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."

Once Upon A Summertime
Barbra Streisand Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once upon a summertime if you recall
We stopped beside then in a flower stall
A bunch of bright forget-me-nots
Was all I let you buy me
Once upon a summertime just like today
We laughed the happy afternoon away
And stole a kiss in every street café
You were sweeter than the blossom on the tree

I was as proud as any girl could be
As if the major had offered me the key, the key to Paris
Now another wintertime has come and gone
The pigeons feeding in the square have flown

But I remember when the vespers chime
You loved me once upon a summertime

Tous les lilas, tous les lilas de mai
N'en finiront, n'en finiront jamais
De faire la fíte du coeur
Des jeunes qui s'aiment
S'aiment, s'aiment

Now another wintertime has come and gone
The pigeons feeding in the square have flown

But I remember when the vespers chime
You loved me once upon a summertime...

Overall Meaning

Barbra Streisand's song "Once Upon A Summertime" is a nostalgic tale of a past relationship during the summertime in Paris. The song paints a picture of a blissful summer day, where the vocalist and her partner stopped by a flower stall, admiring and purchasing forget-me-nots. The couple spent a happy afternoon together, stealing kisses in intimate street cafes. The singer-whose pride in their relationship is evident- compares the sweetness of her lover to the blossom on the tree, as seemingly no obstacle, even incompatibility, keep them apart. The song's chorus serves as a reminder of the immutable nature of memories- even though time has passed and the pigeons have come and gone, their love remains a memory that is still cherished.

The French lyrics "Tous les lilas, tous les lilas de mai" translate to "All the lilacs, all the lilacs of May." and it reflects the youthful love of couples all around the world. The use of the lilac flower in the lyrics serves as a symbol of love and romance.

The language used in this song is poetic and nostalgic, bringing the listeners back to a place and time that is forever engraved in their memory. It is a reminder of the fact that love and its memories are timeless and evergreen, even when the season changes. Throughout the song, it is easy to imagine the sights and sounds of summertime in Paris, making it an ideal song to listen to when one wants to daydream about a carefree time.

Line by Line Meaning

Once upon a summertime if you recall
Looking back, there was a summer when we were together

We stopped beside then in a flower stall
We paused together at a flower shop

A bunch of bright forget-me-nots
You offered me a bouquet of small blue flowers

Was all I let you buy me
I only allowed you to purchase those flowers for me

Once upon a summertime just like today
This summer day reminds me of those happy times

We laughed the happy afternoon away
We spent the afternoon joyfully laughing

And stole a kiss in every street café
We shared kisses in all of the small cafes we passed

You were sweeter than the blossom on the tree
Your love was more dazzling than the spring blooms

I was as proud as any girl could be
I was thrilled to have you as my partner

As if the major had offered me the key, the key to Paris
I felt as if I had won the greatest prize, as if I held the key to Paris itself

Now another wintertime has come and gone
Another winter has passed since then