Barbra Streisand’s output slowed down in the 80s. After averaging more than an album a year since the start of her recording career, she waited four years after 1980’s Guilty to release her next one.
That was Emotion (1984), a return to the middle of the road pop material she put out in the 70s. The album sold decently but earned a collective shrug from critics. Streisand decided it was time to go back to her roots.
In order to keep this Barbra Streisand Shallow Dive moving, I have to do a lightning round on the rest of her 70s releases. She followed The Way We Were with a half dozen albums, one per year.
Butterfly (1794), which saw her dabble in R&B and reggae, has been dismissed by Streisand herself as her worst album. Lazy Afternoon (1975) offered a more laid-back collection of easy listening material. Classical Barbra (1976) featured songs by European composers performed in multiple foreign languages.
Barbra Joan Streisand came out the same year as Stoney End and found Streisand continuing her shift into pop music.
The album is an interesting one that helps define both her strengths and limitations. Covers of songs by John Lennon and Carole King fall rather flat. The beauty of King’s Tapestry tracks, for example, is how simply and earnestly she sings them. The same songs delivered with theatrical bombast are somehow lessened.
But Streisand’s delivery of work by Burt Bacharach and Lara Nyro on the same record is transcendent.
The week of August 14, 2004, saw Juvenile atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Slow Motion,’ covered here a few weeks ago.
In the #2 spot, on its way to a three-week stint atop the chart, was ‘Lean Back’ by the Bronx hip-hop collective Terror Squad. This track features founding member Fat Joe along with latecomer to the band Remy Martin.
Throwing back to the week of August 13, 1994, we have repeats in the top three positions of the Billboard Hot 100.
At #1 is Lisa Loeb with ‘Stay (I Missed You),‘ a song I featured 16 years ago mostly because of the crush I’ve had on Loeb since the song’s video debuted.
Next up is the All-4-One juggernaut ‘I Swear,’ which finally released its stranglehold on the top spot. And then came Coolio’s ‘Fantastic Voyage.’
Meet Me In Montauk 