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."
The Nearness Of You
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
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That thrills and delights me
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
Isn't your sweet conversation
That brings this sensation,
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
And I feel you so close to me
All my wondrous dreams come true
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
The nearness of you
I need no soft lights to enchant me
If you only grant me the right
To hold you ever so tight
And to feel in the night
The nearness of you
The opening line "It's not the pale moon that excites me" of Barbra Streisand's song The Nearness of You suggests that the singer is not fascinated by artificial beauty. The beauty of the natural world and its representations may please the people, but it is not the case for her. However, the song then takes on a different tone, with the singer saying that she is, in fact, mesmerized by the sheer proximity of the person she is addressing in the song. It is not their physical form, nor is it their conversation, that excites her. It's just the fact that they are close by.
The singer goes on to say that she doesn't need romantic lighting or anything else to create an atmosphere around her as long as she is in the arms of her partner. What matters to her the most is the person’s presence and the intimacy that they share. The lyric "And to feel in the night the nearness of you" creates a touching and moving emotion of how it feels like to be with someone that you love.
Overall, the song shares the message that true love goes beyond physical attraction and how important it is to feel connected to the natural essence of another person. It suggests that being in someone's company can make a person feel elated and fulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not the pale moon that excites me
The singer is not thrilled by the beauty of the moon
That thrills and delights me
The singer is not thrilled or delighted by anything outside the person they are addressing
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
The singer is excited and thrilled only because of how close they are to the person they are addressing
Isn't your sweet conversation
The person's sweet words or talk is not what the artist finds exciting
That brings this sensation,
The person's closeness is what brings a specific sensation to the artist
Oh no, it's just the nearness of you
The singer continues to emphasize that it's only the closeness they feel that excites them
When I'm in your arms
The singer is describing a physical moment they share with the person they are addressing
And I feel you so close to me
The artist is describing how physically close they feel to the person they are addressing
All my wondrous dreams come true
The artist feels content and fulfilled when they are in the embrace of the person they are addressing
I need no soft lights to enchant me
The artist doesn't need special lighting or surroundings to feel enchanted
If you only grant me the right
The singer is asking for permission from the person they are addressing to hold them close
To hold you ever so tight
The artist wants to hold the person they are addressing very tightly
And to feel in the night
The singer describes how they want to feel the person they are addressing at night
The nearness of you
The singer emphasizes again that it's only the closeness they feel that makes them feel happy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HOAGY CARMICHAEL, NED WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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