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."

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

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How do you keep the music playing?
How do you make it last?
How do you keep the song from fading too fast?
How do you lose yourself to someone
And never lose your way?
How do you not run out of new things to say?
And since you know we're always changing
How can it be the same?

And tell me how year after year
You're sure your heart will fall apart
Each time you hear his name?
I know the way I feel for you it's now or never
The more I love, the more that I'm afraid
That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever
If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows
With any luck then I suppose
The music never ends
I know, the way I feel for you
It's now or never
The more I love, the more that I'm afraid
That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever
If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows

With any luck then I suppose
The music never ends.

Overall Meaning

The song "How Do You Keep The Music Playing?" by Barbra Streisand is a poignant and introspective ballad about the challenges and complexities of maintaining a long-lasting romantic relationship. The lyrics pose a series of questions that delve into the heart of this theme - how do you keep the music playing, make it last, and prevent it from fading away too fast? How do you sustain the passion and excitement of a new love, while also adapting to the changes that inevitably come over time? How do you stay connected to someone without losing yourself, and keep finding new things to say?

The song acknowledges the inherent risks and fears associated with falling deeply in love - the more you love someone, the more vulnerable you are to the pain of potential loss or separation. Despite these challenges, however, the song ultimately embodies a sense of hope and optimism - the idea that if two people can be both lovers and friends, and work to make their relationship stronger and better with each passing day, then the music never has to end.

Overall, "How Do You Keep The Music Playing?" is a powerful and reflective exploration of the complexities and joys of love, and the importance of open communication, commitment, and mutual respect in sustaining a lasting and meaningful relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

How do you keep the music playing?
How does one sustain the love in a relationship?

How do you make it last?
What can we do to keep the love alive?

How do you keep the song from fading too fast?
What prevents the love in a relationship from dying?

How do you lose yourself to someone And never lose your way?
Is it possible to completely give oneself to another without losing one's own identity?

How do you not run out of new things to say?
What can we do to always have something new and exciting to talk about?

And since you know we're always changing How can it be the same?
How do we keep the relationship strong despite the changes in ourselves and in the world around us?

And tell me how year after year You're sure your heart will fall apart Each time you hear his name?
How can we deal with the pain and heartbreak that may come with loving another?

I know the way I feel for you it's now or never The more I love, the more that I'm afraid That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever
Acknowledging that love is a risk and one must take the chance when it arises.

If we can be the best of lovers Yet be the best of friends If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows With any luck then I suppose The music never ends
If we can love each other passionately but also be there for each other as friends, and we strive to always improve our relationship, then our love will continue to flourish.

I know, the way I feel for you It's now or never The more I love, the more that I'm afraid That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever
Reiterating that love is a risk and one must take the chance when it arises.

If we can be the best of lovers Yet be the best of friends If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows With any luck then I suppose The music never ends.
If we can love each other passionately but also be there for each other as friends, and we strive to always improve our relationship, then our love will continue to flourish.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore
Written by: Michel Jean Legrand, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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