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."
On A Clear Day
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rise and look around you
And you see who you are
On a clear day
How it will astound you
That the glow of your being
Outshines every star
You'll feel part of
You can hear from far and near
A world you've never, never heard before
And on a clear day
On that clear day
You can see forever, and ever, and ever
And ever more
When Barbra Streisand sings "On A Clear Day," she's inviting listeners to take a step back and to pause for a moment. The song opens with her urging us to look around us, to rise beyond the distractions that surround us and to take in the beauty of the world. The line "And you see who you are" speaks to introspection, as if to say that when one is able to rise above the noise, they can connect with their true selves.
Using images of nature, Streisand emphasizes the idea of being connected to the world around us. In the chorus, she sings about feeling "part of every mountain, sea, and shore," and how one can "hear from far and near, a world you’ve never, never heard before." By doing so, Streisand is suggesting a oneness with nature, an idea that has been explored in literature and philosophy for centuries.
The song resolves with the line "And you can see forever, and ever, and ever, and ever more." The line conveys the idea of eternity, that even after our lives on this earth have ended, there's still something more that we can look forward to. It closes with a final exhalation of awe and amazement: life can seem infinite and expansive if we take the time to pause and look around us.
Line by Line Meaning
On a clear day
When the sky is clear and bright
Rise and look around you
Stand up and observe your surroundings
And you see who you are
You will realize your true identity
On a clear day
When the sky is clear and bright
How it will astound you
The effect will surprise you
That the glow of your being
The radiance of your soul
Outshines every star
Shines brighter than any star
You'll feel part of
You will feel connected to
Every mountain, sea, and shore
The entirety of the physical world
You can hear from far and near
Be receptive of sounds from any distance
A world you've never, never heard before
Hear something you have never encountered before
And on a clear day
When the sky is clear and bright
On that clear day
During that specific occasion
You can see forever, and ever, and ever
Experience an endless sight
And ever more
Continuing perpetually
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@particleboy3584
When I watch this movie, it's 1970 all over again, like stepping back in time. I was blown away by it when I was a kid. I thought it to be the most inventive, glorious, magical thing I'd ever seen. First Babs movie I ever saw. Been a fan ever since!
@Connie1Fan
Still get goosebumps after watching this movie hundreds of time...
What a beautiful singer Barbra Streisand is, WOW ❤..
I do love many, and have a ton of favorites but there is only ONE
FAVORITE SINGER, and that's been her place since I first heard her sing
#1 BARBRA STREISAND ❤🌷
@michaelwascom62
One of the BEST songs ever composed, sung by one of the greatest singers of all time! Thank You, Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane and Barbara Streisand!
@Skidoo22
That's the genius Nelson Riddle doing the arrangement and orchestration in the 'background'. Amazing job.
@eldiran2
Streisand has always blown away all other singers..and this shows why. She Is A Phenomenon. And we are blessed to be witnessing such incredible talet in a single humna being.
@LaClairEtoile
There aren't enough superlatives to describe Barbra's incredible voice, especially at this point in her life. Her work all through the Sixties and early Seventies was, in my opinion, her best work. Her voice was at its peak, and this movie truly showcases all she's got. Brava, Barbra!
@trippytrellis7033
That last note alone is the reason why I've been in love with Streisand's singing since I was a kid.
@belindamoore3518
Have you heard the last note she stretched out on Hello Dolly?!?!?!
@friendofdorothy9376
What about the last note of “Papa Can You Hear Me” from Yentl or the last note of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from Funny Girl? She was asked once how she can hold a note for so long and she simply said “because I want to”. As a singer myself I’m like Barbra dear, you first have to have the ability to do so, which not a lot of people can do like her and Andrea Bocelli.
@friendofdorothy9376
@Trippy Trellis For sure. I thought to myself after I left my comment that I mislabeled the song there at the end where she’s on the boat. It was called “A Piece of Sky” and in it she asks “papa can you hear me”. I intended to come and correct my comment here today and got busy. When the camera pulls away from the back of the ship and she keeps singing for forever, I am still wowed to this day. I saw Yentyl in the theater new when I was in college in the early 80’s.