''Love Is the Answer'' is the thirty-second
studio album by American singer
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
released on September 29, 2009. The album consists of
jazz standards
Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list ...
and was produced by
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...
and
Tommy LiPuma
Tommy LiPuma (July 5, 1936 – March 13, 2017) was an American music producer. He received 33 Grammy nominations, 5 Grammy wins, and his productions sold over 75 million albums. LiPuma worked with many musicians, including Barbra Streisand, Miles ...
. It also features Krall on piano and orchestral arrangements by
Johnny Mandel
John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925June 29, 2020) was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Benn ...
,
Anthony Wilson and
Alan Broadbent
Alan Leonard Broadbent (born 23 April 1947) is a New Zealand jazz pianist, arranger, and composer known for his work with artists such as Sue Raney, Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Chet Baker, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Natalie Cole, Warne Marsh ...
. A deluxe edition contains a bonus disc featuring versions of the songs with just Streisand's vocals and Krall's quartet.
The album received critical acclaim, and became Streisand's record-breaking ninth #1 album on the
''Billboard'' 200. This resulted in making Streisand the only artist to have a number one album in America in five different decades. The album was certified Gold on November 13, by the
RIAA, giving Streisand her 51st Gold record in the US.
Promotion
To promote the album, Streisand performed for one night only on September 26 at the
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...
some forty-eight years after she opened for
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...
at the same venue. On 2 October she also gave a rare interview and performed live for a BBC TV special hosted by
Jonathan Ross. Streisand's performance at the
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...
was released on DVD as
One Night Only Barbra Streisand and Quartet at The Village Vanguard and was
certified Platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in the United States.
The album was promoted in a
QVC
QVC (short for "Quality Value Convenience") is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping, owned by Qurate Retail Group. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pen ...
special which offered a Special Edition DVD that includes bonus video tracks of "People" from ''
My Name Is Barbra
''My Name Is Barbra'' is the first of two studio album tie-ins to Barbra Streisand's Emmy award-winning CBS-TV debut special '' My Name Is Barbra'', which aired on April 28, 1965, and was choreographed by Joe Layton. The album was certified g ...
'' (1965); "Yesterdays" from ''
Color Me Barbra
''Color Me Barbra'' is the seventh studio album by singer Barbra Streisand released on Columbia Records in 1966. It reached number 3 in the US albums chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was also the title of Streisand's second CBS TV sp ...
'' (1966); "
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" is a popular music, popular Vaudeville song. The music is credited to Harry Carroll, but the melody is adapted from ''Fantaisie-Impromptu'' by Frédéric Chopin. The lyrics were written by Joseph McCarthy (lyricist), ...
" from ''The Belle of 14th Street'' (1967); "
Silent Night
"Silent Night" (german: "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht", links=no, italic=no) is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an ...
" from ''
A Happening in Central Park
''A Happening In Central Park'' is the first live album by Barbra Streisand. It was recorded at a live concert in Central Park in New York in June 1967 in front of an audience of 125,000 people. The special aired on CBS channel in 1968, with sele ...
'' (1968); "
Crying Time
"Crying Time" is a song from 1964 written and originally recorded by the American country music artist Buck Owens. It gained greater success in the version recorded by Ray Charles, which won two Grammy Awards in 1967. Numerous other cover versio ...
" (with Ray Charles) from ''
Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments'' (1973).
Commercial performance
The same day of the release of the album,
Mariah Carey released her album ''
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
''Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'' is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 29, 2009, by Island Records. After promotion for her previous album, '' E=MC²'' (2008) ended, Carey began to ...
''. Initially a favorite to be #1 on the
''Billboard'' 200 during its debut week, it was announced that
Paramore's ''
Brand New Eyes
''Brand New Eyes'' (stylized in all lowercase) is the third studio album by American rock band Paramore, released on September 29, 2009, through Fueled by Ramen in the United States and Canada. The album was produced by Rob Cavallo and recorded ...
