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."
Yesterdays
Barbra Streisand Lyrics
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Days I knew as happy sweet
Sequestered days
Olden days, Golden days
Days of mad romance and love
Then gay youth was mine
Truth was mine
Joyous free and flaming life
Sad am I, glad am I
For today I'm dreaming of
Yesterdays
Then gay youth was mine
The truth was mine
Sad am I
Glad am I
For today I'm dreaming of
Yesterdays, youth was mine
Joyous free and flaming life
Forsooth was mine
Sad am I, oh so glad am I
For today I'm dreaming of
Yesterdays, yesterdays
In the song Yesterdays by Barbra Streisand, the lyrics tell a story of a woman reminiscing about her past. She is looking back on the “sequestered days” of her youth that were filled with “mad romance and love.” The first stanza establishes the deep sense of nostalgia that the singer feels towards her past. This is further emphasized by the use of archaic language, such as “forsooth”, which suggests a longing for a time and place that is no longer accessible to her.
The second stanza builds on the first, with the repetition of the phrase “then gay youth was mine, truth was mine…” The use of the word “gay” here refers not just to a state of happiness, but also to the freedom and unlimited possibilities that the singer felt at that time in her life. She is contrasting this with her current state of being, which is much more somber and reflective. However, there is a sense of ambivalence in the lyrics, as she is both sad and glad at the same time. She is happy to have experienced those joyful moments in the past, but she is also sad that she can no longer relive them. The final repeating of the line “yesterdays, yesterdays” is a solemn acknowledgment of this bittersweet feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterdays, yesterdays
Reflecting on the past, looking back at days gone by
Days I knew as happy sweet
Days that were filled with happiness and joy
Sequestered days
Days that were separated or secluded from the present
Olden days, Golden days
Days that were old-fashioned and valuable, perhaps even viewed nostalgically
Days of mad romance and love
Days filled with passionate and intense love
Then gay youth was mine
At that time, I possessed the carefree spirit and exuberance of youth
Truth was mine
I had a firm grasp of reality and knew who I truly was
Joyous free and flaming life
Life was filled with joy and passion, and I was free to pursue my dreams
Forsooth was mine
Truly, this was how I felt at the time
Sad am I, glad am I
I feel both sorrowful and joyous at the same time
For today I'm dreaming of
In the present, I am lost in thought and reminiscing about
Yesterdays
Days gone by
Then gay youth was mine
I miss the unbridled joy and freedom of my youthful days
The truth was mine
I knew who I was and what I wanted out of life
Sad am I
I am filled with a sense of sorrow or loss
Glad am I
I am filled with a sense of joy or happiness
For today I'm dreaming of
My thoughts are occupied with remembering and thinking about
Yesterdays, youth was mine
I miss the carefree and joyful days of my youth
Joyous free and flaming life
I long for a life filled with happiness, passion, and freedom
Forsooth was mine
This feeling of longing and nostalgia is truly how I feel
Sad am I, oh so glad am I
I am torn between feelings of sadness and happiness
For today I'm dreaming of
My mind is focused on dreaming and reminiscing about
Yesterdays, yesterdays
The days of the past that I miss and long for
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: W. AXL ROSE, WEST ARKEEN, BILLY MCMCLOUD, SAUL HUDSON, DUFF ROSE MCKAGAN, IZZY STRADLIN, DEL JAMES, DARREN A. REED, MATT SORUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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