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."
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
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And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder witch there never, never was
She filled the folks in Munchkin land with terror and with dread
'Till one fine day from Kansas way a cyclone caught a house
That brought the wicked, wicked witch her doom
As she was flying on her broom
For the house fell on her head and the coroner pronounced her dead
And thru the town the joyous news was spread
Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
Let them know the wicked witch is dead
Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
Let them know the wicked witch is dead
The song “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” is a celebratory song from the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. The song is about the death of the witch who has caused fear and chaos in the land of Oz. The song was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, and it is performed by the Munchkins after Dorothy and her friends have melted the Wicked Witch of the West.
The verse tells the story of the wicked witch who brought terror to the people in Munchkin land. She met her end as a result of the cyclone that brought Dorothy and her house to Munchkin land. The verse builds up to the moment when the house falls on the witch, resulting in her death. The verse ends with the coroner pronouncing her dead and the happy news spilling out into the town.
The refrain of the song is a joyful celebration that the wicked witch is gone. The lyrics “Wake up, you sleepyhead, rub your eyes, get out of bed, Wake up, the wicked witch is dead” suggest that the fear that has been paralyzing the people of Munchkin land is finally lifted. The second verse reiterates the fact that the wicked witch is finally gone, and the people can let everyone know the good news by ringing the bells.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was a wicked witch in the lovely land of Oz
In the beautiful place of Oz, there existed a witch who was characterized by her wickedness.
And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder witch there never, never was
She was the most wicked witch that had ever existed in the history of Oz.
She filled the folks in Munchkin land with terror and with dread
The witch instilled a profound sense of fear and anxiety in the people of Munchkin land.
'Till one fine day from Kansas way a cyclone caught a house
Then one day, a cyclone from Kansas caught a house and sent it to Oz.
That brought the wicked, wicked witch her doom
As fate would have it, this event signified the end of the wicked witch's life.
As she was flying on her broom
At the time of her demise, the witch was flying on her broom.
For the house fell on her head and the coroner pronounced her dead
The house fell on the witch's head, leading to her death, and the coroner declared her dead.
And thru the town the joyous news was spread
The town heard the news of the witch's death and was filled with joy.
Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch
With a sense of excitement and celebration, people announced that the witch was dead, emphasizing that it was the wicked witch who had passed away.
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
People are being encouraged to wake up and acknowledge the fact that the witch is no more.
Wake up, the wicked witch is dead!
The line is repeated to ensure that everybody is aware of the witch's fate.
She's gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
The witch has gone to the netherworld, where goblins reside.
Let's open up and sing, and ring the bells out
People should celebrate the death of the witch by singing loudly and ringing the bells.
Ding-dong! the merry-o sing it high, sing it low
The song continues to encourage people to sing joyfully, at any pitch they prefer.
Let them know the wicked witch is dead
The song concludes by reiterating the fact that the wicked witch is no more, and everyone should be aware of this.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: E HARBURG, E.Y. HARBURG, HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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