"Didn't We" | ||||
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Single by Richard Harris | ||||
from the album A Tramp Shining | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 1968 | |||
Genre | Traditional pop | |||
Length | 2:24 | |||
Label | Dunhill | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jimmy Webb | |||
Producer(s) | Jimmy Webb | |||
Richard Harris singles chronology | ||||
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"Didn't We" is a song recorded by Irish singer and actor Richard Harris for his debut studio album, A Tramp Shining (1968). It was written and produced by Jimmy Webb and originally served as the B-side to Harris' 1968 single "MacArthur Park". "Didn't We" was then distributed as the record's single by Dunhill Records, also in 1968. A traditional pop song, Harris sings about his life in the past. Commercially, it charted at lower positions of both the United States and Canada, and in the higher ranks of their Adult Contemporary component charts. Harris featured "Didn't We" on several of his greatest hits albums, including The Richard Harris Collection: His Greatest Performances from 1973. That same year, the song was reissued as a promotional single paired alongside his 1971 single "My Boy".
American vocalist Barbra Streisand recorded a version of "Didn't We" in 1972 for her second live album, Live Concert at the Forum . It was originally performed at Four for McGovern, a concert benefitting George McGovern's ultimately unsuccessful 1972 presidential campaign. Streisand's monologue before and after the performance consisted of her acting as if she had taken marijuana. Her version peaked at number 82 in the United States, and also entered the Adult Contemporary charts in both the aforementioned country and Canada. She has since included an earlier version of "Didn't We" on her 2012 compilation album, Release Me . Other artists like Matt Monro and Frank Sinatra also recorded renditions of "Didn't We". Dionne Warwick recorded "Didn't We" for her 1970 album I'll Never Fall in Love Again. [1]
"Didn't We" was originally featured as the B-side track to Harris's 1968 single "MacArthur Park". [2] That same year, it was distributed as a standalone 7" record, serving as the second single from his debut studio album, A Tramp Shining (1968). [3] Various formats exist, all of them including "Didn't We" as the A-side track; the United Kingdom release features "In the Final Hours" while the United States version has "Paper Chase" instead. [3] [4] It was reissued as a promotional single in 1973 and features Harris's 1971 single "My Boy". [5] It was written and produced by Jimmy Webb, who Harris had collaborated previously with. [6]
A traditional pop recording, [7] "Didn't We" is written in the key of C major with Harris's vocals ranging from E4 to G5; it is accompanied by the instrumentation of a piano and a guitar. Lyrically, Harris recalls the past and opens the single by singing, "This time we almost made the pieces fit / Didn't we girl?". [8]
AllMusic's Matthew Greenwald acclaimed the production of "Didn't We". He stated that it is "home to one of Jimmy Webb's most enduring melodies" and described its arrangement as elegant. [9] In the 24 May 1969 edition of Billboard , an editor recognized "Didn't We" in the "Special Merit Spotlight" column, where the publication reports designated singles "deserving [of] special attention". The critic noted its potential "sales appeal" and singled out its programming as a highlight. [10] Michael Feeney Callan, the author of a biography for Harris, wrote that the composition was one of the singer's more "intimate [and] orchestral tracks". [11]
In mid 1969, "Didn't We" managed to chart on the major record charts in both the United States and Canada. On the Billboard Hot 100, it debuted at number 83 for the week ending June 7, 1969, becoming the week's highest new entry. [12] Five weeks later, the single reached its peak position at number 63 and then departed the chart altogether the following week. [13] [14] On Canada's Top Singles compiled by RPM , it entered the chart at number 95 on June 16 of the same year, before rising to number 82 the following week and number 73 the week after that. [15] [16] It also peaked on the Adult Contemporary charts in both the United States and Canada, reaching positions 11 and nine, respectively. [17] [18]
Several recording artists and musicians have covered "Didn't We". The earliest one was American singer Frank Sinatra's rendition, which appeared on his 27th studio album, My Way (1969), [19] to which Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic likened it as a "rock cover". [20] O. C. Smith released a version of the song for his 1969 album, O.C. Smith at Home. Former Temptations falsetto crooner Eddie Kendricks recorded a version of this ballad, which was the closing track to his 1971 debut album, All By Myself . New Zealand singer Bunny Walters recorded a version which appeared as the B side of his 1971 single "Brandy". [21] English singer Matt Monro recorded a version for his 1973 album for The Present (reissued in 2004 as the double album For the Present / The Other Side of the Stars). [22] [23] Peggy Lee recorded a version that was released as a bonus track on a 2008 CD reissue of her 1970 album Make It with You . [24] As a tribute to Webb, Michael Feinstein placed it on his 25th studio album, Only One Life: The Songs of Jimmy Webb (2003). [25] Music critic Aaron Litham, also from AllMusic, acclaimed it and wrote, "The quiet piano strains and Feinstein's reflective vocals tenderly deliver the song's bittersweet meaning as it being recording for the very first time." [26]
