LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Barbra Streisand: Songs
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Barbra Streisand no longer sings songs; she acts them out. She treats the recording studio as an extension of the stage where every emotion must be exaggerated to be understood. Actually, the studio is closer to working on a movie set and being photographed in closeup, where the slightest gesture goes a long way and too much gesturing makes one appear pretensiously mannered.
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One reason that the Streisand-Gibb team proves to be the most sensational artist-producer duo since Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones created Off the Wall is that both principals are basically traditional pop sentimentalists who complement each other in convenient ways. Barbra Streisand's steel-belted soprano gives more dramatic authority to Barry Gibb's chromatic miniarias than practically any other voice could. And because Gibb's compositions are bel canto baubles whose lyrics consist mainly of comic blather concerning love, Streisand is spared worrying about what the songs mean. Indeed, Gibb's sweet nothings are so slight that they allow Streisand to be a love goddess without ever having to think about playing for keeps. Though she was once a great interpretive singer, Barbra Streisand now possesses a larger-than-life image that completely overwhelms her material. These days, whatever she sings becomes an extension of her superstardom: an expression of the triumph of her will rather than a text to be revealed.
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Streisand's fans think they know better; they love her. In her long career, Streisand has spawned a legion of fans, including singer Tony Bennett, whose 1995 album Here's to the Ladies begins with a tribute to Streisand and her signature song, "People": "From her humble beginnings to her triumph in the theater, no one has been more successful than Barbra. She is at the pinnacle of her art." Her films, albums, and rare public performances continue to break records. Fans are united in their love of the multitalented star and their hatred of what they perceive to be sensation seeking critics. There are Streisand fan clubs, Streisand fanzines, Streisand cyber-fansites, Streisand collectors, Streisand groupies, and just plain Streisand aficionados. The most notable of these just opened a Streisand boutique in California called, appropriately, Hello Gorgeous.
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Streisand lends support to Tenenbaum for Senate COLUMBIA--Democrat Inez Tenenbaum has received help from at least one Hollywood celebrity in her bid for U.S. Senate. Barbra Streisand sent Tenenbaum, the state's education superintendent, $1,000, according to campaign finance records. The singer and actress has helped raise money for several Democratic candidates, including presidential candidate John Kerry. At a recent fund-raiser for Kerry, Streisand sang a special 2004 election version of her song "People." The song poked fun at White House figures, including President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, "the spookiest person in the world." State Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson questioned why Tenenbaum, who is targeting independent and moderate voters, would want support from Streisand.
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In February 2006, Streisand recorded the song Smile alongside Tony Bennett at Streisand's Malibu home. The song is included on Tony Bennett's 80th Birthday Album, Duets. In September 2006, the pair filmed a live performance of the song for a special directed by Rob Marshall entitled Tony Bennett: An American Classic. The special aired on NBC Television November 21, 2006, and was released on DVD the same day. Streisand's duet with Bennett opens the special.
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In October 2003, Streisand released her album, The Movie Album. She ... appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. This was her first performance on a television Daytime show since 1963 when she appeared on the Mike Douglas Show. While on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Streisand performed the song, “Smile,” in which she dedicated to her late Bichon Frise (little, white, cuddly dog), Sammy (who died in late May 2003).
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