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."

On Rainy Afternoons
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

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On rainy afternoons
When memories cloud the skies
The wind is filled
With our goodbyes

On rainy afternoons
We used to slip away
With rain and love

We'd spent the day

What went wrong?
I wish i knew
Was it me, or was it you?
I wonder, you think you've said farewell

Because you've said goodbye
You walk away, your eyes are dry
But the wind remembers all our favorite tunes

On rainy afternoons
On rainy afternoons

Overall Meaning

The song "On Rainy Afternoons" by Barbra Streisand is a melody about recollecting lost love and nostalgia. The lyrics describe the rain as a metaphor for tears of the singer and memories of the past. The melody sounds wistful as it brings up a melancholic mood. The words are well-constructed and the images used are poignant. The line "The wind is filled with our goodbyes" sets a tone that is both beautiful and sad.

The chorus of this song reflects on the memories of spending time with a loved one on a rainy day, where they used to slip away together. The emotions touch upon the vulnerability and confusion of losing someone you care about, as the singer wonders what went wrong between them. Anybody who has experienced such a situation can easily recognize themselves in these lines. The lyrics express thoughts and feelings that can be common to many individuals who long for the past and mourn the loss of a once-thriving relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

On rainy afternoons
During times of gloom and sadness

When memories cloud the skies
When past experiences and emotions cause mental distress

The wind is filled
The air is filled

With our goodbyes
With the pain of parting ways

We used to slip away
We used to escape

With rain and love
In the midst of stormy weather and affection

We'd spent the day
We passed time together

What went wrong?
What caused the failure of our relationship?

I wish i knew
I desire to know and understand

Was it me, or was it you?
Who is responsible for the fall of our love?

I wonder, you think you've said farewell
I ponder, did you truly say goodbye?