"Didn't We" is featured on several of Harris's greatest hits albums. It was initially included on his first one, titled The Richard Harris Collection: His Greatest Performances, which was released in 1973 by Dunhill. [27] It also served as the opener and prelude on his second album in the series, The Webb Sessions: 1968-1969 (1995), released exclusively in Australia. [28] The aforementioned album was re-released in the United Kingdom under the name MacArthur Park: Richard Harris Sings the Songs of Jimmy Webb in 1997. [29] "Didn't We" also appears on a collection of his singles, titled MacArthur Park (1972), released under the budget album label Music for Pleasure. [30]
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [16] | 73 |
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [17] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [31] | 63 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [18] | 11 |
"Didn't We" | ||||
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Single by Barbra Streisand | ||||
from the album Live Concert at the Forum | ||||
B-side | "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" | |||
Released | November 1972 | |||
Recorded | 15 April 1972 | |||
Length | 2:28 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jimmy Webb | |||
Producer(s) | Richard Perry | |||
Barbra Streisand singles chronology | ||||
|
American vocalist Barbra Streisand recorded a version of "Didn't We" for her second live album, Live Concert at the Forum (1972). It was released as the record's third and final single and was recorded at Streisand's first concert in six years, titled "Barbra-Live!", on 15 April 1972. [32] [33] It was held at The Forum in Inglewood, California; the event itself served as a concert to raise money for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign. To warn the public on the misuse of drugs and alcohol, the singer pretended as if she was under the influence of marijuana. [34] [35] Richard Perry produced this version while Claus Ogerman helped with the arrangements. [33] [36] The vinyl single release features the B-side track "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)", while the promotional release has the same A-side and B-side. [37] [38]
Allison J. Waldman, author of The Barbra Streisand Scrapbook, wrote that Streisand's performance of the single was "heartbreaking", [39] while Linda Pohly, writer of The Barbra Streisand Companion, felt as if it revealed her "slender musical frame" that can both "support or sustain". [40]
"Didn't We" did not match the moderate commercial success that Harris's version was met with. However, it was heavily played on soul radio, according to Julian Coleman of Billboard . [41] In the United States, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 on 9 December 1972, where it was placed at number 98. [42] It increased its peak position slowly, reaching number 96 the following week, [43] and stalling at number 95 for the next two weeks after that. [44] [45] Streisand's rendition finally reached its peak position on 20 January 1973, where it was ranked at number 82 on the Hot 100. [46] It spent a total of eight weeks on the United States' chart, before dropping off at its final position on 27 January 1973, also at number 82. [47] It also entered both of the Adult Contemporary charts in the United States and Canada (then titled the Easy Listening chart in the former country), peaked at numbers 22 and 46, respectively. [48] [49] [50]
Streisand sang "Didn't We" during her 2012-2013 concert tour, Barbra Live. It was performed immediately after her 1963 rendition of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and before Charlie Chaplin's 1936 single "Smile". The song then appeared on her eighth live album, Back to Brooklyn (2013), and the accompanying DVD release of the same name. [51] [52] Streisand also included an earlier version of "Didn't We" on her compilation album, Release Me , released in 2012. The record itself is a collection of rare and previously unreleased songs from Streisand's catalogue. [53]
Chart (1973) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [48] | 46 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [55] | 82 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [49] | 22 |
"The Way We Were" is a song by American singer Barbra Streisand from her fifteenth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on September 27, 1973, through Columbia Records. The 7" single was distributed in two different formats, with the standard edition featuring B-side track "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?"; the Mexico release instead included an instrumental B-side. The song was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch, while production was solely handled by Marty Paich. "The Way We Were" was specifically produced for the record, in addition to three other tracks, including her then-upcoming single "All in Love Is Fair" (1974).
