Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman (1977) [1986, Japan for Europe]

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Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman (1977) [1986, Japan for Europe]

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Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman (1977) [1986, Japan for Europe]

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"Streisand Superman" is an album released in 1977 by American singer Barbra Streisand. The single "My Heart Belongs To Me" became a hit in 1977, peaking at #4 on the US pop chart. The album peaked at #3 on the Top 200 LP Billboard album chart and on the UK Albums Chart at #32. It has sold 2 million copies in United States and was certified 2x Platinum.

“With A Star is Born on the way to the four-million-unit level, Barbra Streisand’s following has never been larger,” Ron Oberman - VP of A&R at Columbia-wrote in an internal memo June 1977. “A number one single, number one album, and one of the year’s biggest grossing films have combined to catapult Barbra beyond her already accepted superstar status. Now, with perfect timing, comes the new Barbra Streisand album, Streisand Superman. The album has already been set up with the still-climbing single, ‘My Heart Belongs To Me,’ and will be merchandised with the same super impact treatment accorded to A Star is Born.” In preparing a new follow-up album, Barbra even recorded new studio versions of A Star is Born songs: “With One More Look at You,” “Everything,” “Lost Inside of You” and “Woman in the Moon.” Barbra didn’t use them, though. (“Lost” found a home on the Memories album; “One More Look” ended up on Release Me. The other two remain unreleased.) Barbra started working with The Entertainment Company for her 1977 album, Superman. Comprised of producers Gary Klein and Charles Koppelman, The Entertainment Company promoted song catalogs, acquired major songs, and produced a series of hits in which superstar recording artists were paired together. Superman was a potpourri of various songs, plus two songs which were outtakes from A Star is Born - “Answer Me” by Streisand, Paul Williams, and Kenny Ascher; and “Lullaby For Myself” by Rupert Holmes. The album was lusciously packaged, with sexy photos of Barbra posing in a Superman T-shirt and short-shorts. The fans, apparently, really enjoyed a short scene in A Star is Born in which Streisand cavorted in Sonoita, Arizona wearing the outfit. Barbra started recording the album in April 1977. One month later, her record company released “My Heart Belongs To Me” as a single in advance of the new album. Columbia Records and Barbra put together a “publicity film” for “My Heart Belongs To Me.” It was shown at Columbia’s 1977 convention to industry insiders. Barbra lip-synched to the track. During the musical interlude, she “conducted” the orchestra, then started coughing from the smoke machines, all very comedic. At the end of the video, she spun toward the camera and made a funny face. “Love Comes From Unexpected Places” was written by Kim Carnes and her husband, Dave Ellingson. Billy Joel wrote “New York State of Mind.” Joel commented on having Streisand record his song: “I thought, ‘This is one of the greatest woman singers ever, doing … me? Me?’ I really loved it, though, because it kind of finally made me legitimate in this business to my mother.” Scott Mathews and Ron Nagle formed a songwriter partnership called Proud Pork Productions. “Don’t Believe What You Read” and “Cabin Fever” were both by Ron Nagle. When producer Jack Nitzsche called to tell him Streisand wanted to record his song, Scott Mathews said, “It wasn’t the same thrill as hearing Al Green was interested, but it did build us a lovely new studio.” “Don’t Believe What You Read” was written when Los Angeles Magazine wrote a blurb in its “Insider” column about Barbra with the subtitle “A Pigeon is Born.” The magazine claimed that Barbra and Jon Peters kept an indoor aviary and that the birds flew around the house. “[They] were intimating that they were crapping on people’s heads,” Barbra exclaimed in a KHJ Radio interview. The magazine also said Barbra was “Howard Hughesesque about germs.” The gossip was picked up and reprinted by other news outlets, including Playboy. Barbra could have simply ignored the column. However, “one night I invited Neil Sedaka and his wife to come over and play some music,” Streisand explained, “and she told me later that she was afraid to come because she had read I had birds flying around on the loose. Another friend’s barber … also asked if this was really true.” The whole situation motivated Streisand to ask Ron Nagle and Scott Matthews to allow her to collaborate on a song that addressed the nasty article. “I Found You Love” was written by Alan Gordon. Cher and boyfriend Gregg Allman sang a duet version of this song on their 1977 album Allman & Woman: Two the Hard Way.

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Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman (1977) [1986, Japan for Europe]

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Barbra Streisand - Streisand Superman (1977) [1986, Japan for Europe]

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