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."
I Never Meant to Hurt You
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not that way at all
Please believe the words of the heart
A heart that seems so small
And I swear I never meant to hurt you
I guess I lost my place
Please, believe the wards of the heart
A heart that hides its fails
Why do I do things
I never mean to do?
Oh, why did I speak so carelessly
When all that i felt
Was love for you?
And I swear I never
I never meant to hurt you
I've got to make you know
Please, believe the words of the heart
A heart that didn't show
I never meant to hurt you
I only meant to love you
It's true
And when I saw you crying
I cried too
The lyrics to Barbra Streisand's song "I Never Meant to Hurt You" express deep regret and remorse for causing pain to a loved one. The singer acknowledges that she made mistakes and did things she didn't mean to do, speaking carelessly and hurting the person she loved. She explains that her heart is small and that she hides its faults, but she wants the person to believe that her words are genuine and that she truly never meant to hurt them.
The song's lyrics raise questions about the motives behind hurting someone unintentionally. The singer wonders why she did the things she did and why she couldn't control her careless speech. The chorus emphasizes that the singer truly never wanted to cause pain, but her actions and words may have contradicted her feelings of love.
Overall, "I Never Meant to Hurt You" is a poignant and introspective ballad that speaks to the universal experience of causing pain and regretting it deeply. The lyrics express a desire for forgiveness and understanding, as well as a commitment to being better and showing love in a more genuine way.
Line by Line Meaning
I never meant to hurt you
I didn't intend to harm or cause you pain
I'm not that way at all
That's not my character, I don't have cruel intentions
Please believe the words of the heart
Trust that my sincere apologies come from the bottom of my heart
A heart that seems so small
As small as it may seem, my heart genuinely cares about your well-being
And I swear I never meant to hurt you
I am telling you honestly that my actions were not meant to hurt you
I guess I lost my place
I made a mistake and lost my sense of awareness of your feelings
Please, believe the words of the heart
I promise that my sincerity and regret come from my heart and are true
A heart that hides its fails
My heart may have flaws, but I try to conceal them and be a better person
Why do I do things
I'm questioning myself about why I behave negatively
I never mean to do?
I don't have malicious intentions
Oh, why did I speak so carelessly
I regret speaking thoughtlessly and causing you pain
When all that I felt was love for you?
Despite my mistakes, my feelings for you are genuine and full of love
I've got to make you know
I want you to understand and believe that I didn't intend to hurt you
A heart that didn't show
I may not have expressed it well, but my heart was always full of love for you
I only meant to love you
My intentions were purely based on my love and affection for you
It's true
I am speaking the truth, please believe me
And when I saw you crying
I was deeply moved and upset when I witnessed your pain
I cried too
I empathized with you and was just as emotional about the situation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA NYRO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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