"Woman in Love" is a song performed by Barbra Streisand and taken from her 1980 album Guilty. The song was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who received the 1980 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It is her fourth of four Platinum records, and is considered her greatest international hit.
A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More is the fourth greatest hits album recorded by American vocalist Barbra Streisand. It was released on October 3, 1989 by Columbia Records. The compilation features ten songs from Streisand's career, dating from 1975 to 1988, plus two previously unreleased songs: "We're Not Makin' Love Anymore" was released as the album's lead single on September 14, 1989, and "Someone That I Used to Love" was distributed as the second and final one in 1989. Both singles charted on several record charts internationally.
"Shake Me, Wake Me " is a song recorded by the American quartet Four Tops for their third studio album, On Top (1966). It was released in February 1966 as a 7" vinyl single through Motown records. It was written and produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland. A gospel rock track, its lyrics detail a relationship that has ended. It has since been regarded as one of Four Tops' most successful singles ever. It charted moderately well in both the United States and Canada, and became the group's fifth consecutive entry to chart within the top five of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Four Tops has performed "Shake Me, Wake Me " on various occasions throughout their careers and have included it on several greatest hits albums, including on The Four Tops Greatest Hits (1967) and The Ultimate Collection (1997).
"All I Ask of You" is a song from the 1986 English musical The Phantom of the Opera, between characters Christine Daaé and Raoul, originally played on stage by Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, respectively. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, and solely produced by Lloyd Webber. An operatic pop piece, its lyrics serve as dialogue between the two characters and discuss themes such as commitment and romance. Like Lloyd Webber's song "The Music of the Night", "All I Ask of You" was compared to the music found in Giacomo Puccini's 1910 opera La fanciulla del West.
Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album recorded by American vocalist Barbra Streisand. It was released in January 1970, by Columbia Records. The record is a compilation consisting of 11 commercially successful singles from the singer's releases in the 1960s, with a majority of them being cover songs. The songs on Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits originally appeared on one of the singer's eight previous albums and span in release from 1963 to 1968. It contains her most commercially successful tracks, including her first Billboard Hot 100 top ten single "People" and top 40 entry "Second Hand Rose". The album was distributed on compact disc in 1986 and rereleased under the title The Hits in 2006.
The Way We Were is the fifteenth studio album recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand. The album was released in January 1974, preceded by the commercial success of its lead single "The Way We Were" first released in September 1973.
Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 is the second greatest hits album recorded by American vocalist Barbra Streisand. It was released on November 15, 1978 by Columbia Records. The album is a compilation consisting of ten commercially successful singles from the singer's releases in the 1970s, with a majority of them being cover songs. It also features a new version of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers", which was released as the collection's only single on October 7, 1978. Originating on Streisand's previous album, Songbird, the new rendition is a duet with Neil Diamond who had also recorded the song for his 1978 album of the same name. The idea for the duet originated from DJ Gary Guthrie who sold the idea to the record label for $5 million.
A Love Like Ours is the twenty-eighth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. It was released in North America on September 21, 1999, and Europe on September 20, 1999. It is her 23rd Top 10 album in the US. This was Streisand's first commercial release since her marriage to actor James Brolin. Much of the material was inspired by this event. As such, the disc booklet contains images of her and Brolin.
Lazy Afternoon is the seventeenth studio album recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand. It was released on October 14, 1975, by Columbia Records. Following a mixed critical response to her previous studio album, ButterFly (1974), the singer began working with new musicians for the project. Recorded in April 1975 in Los Angeles, Lazy Afternoon contains pop standards. Producer Rupert Holmes wrote three songs on the album and co-wrote a fourth, "By the Way", with Streisand. She also included a few cover songs, such as Four Tops' "Shake Me, Wake Me ", Stevie Wonder's "You and I", and Libby Holman's "Moanin' Low".
