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."
Windmills Of Your Mind
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning
On an ever-spinning reel
Like a snowball down a mountain
Or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind
Like a tunnel that you follow
To a tunnel of its own
Down a hollow to a cavern
Where the sun has never shone
Like a door that keeps revolving
In a half-forgotten dream
Like the ripples from a pebble
Someone tosses in a stream
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind
Keys that jingle in your pocket
Words that jangle in your head
Why did summer go so quickly?
Was it something that you said?
Lovers walk along a shore
And leave their footprints in the sand
Is the sound of distant drumming
Just the fingers of your hand?
Pictures hanging in a hallway
And the fragment of a song
Half-remembered names and faces
But to whom do they belong?
When you knew that it was over
You were suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning
To the color of his hair?
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning
On an ever-spinning reel
As the images unwind
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind
The Windmills of Your Mind is a mysterious, introspective song that delves into the cyclical nature of life and the incessant, swirling thoughts that come with it. The lyrics are a poetic meditation on time, memory, love, and perception. The circular, repetitive imagery highlights the endless loop of human experience, with each idea flowing seamlessly into the next, like a movie playing in one's mind. The song's metaphors depict the mind as a labyrinthine structure, with layers and layers of thoughts and emotions that are hard to unravel.
The first verse of the song begins with the image of a circle in a spiral, which represents the never-ending cycle of life. The wheel within a wheel could symbolize the concept of karma or the interconnectedness of all living things. The lines "Never ending or beginning, On an ever-spinning reel" suggest that life is a continuous process, with no clear start or finish. The snowball down a mountain and the carnival balloon represent the unstoppable force of time, which inevitably leads to change and transformation. The carousel that's turning could represent the ups and downs of life, with one's experiences constantly swirling around like the painted horses on a merry-go-round.
The second verse continues with the theme of the mind as a maze. The tunnel that leads to another tunnel suggests that one thought or idea can lead to another, forming a chain of associations. The lines "Down a hollow to a cavern, Where the sun has never shone" could symbolize the darker, hidden aspects of the mind that are hard to access. The revolving door and the ripples from a pebble reflect the cyclical nature of thought, with ideas returning to the same places over and over again.
The final verse brings in sensory experiences, with jingling keys and jangling words evoking the noisy, chaotic nature of the mind. The questions about the passage of time and the fading of memories highlight the transience of life, while the lovers' footprints and the distant drumming hint at the fleeting nature of human connections. The pictures, half-remembered names, and turning leaves show how memories and associations can be triggered by mundane objects or sensations. The song ends on a poignant note, with the circles in the windmills of the mind symbolizing the never-ending cycle of thoughts and emotions that shape our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Round,
The concept of the song is cyclical and repetitive so it starts off by stating that life and memories go round and round like a circle.
Like a circle in a spiral
Memories can take you on a lengthy and winding path that starts from a single point and continues like a spiral.
Like a wheel within a wheel
Our lives and memories are made up of intricate layers and complexities, much like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning
Life and memories have no clear cut start or end but continue to loop around in a never ending cycle.
On an ever-spinning reel
Much like a reel in a movie projector, our memories are constantly playing and repeating in a never ending cycle.
Like a snowball down a mountain
Memories can grow larger and more powerful as they continue to cycle and collect like a snowball rolling down a mountain.
Or a carnival balloon
Just like a balloon that is released into the air at a carnival, memories can float away and be difficult to grasp or hold onto.
Like a carousel that's turning
Memories can be like a carousel, going round and round in a dizzying cycle that can be both joyful and disorienting at the same time.
Running rings around the moon
This line implies a sense of mystery and wonder, suggesting that our memories can take us on an imaginative journey that transcends the boundaries of reality.
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Just like the hands of a clock, memories sweep past us in endless repetition and continuation, never truly stopping or starting.
Past the minutes of its face
This line emphasizes that our memories are continually moving forward, swept forward like the minutes past the face of the clock.
And the world is like an apple
This comparison of the world to an apple suggests a sense of preciousness and fragility, where life itself can be easily bruised or damaged.
Whirling silently in space
This line implies a sense of solitude and isolation, where the world itself may be in motion, but we can feel stuck in place, unable to escape our cycles of memories and thoughts.
Like the circles that you find
This line is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the cyclical nature of memories and life itself, like the unbroken circles that we find in windmills.
Like a tunnel that you follow
A tunnel can be dark, mysterious and scary but it can also offer a way forward toward something new or unexpected just as memories can.
To a tunnel of its own
This line suggests that our memories can lead us on a journey, creating new memories in their own right, and continuing the cycle even further.
Down a hollow to a cavern
Memories can lead us down a winding path, taking us to places that we never imagined, both good and bad.
Where the sun has never shone
This suggests a sense of mystery and the unknown. Our memories can take us to dark and unfamiliar places where we have never been before.
Like a door that keeps revolving
This line suggests that the journey of memories is never truly finished, but instead continues to spin and evolve, always leading to new doors and opportunities.
In a half-forgotten dream
Our memories can be like half-remembered dreams, constantly shifting and changing, and still somehow connecting us to a past that we are unable to completely grasp.
Like the ripples from a pebble
Just like the ripples that spread out from a pebble tossed into a pond, our memories can continue to reverberate outward, affecting us and the world around us in unpredictable ways.
Someone tosses in a stream
This line suggests that our memories can be triggered by external events, like someone tossing a pebble, reminding us of a past event or feeling.
Keys that jingle in your pocket
This line suggests that even the most mundane things can trigger a memory. In this case, the sound of keys jingling is enough to take the person back to a specific place or time.
Words that jangle in your head
Memories can be triggered by something as simple as a word or phrase, taking us back to a specific moment or emotion.
Why did summer go so quickly?
This line evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing. Memories can make time feel fleeting and make us yearn for simpler, happier times.
Was it something that you said?
This is a rhetorical question that suggests our memories can be tied to specific events, words or actions that held great meaning and emotion at the time
Lovers walk along a shore
This line could symbolize memories of love, intimacy, and shared moments that stand out in a person's mind, long after they have passed.
And leave their footprints in the sand
This line suggests that memories can have a lasting impact, leaving an imprint on our lives that forever shapes who we are.
Is the sound of distant drumming
This line suggests that memories can be tied to distant, almost abstract sensations that trigger vivid memories and emotions.
Just the fingers of your hand?
This is another rhetorical question, asking if our memories can be nothing more than the sensory experience of our own fingertips tapping against each other.
Pictures hanging in a hallway
The image of pictures hanging in a hallway conjures up memories of the past, and how we remember and celebrate the things that we have experienced.
And the fragment of a song
The fragment of a song represents memories that are fragmented or incomplete, yet still hold incredible emotional weight and significance.
Half-remembered names and faces
This line suggests a hazy, blurry memory that is both frustrating and compelling, drawing us in and sparking our curiosity.
But to whom do they belong?
This final line of the verse asks a deep and significant question about the nature of memory itself, and who truly owns our memories over time.
When you knew that it was over
This line suggests that memories can evoke a sense of finality, and how we come to understand that certain phases in our lives are coming to an end.
You were suddenly aware
This suggests that our memories can be like a switch that suddenly flips on, revealing new knowledge or insight that was previously hidden from us.
That the autumn leaves were turning
The image of autumn leaves turning suggests a sense of change and transformation, and how our memories can help us come to terms with the inevitability of change.
To the color of his hair?
This final line suggests that our memories can be deeply intertwined with our emotions, such as heartbreak or loss, and how those memories can continue to resonate with us for years to come.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robo
on Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)
I love Melinda Vesterfelt