Barbra Streisand slowed down the torrid pace that resulted in ten albums in just five years, waiting two years before her next release.
Unfortunately, she closed out the 60s with her first real flop — 1969’s What About Today?. She took the advice of record exec Clive Davis and released a collection of contemporary songs, including tracks popularized by Simon & Garfunkel and The Beatles.
While the material skewed toward pop, the delivery did not, and the result was a strange hybrid of Streisand’s vocal balladry applied to songs like ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ and ‘Punky’s Dilemma.’ What About Today? stalled at #31 on Billboard’s album chart and became her first release not to go Gold or Platinum.
Two years later, she tried again and got it right, producing one of her most acclaimed albums, 1971’s Stoney End.
Again, Streisand tried her hand at contemporary music, this time tackling material by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Harry Nilsson, Carole King, and Randy Newman. But this time the arrangements and production were more suited to the material, giving the singer her first bona fide pop rock album.
Streisand’s Broadway era was left behind with the 60s, and Stoney End signaled that she would spend the 70s becoming your mother’s favorite rock star.
I was born from love
And my poor mother worked the mines
I was raised on the good book Jesus
‘Til I read between the lines
Now I don’t believe I wanna see the morning
[Chorus]
Going down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
I never wanted to go down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
Mama, let me start all over (Mama, let me start all over)
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
(Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again)
[Verse 2]
And I can still remember him
With love light in his eyes
But the light flickered out and parted
As the sun began to rise
Now I don’t believe I wanna see the morning
[Chorus]
Going down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
I never wanted to go down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
Mama, let me start all over (Mama, let me start all over)
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
(Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again)
(Mama, cradle me again)
[Verse 3]
Never mind the forecast
‘Cause the sky has lost control
‘Cause the fury and the broken thunder’s
Come to match my raging soul
Now I don’t believe I wanna see the morning
[Chorus]
Going down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
I never wanted to go down the stoney end
(Going down the stoney end)
Mama, let me start all over (Mama, let me start all over)
Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
[Outro]
Going down the stoney end
I never wanted to go, I never wanted to go (Never wanted to go)
Going down the stoney end (Mama)
I never wanted to go, I never wanted to go
Going down the stoney end
I never wanted to go, I never wanted to go
Meet Me In Montauk 
“Your mother’s favorite rock star” 😂
Not sure that’s fair, but it sure is funny.
I adore this song and remember playing the album with some frequency, though I can only immediately bring to a mind a few of its other songs, particularly “If You Could Read My Mind,” which was always a favorite.
That said, I never thought Streisand was attempting to be a rock artist. Rather I saw her wanting to highlight the work of contemporary writers, especially women, which I found admirable.
She definitely covered songs from some legendary, great songwriters.
she was this mother’s favorite rock star 🥰