Live Concert at the Forum is the second live album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released physically on October 1, 1972, by Columbia Records. Produced by long-time collaborator Richard Perry, it was recorded at The Forum in Inglewood, part of Greater Los Angeles, on April 15, 1972, during Four for McGovern, a concert held in benefit for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign. A CD version of Live Concert at the Forum was released on September 6, 1989.
ButterFly is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. Released on October 1, 1974, by Columbia Records, it marked Streisand's first album of entirely new material in over three years. Primarily a contemporary pop record recorded throughout 1974, it also incorporates music from the reggae and R&B genres. All of the tracks on ButterFly are cover songs produced by Streisand's then-boyfriend Jon Peters, originating from artists like Bob Marley, David Bowie, Evie Sands, and Graham Nash.
Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments is the fourteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. It was released on November 2, 1973, by Columbia Records. The album was made available following a 1973 live television special promoted to improve Streisand's image and sound. With world music as the primary genre, the album's instrumentation varies greatly; even items such as kitchen utensils were used to create melodies and beats. With a majority of the songs on the album being cover songs, Streisand also re-recorded various tracks that originated earlier in her career. Her manager, Martin Erlichman, was credited as the album's sole and executive producer.
"All in Love Is Fair" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder recorded for his sixteenth studio album, Innervisions (1973). Written and produced by Wonder, it was released as a 7" single in Brazil in 1974. The song is a pop ballad with lyrics that describe the end of a relationship through the use of clichés. Critical reaction to the song has been varied: Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic wrote that it was among Wonder's "finest ballad statements", but Robert Christgau felt that the singer's performance was "immature". Wonder has included it on several of his greatest hits albums, including the most recent, 2005's The Complete Stevie Wonder.
"Jubilation" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka for his 1972 studio album of the same name. Anka wrote the song with Johnny Harris, who also produced the track. It was released in 1972 as a 7" single by Buddah Records. A gospel song, the lyrics of "Jubilation" find the protagonist preaching about religious themes. Making a moderate commercial impact, it appeared on the record charts in both Canada and the United States. It has since been included on several of Anka's greatest hits albums and covered by The Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1973.
"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.
"We're Not Makin' Love Anymore" is a song recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand for her fourth greatest hits album, A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More (1989). It was released on September 14, 1989 by Columbia Records on 7-inch, 12-inch, cassette, and CD. It was written by Michael Bolton and Diane Warren and produced by Narada Michael Walden. Bolton's inspiration for the song was derived from his divorce; he and Warren debated what singer would be able to sing their work well and ultimately decided that Streisand would be the right fit. The song is a ballad that is similar in sound to Streisand's "Comin' In and Out of Your Life" (1981).
The Way We Were: Original Soundtrack Recording is the soundtrack album to the film of the same title by American singer Barbra Streisand. It was released by Columbia Records on January 30, 1974. The soundtrack comprises twelve songs, mostly written by Marvin Hamlisch, three of which are different versions of "The Way We Were". The album was mostly produced by Fred Salem, with the exception of the title track which was produced by Marty Paich. Hamlisch and Salem collaborated to create five new songs for the soundtrack, while the remaining ones are cover songs.
Funny Lady is the soundtrack album of the 1975 musical film of the same title, starring Barbra Streisand. Released by Arista Records on March 15, 1975, arranged, conducted, and coordinated by Peter Matz, the album's fifteen tracks are performed by Streisand, James Caan, and Ben Vereen. A sequel to the 1968 musical comedy-drama Funny Girl, the songs extend the semi-biographical account of the life of American performer Fanny Brice. Funny Lady also included songs written by Brice's third husband Billy Rose. New music by Kander and Ebb included "How Lucky Can You Get", the album's only single, released in April 1975.
"What Were We Thinking Of" is a song recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand for her 25th studio album, Till I Loved You (1988). It was released as the album's third and final single in February 1989 by Columbia Records. The track was written by Antonina Armato and Scott Cutler and produced by Denny Diante. It features guest vocals from the singer's then-boyfriend Don Johnson, who had previously collaborated with Streisand on her 1988 single "Till I Loved You".
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