She lived in Greenwich Village when it was a true dive, and got a job as an usher at a Broadway theatre. She cornered a director there and did an impromptu audition. She wasn't right for the play, but he encouraged her to keep trying. Her new boyfriend did too, and took her to a downtown gay bar to sing. (How you doin'!) After she sang, silence hit the crowd. Then ... a long standing ovation.
Of course! After a year of hustling, Babs got a role in a play that didn't close - and got a Tony nomination! By this time, she had a regular gig going in the cabaret world, and television took notice. She performed on Jack Paar's Tonight Show in 1961; a year later, on The Garry Moore show, she debuted her take on an old 30s Democratic party anthem.
In 1962, she signed her first record deal - and got married, to actor Elliot Gould. Her first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, earned her three Grammys. (An Adele tea.)
In 1964, Barbra returned to Broadway to headline Funny Girl. Carol Channing took the Tony from her, but Barbra picked up two signature songs!
Forgot to mention that Barbra got the last laugh as she starred in the film adaption of her musical - an accomplishment not everyone gets to realize. (Sorry Carol!)
Obviously Barbra won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
By the new decade, Barbra was ready to make more contemporary music - but she didn't exactly fit into the rock or soul worlds. Thank the Lorde for Laura Nyro then.
The 70s would bring her the greatest pop success she had ever known - with many of her hits coming from theme songs she wrote for the films she starred in!
She didn't write this one, but it did go to number one!
She did write the music to this one, and it netted her a second Oscar! A Gaga tea.
I wasn't as big a fan of her 70s Pop music, though it was still nice. She's just so wonderfully dramatic, powerful, and dynamic with her Jazz and Broadway standards.
Remember when I told you that she would collaborate with her old high school classmate? Well, she did - and got a number one out of it.
That wasn't the only duet she took to number one! Let's welcome probably the most important female collaboration until The Boy is Mine entered our lives ...
Enough is Enough wasn't the only time she dabbled in disco. Like any self-respecting diva of the late 70s, she got Barry Gibb to pen her two huge hits. HUGE.
Neil Diamond used to live at my friend's old house near Prospect Park and would visit time to time but none of them really knew who he was He was probably hitting it up with Babs while living in that very house. It's crazy to think about. Wish I had that kind of lucky opportunity
Another theme to the first film Barbra directed also became iconic - but maybe for the wrong reasons.
By the mid 80s, Babs was done with pop. She put out The Broadway Album, centered around her tackling classic show tunes.
Let's fast forward a decade. Barbra wrote and recorded a duet to promote her latest film, The Mirror Has Two Faces. It was up for an Oscar, but Barbra couldn't perform it.
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I guess she found her new duet partner!
Happy Days Are Here Again
People
Don't Rain on My Parade
Stoney End
The Way We Were
Evergreen
You Don't Bring Me Flowers (with Neil Diamond)
Enough is Enough (No More Tears) [with Donna Summer]
Woman in Love
Guilty
Papa, Can You Hear Me?
Somewhere
I Finally Found Someone (with Bryan Adams)
Tell Him (with Celine Dion)
Babs is gonna get dragged in this rate—and, with all due respect as a fellow member of the tribe, she's gonna deserve it. That easy listening catalogue...
"Enough Is Enough" is camp genius, though, if you can get past how self-indulgent it is.