The connection is strong and fundamental, stretching back through time.

Now living in my heart you're even closer
With the absence of the physical body, the singer carries the memory and internalizes the relationship as a way of bringing their loved one even closer.

Your love lives in everything
The love that existed stretches beyond just one person, tainting all elements of the world and making everything become closer together in harmony.

Summer Winter Fall or Spring
All seasons are connected and vital as a reflection of the love that still exists.

Every thought of you will bring us closer
The memories and intense feelings can bring the singer on an internal journey where they can find more clarity and connection with the lost loved one.

The distance may be large or small
The physical distance between entities is never a true barrier to the strength of the connection that exists.

Someday I pray that we may all be Closer
The hope and desire is that more people may have the chance to feel the depth of these close connections and ultimately connect with one another in meaningful ways.

Closer.
The hand clapping associated with this final line seems to support the realization of that hope, that indeed we may all be closer.

Lyrics © KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM SNOW, DEAN PITCHFORD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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