Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments(also called justAnd Other Musical Instruments) is the fourteenth studio album by American singerBarbra Streisand.It was released on November 2, 1973, byColumbia Records.The album was made available following a 1973 live television special promoted to improve Streisand's image and sound. Withworld musicas the primary genre, the album's instrumentation varies greatly; even items such as kitchen utensils were used to create melodies and beats. With a majority of the songs on the album being cover songs, Streisand also re-recorded various tracks that originated earlier in her career. Her manager,Martin Erlichman,was credited as the album's sole and executive producer.
| Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio albumby | ||||
| Released | November 2, 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1973 | |||
| Genre | World | |||
| Length | 34:37 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Martin Erlichman | |||
| Barbra Streisandchronology | ||||
| ||||
The album received mixed reviews from music critics. A critic fromBillboardliked Streisand's tone and vocals, but others felt as if the album was ultimately forgettable.Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsis Streisand's lowest selling studio album of her entire career; it is also one of four studio albums released by the singer not to receive a certification from theRecording Industry Association of America.However, it peaked in the lower positions of both Canada and the United States. The album was eventually released as a CD in 1989.
Background and development
edit
Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsdeveloped from her award-winning live television special in 1973 with the same title. Originally, Streisand had requested that her performance would be accompanied by several of "the world's greatest musicians", with Streisand listingPablo Casals,Isaac Stern,andJames Galwayas examples; instead,Columbia Recordshad her sing the music of different countries. They also made Streisand select one musician to work with for the project, and she pickedRay Charles.[1]Recorded inLondon,the album was released to the public several months later.[2]Allison J. Waldman, author ofThe Barbra Streisand Scrapbook,claimed that the singer used this appearance to "update her image and her music" which would be more appealing for the general public.[3]Promotional efforts for the album included advertisements that described it as "the most special Barbra on record".[4]The photography created for the album cover was tackled by Baron Wolman while Paul Perlow designed the inside cover and liner notes.[5]
Despite the live television special featuring additional songs not included on the album itself, the special in its entirety was released on August 29, 2006, byRhino Entertainmentas a DVD album. The new songs include a medley of "Sing"and"Make Your Own Kind of Music","Look What They've Done to My Song Ma ","Crying Time",a medley of" Sweet Inspiration "and"Where You Lead",and"On a Clear Day You Can See Forever".[6]The version of "Crying Time" was a duet with Ray Charles; Streisand omitted this version fromBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsbut later featured a revised version on her sixteenth studio album,ButterFly(1974).[7]Streisand and Columbia releasedBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentson November 2, 1973, as her fourteenth studio album overall, and her first since 1971'sBarbra Joan Streisand.[8]The album was later released in a compact disc format on October 24, 1989, and digitally to theiTunes Storemany years later.[9][10]
Composition
editAs a whole, the album containsworld music,which takes influence from various styles and genres, includingAfrican,Japanese,andSpanish music.[11]It also contains the use of various items to create music, such as kitchen utensils.[12]Additionally, Streisand included a few songs from her previous albums, such as her medley of "Sweet Inspiration" and "Where You Lead",which was previously featured onLive Concert at the Forum(1972). Other tracks like "I've Got Rhythm", "Glad to Be Unhappy", and "By Myself" were also used on the singer's studio albums from the 1960s.[3]Streisand's manager,Martin Erlichman,was credited as the sole and executive producer of the album.[13]
Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsopens with "Piano Practicing", a song adaptation by American television writer and pianist Lan O'Kun, from a classical composition byParadisi.Aragaversion ofGeorge GershwinandIra Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm"succeeds it,[14]followed by a medleysambaconsisting of "Johnny One Note"and"One Note Samba".[15]Fourth and seventh tracks "Glad to Be Unhappy"and"Don't Rain on My Parade",respectively, contain" distorted "rhythms and melodies.[2]A new version of "People",from Streisand's1964 studio album of the same name,contains influence fromTurkishandArmenian music.[16]After "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "Don't Ever Leave Me", is a spoken track by Streisand titled "Monologue", which features dialogue of the singer speaking during the live television special.[15]"I Never Has Seen Snow", written byHarold ArlenandTruman Capote,precedesFranz Schubert'sLiedtitledAuf dem Wasser zu singen.[15]The final two tracks are the medley of "The World Is a Concerto" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music", with the album's closer ( "The Sweetest Sounds") being accompanied by an" angelic "chorus.[3]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [17] |