'' was ahead on sales and would likely reach the top spot of the
''Billboard'' 200 and surpass Mariah Carey. What began as a battle between those two albums ended with Streisand surpassing both and achieving the pole position of the charts.
''
Billboard'' then confirmed that the album debuted at #1. The news shocked the music industry, and found Streisand extending her previously held record of most consecutive decades with #1 albums achieved by any artist. Streisand has achieved at least one #1 album in five consecutive decades – the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. ''Love Is the Answer'' is also the artist's ninth number-one album in the U.S., making Streisand the fourth artist with the most #1 albums in history, behind
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
(19),
Jay-Z (11), and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
(10). ()
Conscious of the good news (and the unparalleled record achieved), Streisand immediately posted a "letter" on her official website:
I was just told that ''Love Is the Answer'' came out at Number One, and I want to share that honor with all of you.. my fans, my friends.. who have made that possible. I want to share it as well with Diana Krall and Tommy LiPuma and everyone who worked on the album... with Jay Landers and especially my manager Marty Erlichman and my team at Columbia Records. You'd think that getting the news that you've been Number One in five consecutive decades would make you feel old, but this makes me feel young. Thank you all.
In the UK, the album initially landed at #4, with sales of 30,000 copies.
The ensuing media coverage of Streisand’s U.S. chart placement helped bolster UK sales, and during its second week of release, ''Love Is the Answer'' managed to climb to the #1 spot, even surpassing
Madonna's ''
Celebration'' album in sales. Immediately, Streisand sent another note to her fans through her website:
When the album went to #1 in the States I was surprised and thrilled. To have the same thing happen on "the other side of the pond" is just as exciting. I've always loved spending time in the UK and it's so gratifying to learn how this album has been embraced. With all my appreciation and thanks! Barbra.
Achieving the top position in both countries, ''Love Is the Answer'' is only the fourth Barbra Streisand record to be #1 in both the U.S. and the UK, and the first to do so since 1980's ''
Guilty
Guilty or The Guilty may refer to:
* Guilt (emotion), an experience that occurs when a person believes they have violated a moral standard
Law
*Culpability, the degree to which an agent can be held responsible for action or inaction
*Guilt (law) ...
''.
In Canada, the album debuted at #2 with sales of 13,000 copies (only 1,000 copies behind
Madonna's album ''
Celebration'').
In Spain, Streisand achieved her second top 10 album, landing at #1 with the 1980 multi-platinum ''Guilty'' album, and at #6 with ''Love Is the Answer''.
Accolades
On 2 December 2010, the
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights pri ...
nominations were announced, and the album was nominated for
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented ...
.
This was Barbra's 57th Grammy nomination in her career.
Track listing
#"Here's to Life" (Artie Butler, Phyllis Molinary) – 4:35
#"
In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is a 1955 popular song composed by David Mann, with lyrics by Bob Hilliard. It was introduced as the title track of Frank Sinatra's 1955 album '' In the Wee Small Hours''.
Background
Mann and Hilliard wr ...
" (
Bob Hilliard
Bob Hilliard (born Hilliard Goldsmith; January 28, 1918 – February 1, 1971) was an American lyricist. He wrote the words for the songs: "Alice in Wonderland", "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", " Any Day Now", " Dear Hearts and Gentle ...
,
David Mann) – 4:02
#"
Gentle Rain" (
Luiz Bonfá
Luiz Floriano Bonfá (17 October 1922 – 12 January 2001) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer. He was best known for the music he composed for the film ''Black Orpheus''.
Biography
Luiz Floriano Bonfá was born on October 17, 1922, in ...
, Matt Dubey) – 4:19
#"
If You Go Away (Ne me quitte pas)" (
Jacques Brel,
Rod McKuen) – 4:14
#"
Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" (
Fran Landesman
Fran Landesman (October 21, 1927 – July 23, 2011) was an American lyricist and poet. She grew up in New York City and lived for years in St. Louis, Missouri, where her husband Jay Landesman operated the Crystal Palace nightclub. One of her bes ...
, Tommy Wolf) – 4:32
#"
Make Someone Happy" (
Betty Comden
Betty Comden (May 3, 1917 - November 23, 2006) was an American lyricist, playwright, and screenwriter who contributed to numerous Hollywood musicals and Broadway shows of the mid-20th century. Her writing partnership with Adolph Green spanned ...
,
Adolph Green
Adolph Green (December 2, 1914 – October 23, 2002) was an American lyricist and playwright who, with long-time collaborator Betty Comden, penned the screenplays and songs for some of the most beloved film musicals, particularly as part of Ar ...
,
Jule Styne) – 4:08
#"Where Do You Start?" (
Johnny Mandel
John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925June 29, 2020) was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Benn ...
,
Alan Bergman,
Marilyn Bergman
Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...
) – 4:26
#"A Time for Love" (Mandel,
Paul Francis Webster) – 5:12
#"
Here's That Rainy Day" (
Johnny Burke,
Jimmy Van Heusen) – 5:04
#"Love Dance" (
Ivan Lins
Ivan Guimarães Lins (born June 16, 1945) is a Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music (MPB) and jazz for over thirty years. His first hit, "Madalena", was recorded by ...
, Gilson Peranzzetta,
Paul Williams) – 4:43
#"
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical '' Roberta''. The song was sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin. Its first recorded performance was by Ge ...
" (
Jerome Kern
Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...
,
Otto Harbach
Otto Abels Harbach, born Otto Abels Hauerbach (August 18, 1873 – January 24, 1963) was an American lyricist and librettist of nearly 50 musical comedies and operettas. Harbach collaborated as lyricist or librettist with many of the leading B ...
) – 4:22
#"
Some Other Time" (
Leonard Bernstein, Comden, Green) – 4:43
#"You Must Believe in Spring" (Bergman, Bergman,
Michel Legrand
Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many son ...
) – 4:04
onus track
Deluxe edition
The second disc of the deluxe package, featuring Streisand and quartet, includes:
#"Here's To Life" (Artie Butler, Phyllis Molinary) - 4:31
#"In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" (Bob Hilliard, David Mann) - 3:58
#"Gentle Rain" (Luiz Bonfa, Matt Dubey) - 4:20
#"If You Go Away (Ne me quitte pas)" (Jacques Brel, Rod McKuen) - 4:12
#"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" (Tommy Wolf, Fran Landesman) - 4:34
#"Make Someone Happy" (Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) - 4:02
#"Where Do You Start?"(Johnny Mandel, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman) - 4:26
#"A Time For Love" (Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster) - 5:14
#"Here's That Rainy Day" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 5:03
#"Love Dance" (Ivan Lins, Gilson Peranzzetta, English lyrics by Paul Williams) - 4:43
#"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach) - 4:17
#"Some Other Time" (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) - 4:43
Personnel
*Barbra Streisand – vocals
*
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...
– piano
*
Jeff Hamilton – drums
*
John Clayton John Clayton may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Writing
*John Clayton (architect) (died 1861), English architect and writer
*John Bell Clayton and Martha Clayton, John Bell Clayton (c. 1907–1955), American writer
*John Clayton (sportswriter) ( ...
– bass
*
Anthony Wilson – guitar
*
Robert Hurst – bass
(tracks: 1, 2, 6, 11)
*Tamir Hendelman – piano
(tracks: 1, 2, 6, 11, 12)
*
Alan Broadbent
Alan Leonard Broadbent (born 23 April 1947) is a New Zealand jazz pianist, arranger, and composer known for his work with artists such as Sue Raney, Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Chet Baker, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Natalie Cole, Warne Marsh ...
– piano (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 9)
*
Bill Charlap – piano
(track: 13)
*
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
(tracks: 3, 10)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Love Is The Answer
Barbra Streisand albums
Columbia Records albums
Albums produced by Diana Krall
Albums produced by Tommy LiPuma
Albums arranged by Johnny Mandel
2009 albums
Albums recorded at Capitol Studios