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."
He could show me
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things I've never thought of before.
He could show me what I've missed, baby,
Somewhere there is something more.
I've never been there, I might get lost at sea.
I think he's been there and he could show me.
Could he tell me why the days were empty?
Days I wasted waiting for tomorrow.
Some other world, some other face,
He could show me, he could show me.
[Backing Singers:]
He could show me what I've missed, baby,
Somewhere there is something more.
[Barbra:]
I've never been there, I might get lost at sea.
I think he's been there and he could show me.
Could he tell me why the days were empty?
Days I wasted waiting for tomorrow.
Some other time, some other place,
Some other world, some other face,
He could show me, he could show me.
[Backing Singers:]
He could show me, he could show me, he could show me...
(Fade out)
The lyrics to Barbra Streisand's song "He could show me" convey the idea of longing for something more and asking a person who seems to know more than her to show her. It is not clear from the lyrics who the person being referred to is, but it may be a representation of a romantic partner or a mentor.
The first verse talks about the possibility of someone showing her things she has never thought of before. It suggests a feeling of frustration at the limitations of her own experiences and knowledge. She believes that this person could show her what she has missed in life and take her to a different place where she could find meaning and fulfillment. The line "I think he's been there and he could show me" implies that the person the singer is referring to has knowledge or experience that surpasses hers.
The second verse asks the same person if they could tell her why the days felt empty and why she wasted time waiting for tomorrow. The use of the word "wasted" suggests a feeling of regret or disappointment, and the mention of waiting for tomorrow suggests a feeling of dissatisfaction with the present. The chorus repeats the idea that this person could show her what she has missed and take her to a different place where she could find fulfillment.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing for something more and a belief that there is someone who can show the singer the way. It suggests a desire to learn and grow, and a belief that there is more to life than what the singer has experienced so far.
Line by Line Meaning
He could show me things I've never dreamed of,
He has the potential to introduce me to new, imaginative experiences that I have never even fathomed before.
Things I've never thought of before.
The things he could reveal to me are so foreign to my mind that I have not even conceived of them yet.
He could show me what I've missed, baby,
It's possible that there are opportunities, places, or things that I have overlooked or not been exposed to, but he has knowledge of these and could share them with me.
Somewhere there is something more.
I believe that there is more to life than what I have currently experienced, and he may have insight into what that something more could be.
I've never been there, I might get lost at sea.
There are places that I have never ventured to before and I'm afraid of the unknown - I may find myself feeling overwhelmed or lost if I attempted to navigate them alone.
I think he's been there and he could show me.
I believe that he has explored these unknown places before and could serve as a guide for me, showing me the ropes and helping me to acclimate to these new surroundings.
Could he tell me why the days were empty?
I have felt as though something has been missing from my life, causing days to feel unfulfilling and lackluster. I wonder if he knows the cause of this.
Days I wasted waiting for tomorrow.
I have spent many days eagerly looking forward to the future, hoping that it will bring more excitement and fulfillment than the present. I may be overlooking beautiful aspects of life that are happening in the here and now.
Some other time, some other place,
There may be other times or places where I could find happiness and fulfillment, if only given the opportunity to experience them.
Some other world, some other face,
I may be limiting myself by only looking at this world and the people I am familiar with. There may be other worlds or other people out there who could bring me joy and fulfillment.
He could show me, he could show me.
I believe that he has the ability to reveal things to me that I have never seen or considered before, and that this could lead to greater fulfillment and happiness in my life.
Contributed by Sophie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
AbrahamDiner
HE COULD SHOW ME a ballad from a 1967 off-broadway musical NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN which opened on Sept 26, 1967. Lyrics by Gretchen Cryer nd music by Nancy Ford. Opened at the Theatre de Lys, on Christopher Street, Greenwich Village. Sister Roslyn Kind mentioned on a Canadian TV show in 2010 that she had recorded the original demo for this song, but it was never released.
Steve Gottfried
I love hearing a Streisand song I'd never heard before. Thank you.
Minnie Jones
That last note is so meaningful and beautiful to me....I close my eyes and Rock myself every time it gets to that part. GO YOUNG BARBARA GOOOOO!!! :)
JD
I rushed to the record store and grabbed up this 45 single when it was released in January 1968.
I fell in love with side B and this has been in my top 10 favorite by Barbra Streisand ever since then. I wish she would release it on a retroactive compilation. One can only hope.
Man, that is one warped 45 this was recorded from.
I couldn’t tolerate the rhythmic changes in pitches.
mannail888
Her voice back then was SO strong.
The Nite Nite Caraloo🌙 💤
That last LONG note sounds so pretty 😍. Always takes Mr to dreamland. Sleep 💤😴🛏
MTN - A Rainbow Pastures Company
I got this 45 yesterday along with a massive haul of 45's and 78's that I've recently acquired at an estate sale. This song was the B-side to "Our Corner of the Night". Both of these songs were released as a single, and it was never included on the album. This was one of her non-album cuts.
JD
If what I read below is true, thank you, God, for keeping the Roslyn Kind recording from ever seeing the light of day.
AbrahamDiner
Well presented video of Barbra with interesting images. I always wondered if this song was from an off-broadway musical/ Anyone knows?
vitordragon
It sounds like Burt Bacharach. Beautiful song. Greetings from São Paulo, Brazil.