Don't Rain on Streisand's Parade!
Link to part 1: http://eastyblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/dont-rain-on-streisands-parade-part-1.html
(Photo from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143833781818629027/)
At the beginning of her music career in the early 1960s, Streisand took a shoot in the singing audition for the Broadway play The Sound of Music. Having the first rejection couldn’t stop her desire was still burning passionately. According to Lamb (2019), thanks to the comedian Phyllis Diller, Streisand officially became a paid singer working at Bon Soir nightclub, where her talents and sense of humor combined and created lively performances (par. 6). That was similar to what happened to the main character in the movie Funny Girl (1968).
Streisand has great ambitions. After top-charted albums with Grammys and an Oscar award, she started writing songs and brought home an Academy Award with the original single “Evergreen” (1976), which appeared in the top money-making film A Star Is Born (1976) co-starring her (Lamb, 2019, par. 13). After all of these successes, Streisand didn’t settle down to only acting and music.
In the 1980s, Streisand involved in the film industry and became the first female producer and director. Her first project, Yentl (1983), received rejections from many Hollywood studio at first when they found out that the director and the main actress of the film would be Streisand. However, the rejections couldn’t stop her. Shortly after Yentl (1983) was released, Streisand received the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and became the first certified female director (Lamb, 2019, par. 15). This reminds me of her song in the 1960s, which implies the unstoppable, inner strength of femininity.
“Don’t Rain On My Parade” (1964), which appeared in the film Funny Girl (1968), was about a Rebel who controlled her own life. Nobody could tell her how to live or rain on her parade (see Appendix B). She just simply wanted to spend her life doing what she enjoyed. It’s hard to deny the popularity of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” (1964) in its time when the women's liberation movement had successfully impacted the society’s thinking about women’s freedom.
The song began with a direct, powerful message: “don’t tell me not to live”. After singing the word “don’t”, Streisand paused a bit. This pause didn’t portray hesitation. Instead, it showed her persistence and even her stubborn when she ignored others’ advice. With the wonderful chest voice and resonance, Streisand had made the song a powerful declaration, an anthem for the feminine world.
However, what makes Streisand an icon of feminism are her philanthropy and her support for women, minorities, and LGBTQ community. She never misses a chance to speak up for them. Since 1986, through the Streisand Foundation, she has successfully raised fund for feminine and humane organizations like Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Feminist Majority Foundation, the Rape Foundation, and Brennan Center for Justice. She is also a supporter for political, environmental, and educational institutions like Center for Economic Policy Research, the Nation Institute, Environmental Media Association, Climate Reality, the UCLA Foundation, the Cambodian Children’s Fund, etc (Influence Watch, n.d., par. 4). With her contributions, in 2004, Streisand received the Humanitarian Award from Human Rights Campaign.
“Don’t Rain On My Parade” (1964), which appeared in the film Funny Girl (1968), was about a Rebel who controlled her own life. Nobody could tell her how to live or rain on her parade (see Appendix B). She just simply wanted to spend her life doing what she enjoyed. It’s hard to deny the popularity of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” (1964) in its time when the women's liberation movement had successfully impacted the society’s thinking about women’s freedom.
The song began with a direct, powerful message: “don’t tell me not to live”. After singing the word “don’t”, Streisand paused a bit. This pause didn’t portray hesitation. Instead, it showed her persistence and even her stubborn when she ignored others’ advice. With the wonderful chest voice and resonance, Streisand had made the song a powerful declaration, an anthem for the feminine world.
However, what makes Streisand an icon of feminism are her philanthropy and her support for women, minorities, and LGBTQ community. She never misses a chance to speak up for them. Since 1986, through the Streisand Foundation, she has successfully raised fund for feminine and humane organizations like Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Feminist Majority Foundation, the Rape Foundation, and Brennan Center for Justice. She is also a supporter for political, environmental, and educational institutions like Center for Economic Policy Research, the Nation Institute, Environmental Media Association, Climate Reality, the UCLA Foundation, the Cambodian Children’s Fund, etc (Influence Watch, n.d., par. 4). With her contributions, in 2004, Streisand received the Humanitarian Award from Human Rights Campaign.
Always standing up for justice, Barbra Streisand shows her insecure feelings toward the U.S. government with her original song “Don’t Lie To Me” (2018) in the album Walls. The song reflects unequal judgements and protection from the politicians. It carries the message that everyone deserves the truth and equal rights. The highlight of the song is the powerful question “how do you sleep when the world is turning?” (see Appendix C). In this song, Streisand has portrayed a Rebel who is asking for liberation.
Barbra Streisand is an influential figure who inspires people, especially women, to fight for their rights and start giving back to the community. In many cases, she seems to be a Rebel that ignores the rules or social standards for a woman. However, she is a Wonder Woman to the majority with the openness in her thinking and speaking.
Eurus Thach.
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References:
Greenwald, M. (n. d.). “Don’t Rain On My Parade” [Review of the song “Don’t Rain On My Parade”]. Allmusic. Retrieved from https://www.allmusic.com/song/dont-rain-on-my-parade-mt0028617657.
Iskowitz, M. (1998). Streisand and Brolin on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Barbra Streisand Archives. Retrieved from http://barbra-archives.com/bjs_library/90s/brolin_star_walkoffame.html.
Lamb, B. (2019). Barbra Streisand Biography: Her Life and Career [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/barbra-streisand-biography-4586388.
Sony Music Entertainment. (n. d.). Biography [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://barbrastreisand.com/biography/.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019). Barbra Streisand: American Actress, Singer, Director, Producer. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbra-Streisand.
Wikipedia. (n. d.). Barbra Streisand discography. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand_discography.
(Photo from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/464855992784126572/)
Barbra Streisand is an influential figure who inspires people, especially women, to fight for their rights and start giving back to the community. In many cases, she seems to be a Rebel that ignores the rules or social standards for a woman. However, she is a Wonder Woman to the majority with the openness in her thinking and speaking.
Eurus Thach.
________________________________
References:
Greenwald, M. (n. d.). “Don’t Rain On My Parade” [Review of the song “Don’t Rain On My Parade”]. Allmusic. Retrieved from https://www.allmusic.com/song/dont-rain-on-my-parade-mt0028617657.
Iskowitz, M. (1998). Streisand and Brolin on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Barbra Streisand Archives. Retrieved from http://barbra-archives.com/bjs_library/90s/brolin_star_walkoffame.html.
Lamb, B. (2019). Barbra Streisand Biography: Her Life and Career [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/barbra-streisand-biography-4586388.
Sony Music Entertainment. (n. d.). Biography [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://barbrastreisand.com/biography/.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019). Barbra Streisand: American Actress, Singer, Director, Producer. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Barbra-Streisand.
Wikipedia. (n. d.). Barbra Streisand discography. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbra_Streisand_discography.
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