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."

Everything Must Change
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

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Everything must change
Nothing stays the same
Everyone must change
No one stays the same
The young become the old
And mysteries do unfold
Cause that's the way of time
Nothing and no one goes unchanged

There are not many things in life
You can be sure of
Except rain comes from the clouds

Sun lights up the sky
And hummingbirds do fly
Winter turns to spring
A wounded heart will heal
But never much too soon

Yes
Everything must change
The young become the old
And mysteries do unfold
Cause that's the way of time
Nothing and no one goes unchanged
There are not many things in life
You can be sure of
Except rain comes from the clouds

Sun lights up the sky
And butterflies do fly
Rain comes from the clouds
Sun lights up the sky
And music

And music
Makes me cry

Overall Meaning

Barbra Streisand's song "Everything Must Change" speaks of the inevitability of change and the passage of time. The lyrics emphasize that everything is constantly in flux and that nothing remains constant. The young become old, and mysteries are revealed, and these changes are part of the natural flow of time. The song's melancholic tone is emphasized by the repetitiveness of the lyrics and the way that they seem to echo the inevitability of change, as if the message is being echoed again and again to drive home its importance.

The lyrics of "Everything Must Change" are deeply philosophical and speak to the human experience of confronting the impermanence of life. The song suggests that, despite this impermanence, there are some things in life that we can be certain of, such as the fact that rain comes from the clouds and the sun comes up every day. The final verse of the song is particularly poignant, as it reflects on the emotional power of music to move us to tears, even as we confront the reality of change.

Line by Line Meaning

Everything must change
The world is constantly changing and evolving

Nothing stays the same
Nothing in life remains the same

Everyone must change
All individuals must adapt and grow with time

No one stays the same
No individual remains the same throughout their life

The young become the old
Youth fades with time and age catches up with everyone

And mysteries do unfold
The passage of time reveals hidden secrets and unknown truths

Cause that's the way of time
Time is an unstoppable force that brings change and growth

Nothing and no one goes unchanged
No aspect of life or individual remains the same

There are not many things in life
Few things in life are certain

You can be sure of
One can only be certain about a few aspects of life

Except rain comes from the clouds
The natural world has some consistencies that can be counted on