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Barbra streisand album memories12/19/2023 ![]() ![]() Steve told me that at first he thought it would be simple … that he could just change the line “I remember lasers are expensive” to “I remember vinyl is expensive.” But then as he went through the song, he realized that all the references to the art world would have to shift to the music world. And because it lives and breathes, it can change. But Steve believed, as I do, that art is a living process. Most songwriters would simply refuse to change the lyrics to a finished song. You have to understand how remarkable that was. I was so excited I almost fell off my chair. He thought for a moment (which seemed an eternity to me) and then said, “Sure. Then I took a deep breath and said, “So, is there any possible way … I know this is a lot to ask, but would you be willing to rework the lyric to make it about the recording industry?” “I’m going through the same thing with my record company, and I want to use your song to set up the whole album.” I told him how much I loved the song and explained how it resonated with me. Steve had distilled all the struggle, anxiety, antagonism, and excitement experienced by any artist into “Putting It Together.” The only problem was that it was about the art world and a visual artist (George Seurat’s grandson, who worked with lasers and light), rather than a recording artist.īut I had an idea, and I needed to talk to Steve. ![]() And by the way, I’d like to thank him for putting the high notes on the vowels! Like the greatest songwriters, he knows how to write for singers. And as with the best melodies, it all seems inevitable. They’re also interesting to sing because the rhythm is built into the phrasing. As an actress, I’m given so much to work with because there are so many layers to each song. His insight into human nature is profound. He understands passion and can capture it in a lyric. He deals with big emotions and also the most subtle feelings, often with a dash of irony that can suddenly change the mood from sunny to something darker and more poignant. You can’t help but be dazzled by the intricacy of the rhymes, the delicious double entendres, and the clever plays on words. It’s a rich talent … rich in substance and wit. He’s the rare composer who is equally gifted at both words and music. It was called “Putting It Together,” and it was from a musical called Sunday in the Park With George, written by the extraordinary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Well, that was all the challenge I needed.Īnd I thought, Why not use the truth? Why not be honest about the opposition I was facing? And it just so happened there was a song that dealt with this age‑old conflict between art and business. But the record company informed me that they wouldn’t give me my advance and wouldn’t count the album toward fulfilling my contract unless it sold 2 and a half million copies, which they clearly thought it wouldn’t. That meant I could make any album I wanted. I was hearing the same sort of thing I’d heard all my life, ever since I was 18 years old … “Why are you singing these cockamamie songs?” “It’s not what’s selling nowadays.” “The whole idea is too risky.”Īnd this is why I’m so grateful to my manager, Marty Erlichman, because when I asked for creative control before I signed my first recording contract, he got it for me. 1 albums and seven Grammy awards and millions of dollars in record sales, I basically had to sell myself again. ![]() I had made 23 albums (and ten soundtrack or compilation albums) for them. “Great songs will always be contemporary!” I said. When I approached Columbia with my idea, Walter Yetnikoff and the other executives were apoplectic. This is the music I first heard as a teenager, watching the movie versions at the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn and then taking the subway to Manhattan to see them live onstage. Some of the best songs ever written were conceived for Broadway musicals, which are now recognized as a uniquely American contribution to culture. And that meant Broadway, where I got my start as an actress. For my next album, I wanted to go back to my roots. ![]()
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