My Father's Song
| "My Father's Song" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Spain release cover art | ||||
| Single by Barbra Streisand | ||||
| from the album Lazy Afternoon | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | August 1975 | |||
| Length | 3:33 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rupert Holmes | |||
| Producer(s) |
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| Barbra Streisand singles chronology | ||||
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"My Father's Song" is a song recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand for her seventeenth studio album, Lazy Afternoon (1975). It was released as a 7" single in August 1975 through Columbia Records. Rupert Holmes wrote the song in collaboration with its producer Jeffrey Lesser. A sentimental ballad, "My Father's Song" was about Streisand's childhood with her father; Holmes' lyrics involve a protagonist, presumably a daughter, asking for her father's approval in life and love.
Streisand released "My Father's Song" and its B-side track "By the Way" in Spain retitled "La Canción de Mi Padre" and "Da Paso", respectively. Simon Price, a writer for The Quietus, liked "My Father's Song" and the other Holmes-written tracks on Lazy Afternoon because he felt they demonstrated Streisand's strengths and abilities on the album. Commercially, it entered the Adult Contemporary charts in both the United States and Canada, peaking at numbers 11 and 15, respectively.
Background and composition
"My Father's Song" was a brand new song recorded specifically for Streisand's seventeenth studio album, Lazy Afternoon (1975). Produced by Jeffrey Lesser and Rupert Holmes, the latter had written the song after Streisand had told him different stories about her childhood and growing up with her father;[1] the songwriting process consisted of Streisand sharing personal tales of her father and what she felt about him.[2] Streisand worked closely with Holmes during the creation of the album. Prior to their collaboration, Holmes was considered to be relatively unknown. After finishing up with Holmes and in order to thank him for the collaborations, Streisand hand-wrote him a note that read, "Dear Rupert, don't be frightened, you're the best, love Barbra".[3] In the official liner notes of Lazy Afternoon, she stated that the track was "a very personal gift [that] mean[t] a great to deal to me";[4] responding to her comments in a 1988 interview with a Streisand fan, Holmes claimed that the process was simple and that he had only "put in [...] everything that a daughter might want to hear her father say" in the lyrics.[5]
The track was released as the album's lead single in August 1975 through Columbia Records.[6] On the standard edition 7" release, "My Father's Song" was accompanied by the B-side track "By the Way", which was written by both Holmes and Streisand specifically for Lazy Afternoon and would later be included on it.[6][7] A promotional 7" vinyl record was also released and included both the mono and stereo versions of the song.[8] For a special edition version in Spain, Streisand and Holmes created a Spanish version of both songs on the original 7" single for a commercial release in that country; released on October 3, 1975, "My Father's Song" was retitled "La Canción de Mi Padre" and "By the Way" was called "Da Paso".[9]
"My Father's Song", like the majority of the tracks on Lazy Afternoon, is a "sympathetic" ballad that focuses heavily on Streisand's vocals.[10] According to the official sheet music published by the Warner Music Group, the song is written in the key of D major with a moderately slow beat consisting of 125 beats per minute.[11] In the lyrics of "My Father's Song", Streisand sings about discussions with her father where he claims, "Whatever you are, you're going to be / Whatever you are is all right with me".[6]
Reception
Simon Price of London's The Quietus spoke highly of "My Father's Song" and the three others Rupert-written tracks on Lazy Afternoon ("Lazy Afternoon", "Letters That Cross in the Mail", and "Widescreen"). His favoritism stemmed from the "collaborative spirit that you can hear between her and Rupie"; he also stated that working with Streisand changed Rupert's life and displayed that Streisand was "in her prime".[3]
"My Father's Song" did not enter the main charts in the United States and Canada, but rather the Adult Contemporary charts in both countries. In the United States, the single debuted on the aforementioned chart at number 40 for the week ending September 6, 1975, and was the week's second highest debut according to Billboard.[12] After rising for several weeks, it peaked at number 11 on October 25.[13] In Canada, it debuted at number 48 according to the official list compiled by RPM.[14] It eventually reached number 15 in its fifth week charting (and was also its peak position).[15]
Track listings and formats
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Charts
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[15] | 15 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] | 11 |
References
Citations
- ^ Waldman 2001, p. 56
- ^ Pohly 2000, p. 76
- ^ a b Price, Simon (December 3, 2014). "Girls Don't Cry: Rumer's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ Lazy Afternoon (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Columbia. 1975. CK 33815.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Howe, Matt (August 2003). "Interviews: Rupert Holmes". Barbra Streisand Archives. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "My Father's Song" / "By the Way" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Columbia. 1975. 3-10198.
Whatever you are, you're going to be. Whatever you are is all right with me.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Rupert Holmes, Recordings: Barbra Streisand". Rupert Holmes. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ a b "My Father's Song" / "My Father's Song" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Columbia. 1975. 3-10198.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "La Canción de Mi Padre" / "Da Paso" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. CBS. 1975. 3613.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Barbra Streisand – Lazy Afternoon". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ Holmes, Rupert (1976). My Father's Song, Words and Music by Rupert Holmes. Warner Music Group.
- ^ Billboard staff (September 6, 1975). "Billboard Top 50: Easy Listening: September 6, 1975". Billboard. 87 (36). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 21. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary – The Week Of October 25, 1975". Billboard. October 25, 1975. Archived from the original on March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6134". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4053." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- ^ "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
Bibliography
- Pohly, Linda (January 1, 2000). The Barbra Streisand Companion: A Guide to Her Vocal Style and Repertoire (illustrated ed.). Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313304149.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Waldman, Allison J. (2001). The Barbra Streisand Scrapbook (illustrated, revised ed.). Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2218-6.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)