| Entertainment Weekly | D[11] |
Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsreceived mixed reviews from music critics. InBillboard's "Top Album Picks" article, the album was selected for placement under the "Spotlight" column, where it received a lengthier review. The critic was positive of the release, claiming that Streisand's "fine tones and majestical power are sheer entertainment". The individual selected "Glad to Be Unhappy" as one of the bestballadsin her career.[14]AllMusic's William Ruhlmann awarded it three out of five stars, calling the album "more gimmicky than inventive" and ultimately a "forgettable misstep". He also found her medley of "The World Is a Concerto" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" to be odd because its instrumentation consisted of sounds created by household appliances. Concluding, Ruhlmann claimed that Streisand's single release of "The Way We Were"helped erase any publicity for the album, which he considered a good thing.[17]
Jim Farber fromEntertainment Weeklywas also critical of the album and gave it a "D" rating. Although he called it a "nice idea", he found the collection unnecessary and stated, "do we really need a Spanish version of 'Don't Rain on My Parade'?".[11]Author Waldman wrote that the album was unsuccessful due to the singer being "dwarfed by the overproduction"; additionally, she felt that Streisand's duet with Ray Charles should have been included on the initial pressing, and Waldman also noted that there were "no new songs added" to the record. She stated that "the message was clear for Streisand... keep moving forward".[3]
Commercial performance
editCommercially unsuccessful,[18]Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentsis Streisand's lowest-selling album released by Columbia and one of four studio albums that have not been certified by theRecording Industry Association of America(the other three being 1969'sWhat About Today?,2011'sWhat Matters Most,and 2016'sEncore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway).[17][19]In the United States, the album debuted on theBillboard200at number 146 for the week ending November 24, 1973.[20]Within two weeks it rose 71 places to number 75,[21]before reaching its peak position at number 64 on December 22.[22]It spent a total of sixteen consecutive weeks on theBillboard200.[23]Paul Grein, writer of the "Chart Beat" column forBillboard,noted thatBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instrumentswas one of Streisand's few releases to miss peaking within the top 15 of the chart.[24]Meanwhile, the record entered Canada's chart (compiled byRPM) at number 81 on January 1, 1974.[25]However, it dropped to number 88 the following week, and on February 2, 1974, it peaked at number 80, which was also the final publication that the album would appear on, totaling four weeks altogether.[26][27]
Track listing
editAll tracks produced byMartin Erlichman.[13]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Piano Practicing" | Lan O'Kun (music byPietro Domenico Paradisifrom Sonata VI in A Major, movementAllegro) | 2:27 |
| 2. | "I Got Rhythm" | 1:24 | |
| 3. | "Johnny One Note/One Note Samba" | 3:40 | |
| 4. | "Glad to Be Unhappy" |
| 2:43 |
| 5. | "People" | 1:51 | |
| 6. | "Second Hand Rose" | 0:16 | |
| 7. | "Don't Rain on My Parade" |
| 3:41 |
| 8. | "Don't Ever Leave Me" | 0:41 | |
| 9. | "Monologue" (Dialogue) | 0:46 | |
| 10. | "By Myself" | 1:54 | |
| 11. | "Come Back to Me" | 1:38 | |
| 12. | "I Never Has Seen Snow" | 5:07 | |
| 13. | "Lied: Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen" | Franz Schubert | 1:32 |
| 14. | "The World Is a Concerto /Make Your Own Kind of Music" |
| 4:02 |
| 15. | "The Sweetest Sounds" | Rodgers | 2:55 |
| Total length: | 34:37 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sing/ Make Your Own Kind of Music " | |
| 2. | "Piano Practicing" | |
| 3. | "I Got Rhythm / Johnny One Note / One Note Samba / Glad to Be Unhappy" | |
| 4. | "People / Second Hand Rose / Don't Rain on My Parade" | |
| 5. | "Don't Ever Leave Me" | |
| 6. | "Mogologue" (Dialogue) | |
| 7. | "By Myself" | |
| 8. | "Come Back to Me" | |
| 9. | "Look What They've Done to My Song Ma" | |
| 10. | "Crying Time"(withRay Charles) | |
| 11. | "Sweet Inspiration /Where You Lead" | |
| 12. | "Lied: Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen" | |
| 13. | "I Never Has Seen Snow" | |
| 14. | "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" | |
| 15. | "The World Is a Concerto / Make Your Own Kind of Music" | |
| 16. | "The Sweetest Sounds" | |
| Total length: | 52:00 | |
Personnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of the CD edition ofBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments.[28]
- Barbra Streisand – vocals
- Martin Erlichman – production
- Bill Schnee– mixing
- Ken Welch – arrangements
- Mitzie Welch – arrangements
Charts
edit| Chart (1973–1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[27] | 80 |
| USBillboard200[23] | 64 |
References
editCitations
edit- ^Edwards 2016,p. 262
- ^abSantopietro 2007,p. 132
- ^abcdWaldman 2001,p. 52
- ^"The most special Barbra on record".New York.6(48). New York Media, LLC: 26. November 26, 1973.ISSN0028-7369.RetrievedMarch 12,2017.
