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."

It Takes A Woman
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dolly:
It takes a woman to quietly plan
To take him, to change him to her kind of man
And to gently lead him
Where fortune can find him
And not let him know that the power behind
Was that dainty woman

That fragile woman, that sweetheart,
That mistress, that wife...
Mmm uhm mmm
Mmm uhm mmm mmm mmm

Dah dah dah dah dah dah dah
Dah daaaaaaaaaaaaah...

Overall Meaning

In the song It Takes A Woman, we see Dolly, the singer of the story, imparting wisdom on the women around her on how to capture a man's heart and lead him to success. She emphasizes the importance of subtlety and planning, suggesting that it is more effective to lead a man gently rather than to force him to come to you. She emphasizes the woman's power of charm and gentleness, suggesting that it is through these traits that a woman is able to make a man see reason and change his ways.

The lyrics also highlight the often-unrecognized power of women in society. Dolly suggests that women have the ability to guide the men in their lives without them even realizing it, and that it is often women who are responsible for pushing their partners to their highest potential. The song ultimately celebrates the quiet strength of women and their integral role in shaping the success of the men around them.

Line by Line Meaning

It takes a woman to quietly plan
A woman needs to secretly strategize and make plans to bring a man into her desired way of thinking and behaving.

To take him, to change him to her kind of man
She then needs to exert her influence to transform him into the type of man that she wants him to be.

And to gently lead him
While she changes him, she should guide him delicately and carefully, without causing resistance or resentment.

Where fortune can find him
She should help him find opportunities and success in life.

And not let him know that the power behind
She shouldn't reveal that she is the one in control and responsible for his growth and accomplishments.

Was that dainty woman
Despite her seemingly fragile appearance, the woman has the power and influence to shape the man into who she wants him to be.

Contributed by Maya K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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