Barbra Streisand Tribute: Four Decades of Hope in These Best Streisand Video Performances

Streisand - The Concerts DVD is on my Mother's Day gift list but I don't know if I can wait from April 28 when it is released to May 10, Mother's Day! The 3 DVD Barbra Streisand collector's set has over 60 Barbra Streisand songs and video performances from her rare live concert appearances. The April 25, 2009 Streisand television special on CBS with a dedication to Sydney Pollack, was the epitome of beautiful Barbra. Here is a video of Barbra talking about the television concert and the new DVD collection.

I grew up being blessed by the unprecedented acting, singing, directing, and producing talents of Barbra Streisand. It is not just Barbra's entertaining gifts that keep me coming back for more Barbra Streisand over the last 40 years. I find that whatever storm I am walking through in my life, there is a Barbra Streisand video performance, complete with song and words of hope, that will lift me up, inspire me, and make me remember that for all my own problems, many other people are less fortunate than I, and have personal tragedies greater than anyone can imagine. Here are live video performances of the greatest gifts of love and hope from Barbra Streisand.

You'll Never Walk Alone
Our Hearts Are Broken Our Spirits Are Not
Emmy Awards 2001 Tribute to Victims of 9/11

America The Beautiful
I Love Liberty TV Special 1982
Only Streisand can hold a 10 second note in one of the most beautiful versions of America The Beautiful ever performed.

Somewhere - 1985
Barbra Streisand sings Somewhere from the Broadway musical West Side Story, The song is on The Essential Barbra Streisand album. This Streisand CD is the most played CD I have in my car and my home.

My favorite concert given by Barbra Streisand was the One Voice concert in 1986 when she invited the world to her home. We got a glimpse of Barbra's nature sanctuary where she feeds on beauty to deliver us hope and love. My favorite song and video performance from the star-studded fundraiser is Over the Rainbow, which she dedicated to Judy Garland. The One Voice concert raised $7 million. Together with other fundraisers, the Streisand Foundation has donated over $10 million to charitable and political causes.

Over The Rainbow
One Voice Concert 1986

I remember when Barbra Streisand first introduced her angelic voice to the world through the magic of black and white television. We had a classic T.V. console with doors that swung open to view the screen and a combination record player under the top cover that lifted up. My Father, who was a Big Band Era musician and once played vibes with Lionel Hampton, packed up all his Connie Francis LPs to make room for recordings of his new found dream girl: Barbra Streisand.

In 1963, Barbra Streisand was the youngest artist to have ever received an Album of the Year Grammy. Streisand won two Grammy's that year for her debut album, The Barbra Streisand Album. In 1965, Barbra Streisand's first television special, My Name Is Barbra, received five Emmy Awards and Barbra received an Emmy and the Peabody Award. Here are video performances of Barbra Streisand on a few of those classic 1960's television talent shows that inspired my Father's own music.

When The Sun Comes Out
Garry Moore Show 1962
Barbra was 19 years old.

Happy Days Are Here Again
Dinah Shore Show 1963

People
My Name Is Barbra

When my Father died, I found myself one year later, holding his picture in my hands, sitting on the floor beside my bed and singing along with Barbra Streisand to the most treasured performance of her life:

Papa Can You Hear Me
from the 1983 movie Yentyl

With Yentyl, Barbra Streisand became the first woman ever to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. She won two Golden Globes for Best Director and as producer of the Best Picture. Yentyl was nominated for five Academy Awards. I remember being fiercely angry at the Academy for not nominating Barbra for a Best Director Oscar that year. Barbara Streisand won her first Oscar for her first motion picture Best Actress performance as Fanny Brice in the 1968 movie Funny Girl.

Don't Rain On My Parade
North American Tour 2006

Barbra Streisand would become only the third woman ever to be nominated as Best Director by the Directors Guild of America for Prince of Tides. The movie also received seven Academy Award nominations. Barbra Streisand was the first female composer to win an Academy Award for a motion picture film with the song Evergreen from A Star Is Born. It just so happens that Evergreen is Bill Clinton's favorite Barbra Streisand song and when she didn't sing it for him at the Clinton presidential campaign fundraiser, she promised to sing it for him at the Inaugural Ball. Streisand was right, Clinton won, and here she is singing Bill Clinton's favorite Streisand song.

Evergreen
52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala for President Bill Clinton

The Way We Were is my favorite Barbra Streisand film, perhaps partly because Robert Redford is my favorite male actor and environmentalist of all time, alongside humanitarian stud Paul Newman of course - Oh and James Brolin (wink). I love movies set in that time period because it reminds me that when times are bad, we must step up and make them better. Streisand and Redford had the perfect chemistry for the characters in the movie. Here is a great video performance from the movie with Barbra Streisand and long hair!

The Way We Were
1975 Live Performance

Who doesn't want to sing duets with Barbra Streisand? Some of my favorite Streisand songs are sung with performers like Neil Diamond and Barry Gibb. Apparently, the other Streisand fans agree since Barbra's top selling recordings of all time are the ones she made with Barry Gibb.

You Don't Bring Me Flowers
with Neil Diamond

What Kind of Fool
with Barry Gibb at the One Voice Concert 1986 from her home

As of 2006, the record-setting tally of Barbra Streisand recordings include:

50 Gold Albums
30 Platinum Albums
13 Multi-platinum Albums
9 Gold Singles 5 Platinum Singles
7 Gold Videos
4 Platinum Videos
3 Multi-platinum Video

On July 1, 1998, Barbra Streisand married director/actor James Brolin and all I can say is he must be one hell of a man! How would you like to have Barbra Streisand singing Woman In Love to you in a giant bubble bath surrounded by lit candles?

Woman In Love

Barbra Streisand is the second leading recording artist of all time, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and second to Elvis Presley. Barbra is the leading female recording artist of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America says that no other female artist has achieved thirteen multi-platinum albums. Barbra Streisand was named favorite female singer of the 20^th century with No. 1 albums in each of four decades, also giving her the title of greatest longevity for a solo artist. Since Frank Sinatra was named favorite male singer of the 20^th century, it is only fitting to show a video performance of Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra singing together.

I've Got A Crush On You
with the two favorite singers of the 20th Century: Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra

Dr. Barbra Streisand was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Humanities from Brandeis University in 1995. Barbra Streisand is the only artist to earn an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Cable Ace, Peabody, and the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.

Barbra Streisand is a timeless treasure of our generation who will likely never be matched by equal acting and singing talent, humanitarian generosity, political conviction, and inspiration for fulfilling dreams. Barbra Streisand believes in what she knows and says what she believes. There is no better definition of hope and change from which we all can learn. One Voice. One Barbra.

Sources:

Barbra Streisand Official Web Site
http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=homepage

Buy Streisand - The Concerts DVD ($34.98)
3 DVD Collector's Set with over 60 Songs and Video Performances
http://barbrastreisand.shop.musictoday.com/

Photo Credit: MaxPride
Barbra Streisand London Concert
Used with permission at Wikimedia Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barbara-streisand07.jpg