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."
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
The lyrics of "Over the Rainbow" express the longing for a place of happiness and peace, which is represented by the metaphorical place "over the rainbow." The song captures the sense of hope and yearning for a better life that is present in many human circumstances, whether it be a child dreaming of a happy home, a person in dire circumstances dreaming of escape, or simply someone feeling that their current life falls short of their desires. The song speaks to the idea that everyone has the potential to achieve their dreams and reach a better place, even if it seems unattainable. The lyric "the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true" communicates this sense of possibility, that hope can become reality with determination and perseverance.
The second verse of the song introduces the idea that the singer will someday make their way to this magical place by making a wish on a star, and leaving earthly troubles behind. The imagery of troubles melting like lemon drops and being left behind on the ground is powerful, and reinforces the idea that anything is possible in this far-off land. The song repeats its refrain in the final verse, asking why the singer cannot join the bluebirds who fly above the rainbow. This creates a sense of wistful longing and desire to escape the current circumstances, to find a way to join those who have found their way to the other side.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There exists a place somewhere far off in the horizon, situated way above the physical ground we stand on.
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
I have been made aware of an ethereal land at some point in my past, through a song intended to lull me to sleep.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
In this distant location above us, the skies are a shade of blue not commonly seen in our current reality.
And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true.
In this enchanted land, one's most daring dreams can indeed become fully realized.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
At some point in time I will utilize the popular motif of wishing upon a star.
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
My wishful thinking will allow me to arrive in a place where clouds - commonly perceived barriers - have now been left definitively in the past.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops, High above the chimney tops, That's where you'll find me.
I will reside in a location so far removed from common, earthly problems, that metaphorical visuals depicting their imaginary disintegration, such as lemon drops melting away, exemplify and encapsulate this sense of absolute uninhibited freedom.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly, Birds fly over the rainbow
Animals in this fantastical realm seem to soar over this theoretical rainbow, reinforcing the idea that this concept of a magical space is not grounded in a reality which we in our current world can explicitly comprehend.
Why then, oh why can't I?
I struggle in vain to understand why I, as an earthbound being, am unable to participate in this existence without boundaries or limitations.
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, Why, oh why can't I?
Even small creatures like bluebirds are allowed to experience the beauty of this dreamy world, causing my inability to access it to seem even more unjust and confounding.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrDuboce
Singing is so effortless for Barbra. Every song she sings is a consistent, perfect, stunning performance.
@ericduffield524
I was a closeted 17yr senior in HS when 19-21yr college boys intro to me to Babs. I was hooked forever ❤
@KC-dg8jf
What a gift to be able to sing like this woman can. No one can touch her.
@catherinefox7183
Barbra, you sang this so beautifully..what a tribute to such an amazing women who sang this song at a very young age...every time i hear this song i think of Judy in the Wizard of Oz.... A movie that will live on eternally
@lc6067
It will always be Judy’s song. Thank you for giving her such a beautiful tribute.
@gregstuart9762
What a voice - the greatest !’
@johncortesi8038
That was so beautiful
@johncortesi8038
I love her voice and her 😊
@fraguasrenato
The greatest singer...ever...
@davidvornsand6054
One of my favorites! Xod