Description
Barbra Streisand’s 1966 album, Je m’appelle Barbra, was both an artistic highlight of her three-year recording career as well as the beginning of a highly creative and enduring collaboration with French composer, arranger, and conductor Michel Legrand. The album was created during a particularly busy time in Barbra’s career and personal life – between television specials, the Funny Girl play, and the birth of her son.
Michel Legrand elaborated on the genesis of the project: “[Nat Shapiro] was working for Columbia Records at the time, and Barbra had just recorded two albums under the title My Name is Barbra. They thought of doing a third album of French songs with the title Je m’appelle Barbra….”
Ettore Stratta was manager of international A&R and creative services for CBS Records International (Columbia Records’ international organization for distributing its records). “I was producing recordings by American artists singing in foreign language for the foreign markets,” he recalled. “And it the idea [came] that we would do an EP— four songs— with Barbra in French.”
Video: Barbra Streisand – “Free Again” (Joss Baselli, Armand Canfora, Robert Colby, Michel Jourdan) 1966
Tracklist:
- “Free Again” (Joss Baselli, Armand Canfora, Robert Colby, Michel Jourdan) – 3:43
- “Autumn Leaves” (Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert) – 2:50
- “What Now My Love” (Gilbert Bécaud, Pierre Delanoë, Carl Sigman) – 2:41
- “Ma première chanson” (Eddy Marnay, Barbra Streisand) – 2:19
- “Clopin clopant” (Bruno Coquatrix, Pierre Dudan, Kermit Goell) – 3:10
- “Le Mur” (Charles Dumont, Michel Vaucaire)– 2:34
- “I Wish You Love” (Albert A. Beach, Léo Chauliac) – 3:01
- “Speak to Me of Love” (Jean Lenoir, Bruce Sievier) – 2:52
- “Love and Learn” (Norman Gimbel, Michel Legrand, Marnay) – 2:29
- “Once Upon a Summertime” (Eddie Barclay, Legrand, Marnay, Mercer) – 3:37
- “Martina” (Legrand, Hal Shaper) – 2:21
- “I’ve Been Here” (Dumont, Earl Shuman, Vaucaire) – 2:31
Personnel:
- Barbra Streisand – vocals
- Michel Legrand – arranger, conductor
- Ray Ellis – arranger, conductor (on “What Now My Love”)
- Maurice Chevalier – liner notes
- Nat Shapiro – liner notes
- Richard Avedon – cover photographer
- Produced by Ettore Stratta
