Barbra Streisand - Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2

good--as far as it goes, that is (three and 1/2 stars)

Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 is a good CD that is just too short to be called any type of "greatest hits" album. Even when taken together with Volume 1 of Barbra Streisand's greatest hits this CD is still way too short. That disappoints me. However, what we do get is very good quality throughout; and the sound quality is excellent. I like that artwork, too!

The CD starts with the love theme from Barbra Streisand's remake of the classic movie entitled A Star Is Born. Barbra sings "Evergreen" with passion and she never sounded better. Her excellent diction and her uncanny sense of timing helps to make her singing all the better! Barbra also handles tempo and key modulations as if it were as natural as breathing. Of course, we know that it really isn't so easy to do this; Streisand had so much talent when she performed that she could make anything look easy! There's also the love theme from Eyes Of Laura Mars; Barbra sings this with great sensitivity and passion. Barbra's performance of the theme from Eyes Of Laura Mars truly is a great highlight of this album--even if the album is too short!

"My Heart Belongs To Me" stuns me with its beauty and this features Barbra squarely front and center--and that's all right by me! Barbra really opens up her ability to belt out a song as she sings "My Heart Belongs To Me;" and Streisand fans are bound to love this tune. In addition, Barbra does a wonderful job on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers;" this duet showcases Barbra's ability to handle a complicated duet with panache and sensitivity. I love it!

"The Way We Were" comes from the movie of the same name; this is perhaps my very favorite of Barbra's songs. "The Way We Were" has several sound effects that they used in the `70s but it still holds its own very well. "The Way We Were" is a classic ballad that is easily a major highlight of both this album and of Streisand's career.

"All In Love Is Fair" is a song I first heard when Stevie Wonder sang it; but Barbra's version is quite stunning. The strings are used to great advantage and Barbra belts this number out flawlessly. It's quite impressive. Listen also for Barbra on "Stoney End;" this great ballad ends the CD with a solid hit that still sounds fresh and new every time I hear it. Great!

Barbra Streisand is definitely one of the greatest female vocalists of the entire twentieth century. Her talents brought her much success and this CD proves just how wonderfully she could deliver a ballad. Unfortunately, I must take off one and ½ stars for this CD being just too short. Ouch! April 28, 2008

Voice that forever fulfills

If there were three female vocalists that I would cherish meeting, they would be Laura Nyro, Joan Baez, and Barbra Streisand. Laura sadly is no longer with us. That leaves Baez with the socially significant and moving songs of the 60s and 70s and Streisand with that incredible voice that can sing anything. This particular release captures the widest breath of her talent. I think it is her best album. I wonder if she would ever come to Alaska to grace us with her presence. December 18, 2007

Where's the 45?

I have no qualms with other reviewers, but wonder just what album they were reviewing when they complain about spotty sound and strange lyrics. This CD is beautifully remastered, and the songs are top notch. The only bad part is that it does not contain the original 45 version of "The Way We Were". My original vinyl from 1978 had the 45 version, but early in the CD revolution, I gave a bunch of LPs away. I have since bought 10 copies of the vinyl in search of this version, to no avail. They must have switched the versions on subsequent pressings, and on the CD, and that is the version always offered on all of Barbra's albums now, I don't know whether it is the version from her "The Way We Were" album or from the soundtrack, but it is NOT the original 45 version, and it is easy to tell the difference. But this CD has a few tracks that aren't available on any other Barbra CD, and it's a great listen. If you want ALL of Barbra's best, you've got to have this. It's on the cheap, so why not? December 4, 2007

The way she is

There are two of my favorite Streisand songs here. One is 'The Way we were' and the other is called the theme from 'A Star is Born' but I believe is also called 'Evergreen'. Listening to them and being moved by them I try to understand why I find Streisand to be such a uniquely moving singer.
One element is certainly the way she can play with her own voice. It really is like a kind of jazz instrument which she can turn in every which way. Its quality its timbre its power and above all its piercing melodic beauty can bring chills to the spine and tears to the eyes.
What a great gift, what a tremendously beautiful singer. January 10, 2007

Well loved album, but poor remastering.

This album of Barbra Streisand, Greatest Hits, Volume 2 contains ten of her well known songs from 1970-1978. For me, this was the first album of hers that I had listened to as a kid back in the late 80s. My mother had it on LP, and it was fun to hear, even though it had a BIG CRACK in it. The title starts off with her timeless classic "Evergreen", from "A Star is Born", and ends with "Stoney End", from the album of the same title from 1971. There are some other great songs on this album as well. Here is a brief summary of the rest of them:
"Prisoner", which is from the movie "Eyes of Laura Mars" with Faye Dunaway. Barbra had declined to star in the film, but did agree to sing this song for it. GH, VOL. 2 is the only album of Barbra's that this song appears on.
"My Heart Belongs To Me", which is from her "Streisand Superman" title from 1977, is a great song.
"Songbird", which is from the album of the same title of '78, is another great song with a sad sound to it.
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers", is a great one, too, with Neil Diamond. Barbra and Neil both recorded their own versions of this song and, with the help of a professional DJ, had come up with this duet by splicing together their voices, making this another well loved song.
"The Way We Were", which is from the wonderful movie of the same name from 1973, is one of Barbra's most wonderful contemporary songs. This version is from the solo album that was released in early '74, about the same time as the soundtrack album of the movie. The version on the soundtrack is very soft sounding, whereas this version has more of a contemporary sound to it.
"Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead" is a great contemporary groove. This song was taken from her 1972 album Live Concert at the Forum. This is a fun one to hear, and Barbra sounds like she was having fun singing this song. The live concert that this song is from was done when George McGovern was running for President (Barbra did this show for him). Thousands of people came to hear the show, but sad to say, Nixon had won the re-election. But I digress; this song and the Live Concert album are a joy to listen to. Great to put a live song in a greatest hits album.
"All in Love Is Fair" is also from the studio album of her "Way We Were" record. This, too, is a great song.
"Superman", which is from her 1977 album of the same name is wonderful, and has a "comical" lyric to it.
"Stoney End", from her album of 1971, is the closing song on this album, and is more of a rock ballad. This is an album to get, whether you're just discovering Barbra's music or don't yet have this title. You will love it. Even though I gave this album a full 5 stars, my only gripe is in regards to the remastering job. Some of the songs don't sound much different, but a few others sound horrible. In this case, the instrumentation seems to overpower Barbra's voice (this is quite noticeable in "Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead"). I gave the remastered version to my grandmother (who is also a big fan of Barbra's), and got a used copy of an original CD issue. Between the original issue and the remastered issue of this album, I like the original CD issue a lot better than the remastered issue. The original stays true to how people heard the album on LP or tape years ago. If you have the original issue of this album on CD, KEEP IT; do not fall for a remastered issue. But, for those of you who feel that a remastered issue is better for you, so be it; you be your own judge regarding the original issue and remastered issue, and tell me what you think, if you like.
December 23, 2005

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