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Song of the Day #5,889: ‘Something So Right’ – Barbra Streisand

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.

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Song of the Day #5,888: ‘Lean Back’ – Terror Squad

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.

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Song of the Day #5,887: ‘Wild Night’ – John Mellencamp with Me’Shell Ndegeocello

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.’

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Song of the Day #5,886: ‘Stoney End’ – Barbra Streisand

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.

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Song of the Day #5,885: ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ – Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand continued to churn out albums in the mid-60s, releasing four between 1966 and 1967.

First came Color Me Barbra, another record that accompanied a television special. As the title suggests, it was Streisand’s first TV production not shot in black and white.

Then came Je m’appelle Barbra, which found her singing most of its tracks in French.

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