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."
Leading With Your Heart
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once upon a time
I was afraid
Of letting go
Letting someone in
My feelings stayed
Behind a door that had no key
Never was for me
Living in my mind
Running away
Till someone's arms
Caught me by surprise
I never knew
The power of love that I suppose
Deep in every heart
There's a part that knows
Listen to it's voice
For it whispers what your dreams are made of
So why be afraid of
What you know is true
Every day you learn
Leading with your heart
Can lift you higher
Where your hearts desire
Will be waiting for you
Follow what you feel
Feelings are wise
Believe your heart
As you believe your eyes
And like a child
Who's wandered off and lost its way
You can find a place
Where you soul believes
That your home to stay
Follow what you feel
Anywhere it goes
Believe your heart
Trusting that it knows
As the dark of night
Will always find the light of day
Listening with your heart
You will hear it say
Leading with your heart
You will find your way
The lyrics to Barbra Streisand's song Leading With Your Heart are a powerful message about how we often hold ourselves back by not allowing ourselves to feel and follow our emotions. In the beginning of the song, Streisand sings about how she used to be afraid of letting go, of letting someone in, and her feelings always stayed behind "a door that had no key." However, she learned that leading with her heart was the way to go instead of living only in her mind and running away, and that "someone's arms caught me by surprise" and revealed the power of love that she had been missing.
The chorus serves to reinforce this message by stating that "deep in every heart there's a part that knows," and that if we listen to that voice, it will reveal what our dreams are made of. Streisand encourages us not to be afraid of what we know is true, and that leading with your heart can lift you higher to where your heart's desire is waiting for you. The song also touches on the idea that feelings are wise, and that we should believe our hearts just as we believe our eyes.
Overall, the song is a beautiful message about learning to trust and follow our hearts and listening to our inner voices, which can lead us to a sense of belonging and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Mm, mm,
Introductory sounds to set the tone
Once upon a time
Referring to a time in the past
I was afraid
Experiencing fear
Of letting go
Being hesitant to release control
Letting someone in
Allowing another person into one's life
My feelings stayed
One's emotions remained stagnant
Behind a door that had no key
Emotions were unexplored and inaccessible
Leading with my heart
Making decisions based on intuition and emotion
Never was for me
This approach didn't work for me before
Living in my mind
Being consumed by thoughts and ideas
Running away
Avoiding confrontations and challenges
Till someone's arms
Until someone's embrace
Caught me by surprise
Being taken aback by someone's kindness
I never knew
Not being aware
The power of love that I suppose
The strength and impact of love
Deep in every heart
Within each person's emotions
There's a part that knows
An intuitive sense of truth
Listen to it's voice
Pay attention to this inner wisdom
For it whispers what your dreams are made of
It reveals what one truly desires
So why be afraid of
Questioning the reason for fear
What you know is true
Being certain of the truth
Every day you learn
Learning something new each day
Leading with your heart
Using emotions as a guide
Can lift you higher
Elevate one's experiences and emotions
Where your hearts desire
Reaching for what one truly wants
Will be waiting for you
Obtaining one's desires
Follow what you feel
Acting on one's emotions
Feelings are wise
Having trust in one's emotions
Believe your heart
Having faith in one's intuition
As you believe your eyes
Comparing the trust in intuition with one's vision
And like a child
Approaching things with innocence and curiosity
Who's wandered off and lost its way
Being lost and searching for direction
You can find a place
Discovering a sense of belonging
Where you soul believes
Connecting with one's inner self
That your home to stay
Finding a permanent place of comfort
Anywhere it goes
Following one's heart to new places
Trusting that it knows
Having faith in emotions to guide decisions
As the dark of night
Similar to the lows in life
Will always find the light of day
Finding hope and positivity even in difficult times
Listening with your heart
Paying attention to inner emotions
You will hear it say
Receiving guidance from intuition
Leading with your heart
Following emotions to guide action
You will find your way
Discovering direction and purpose
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Spirit Music Group
Written by: ALAN BERGMAN, MARILYN BERGMAN, MARVIN HAMLISCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robo
on Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)
I love Melinda Vesterfelt