- ^United States Copyright Office 1974,p. 112.
- ^"Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments: Barbra Streisand".Amazon.August 29, 2006.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^ButterFly(Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (Vinyl release ed.). Columbia. 1974. PC 33005.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Billboardstaff (October 20, 1973)."Late News: Inside Track".Billboard.Vol. 85, no. 42. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 78.ISSN0006-2510.RetrievedMarch 12,2017.
- ^"Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments: Barbra Streisand".Amazon.October 24, 1989.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^"Barbra Streisand – Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments".iTunes Store(US). 2 November 1973.Archivedfrom the original on April 28, 2018.RetrievedJune 4,2017.
- ^abcFarber, Jim (April 15, 1994)."Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments".Entertainment Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on December 24, 2016.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^New Yorkstaff (January 23, 1995)."Movies".New York.28(4). New York Media, LLC: 70.ISSN0028-7369.RetrievedMarch 12,2017.
- ^abcBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments(Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (DVD ed.).Rhino.2006. B000GW8RZW.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^abBillboardstaff (November 10, 1973)."Billboard's Top Album Picks: November 10, 1973".Billboard.Vol. 85, no. 45. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 76.ISSN0006-2510.RetrievedMarch 12,2017.
- ^abcdBarbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments(Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (Vinyl release ed.). Columbia. 1973. PC 32655.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Horrigan 1999,p. 95
- ^abcRuhlmann, William."Barbra Streisand –Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments".AllMusic.Archivedfrom the original on April 13, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^Nickens & Swenson 2000,p. 22
- ^"American album certifications – Barbra Streisand".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^"Billboard 200: The Week Of November 24, 1973".Billboard.November 24, 1973.Archivedfrom the original on March 13, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^"Billboard 200: The Week Of December 8, 1973".Billboard.December 8, 1973.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^"Billboard 200: The Week Of December 22, 1973".Billboard.December 22, 1973.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^ab"Barbra Streisand Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved March 11, 2017.
- ^Grein, Paul (December 1, 1984)."Chart Beat".Billboard.Vol. 96, no. 48. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 6.ISSN0006-2510.RetrievedMarch 12,2017.
- ^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 4976b".RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 4969b".RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.Archivedfrom the original on March 12, 2017.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- ^ab"Top RPM Albums: Issue 4980b".RPM.Library and Archives Canada.Retrieved March 11, 2017.
- ^Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments(Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (CD release ed.). Columbia. 1989. CK 32655.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Bibliography
edit- Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series(third ed.).United States Copyright Office.1974.
- Edwards, Anne (2016).Streisand: A Biography.Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN978-1630761295.
- Horrigan, Patrick E. (April 20, 1999).Widescreen Dreams: Growing Up Gay at the Movies.University of Wisconsin Press.ISBN0299161633.
- Nickens, Christopher; Swenson, Karen (2000).The Films of Barbra Streisand(illustrated ed.). Citadel Press.ISBN0806519541.
- Santopietro, Tom (April 1, 2007).The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand.Macmillan.ISBN978-1429908535.
- Waldman, Allison J. (2001).The Barbra Streisand Scrapbook(illustrated, revised ed.). Citadel Press.ISBN0806522186.
External links
edit- Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical InstrumentsatDiscogs(list of releases)