''My Name Is Barbra'' is the first of two
studio album tie-ins to
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 ...
's
Emmy award-winning
CBS-TV debut special ''
My Name Is Barbra'', which aired on April 28, 1965, and was
choreographed by
Joe Layton
Joe Layton (May 3, 1931 – May 5, 1994) was an American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway.Dunning, Jennifer. (9 May 1994). Page B7.'Joe Layton, Choreographer And Director, Is Dead at 64' Obituary. New York Ti ...
. The album was certified gold and peaked at #2 on the US charts.
Streisand's brother, Sheldon, shot the front cover photograph when she was five years old. By 1966, the album sold over one million copies worldwide.
A digitally restored and remastered CD was released in 1990.
Song information
* "My Name Is Barbara" - Despite the proper spelling of Streisand's first name in the title of the album, the opening track is titled "My Name Is Barbara" on the original LP, subsequent reissues and Streisand compilations.
The title refers to the song "My name is Barbara" written in 1943 by Leonard Bernstein for the cycle " I hate Music !: A Cycle of Five Kid Songs"
*"Why Did I Choose You?" - The CD contains the long version (3:46) of this song, and the vinyl LP contains the short version (2:46).
* "Where Is the Wonder" was contributed by
Dion McGregor and his roommate Michael Barr, who had sent many songs to publishers and were unsuccessful in getting them recorded; they viewed Streisand's rendition as a breakthrough in their songwriting career.
Accolades
Streisand won a
Best Vocal Performance, Female Grammy award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for the album, her third in the category and fifth overall.
The
National Association of Recording Merchandisers The Music Business Association (Music Biz), formerly known as the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), is a not-for-profit trade association based in Nashville, Tennessee that seeks to promote sustained financial growth and bolst ...
named Streisand the best-selling female vocalist of 1965.
Track listing
Side One
# "My Name Is Barbara" (
Leonard Bernstein) – 0:53
# a. "A Kid Again" (Johnny Melfi, Roger Perry) – 1:27
b. "I'm Five" (
Milton Schafer
Milton Schafer (September 24, 1920 – April 12, 2020Carol Hall
Carol Hall (April 3, 1936 – October 11, 2018) was an American composer and lyricist. She was best known for composing the music and lyrics for the Broadway stage musical '' The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' (1978, adapted as a film in 1982) ...
) – 3:03
# "My Pa" (Michael Leonard, Herbert Martin) – 2:30
# "Sweet Zoo" (Jeffrey D. Harris) – 1:36
# "Where Is The Wonder" (Michael Barr,
Dion McGregor) – 2:18
Side Two
# "I Can See It" (
Tom Jones,
Harvey Schmidt
Harvey Lester Schmidt (September 12, 1929 – February 28, 2018) was an American composer for musical theatre and illustrator. He was best known for composing the music for the longest running musical in history, '' The Fantasticks'', which ran of ...
) – 3:06
# "
Someone to Watch Over Me" (
George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
,
Ira Gershwin) – 2:43
# "
I've Got No Strings
"I've Got No Strings" (also known as "I Got No Strings") is a song from Walt Disney's animated film ''Pinocchio'' (1940), sung by Dickie Jones as Pinocchio. The music was written by Leigh Harline, the lyrics were written by Ned Washington. The re ...
" (
Leigh Harline
Leigh Adrian Harline (March 26, 1907 – December 10, 1969) was an American film composer and songwriter. He was known for his "musical sophistication that was uniquely 'Harline-esque' by weaving rich tapestries of mood-setting underscores and ...
,
Ned Washington
Ned Washington (born Edward Michael Washington, August 15, 1901 – December 20, 1976) was an American lyricist born in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Life and career
Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962. He won the Bes ...
) – 2:49
# "
If You Were the Only Boy in the World" (
Nat Ayer
Nathaniel Davis Ayer (August 5, 1887 – September 19, 1952) was an American composer, pianist, singer and actor. He made most of his career composing and performing in England in Edwardian musical comedy and revue. He also contributed songs to B ...
, Clifford Grey) – 3:28
# "Why Did I Choose You?" (Michael Leonard, Herbert Martin) – CD: 3:46/Vinyl: 2:49
# "
My Man" (Jacques Charles,
Channing Pollock, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain) – 2:57
Singles
# "Why Did I Choose You?" / "My Love": US #77 (May 1, 1965)
# "My Man" / "Where Is The Wonder ": US #79 (July 10, 1965)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
External links
Barbra Archives: ''My Name Is Barbra'' (1965)
Barbra Streisand albums
1965 albums
Albums conducted by Peter Matz
Albums arranged by Peter Matz
Columbia Records albums
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
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