Stranger in a Strange Land (Barbra Streisand song)
"Stranger in a Strange Land" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Barbra Streisand | ||||
from the album Guilty Pleasures | ||||
Released | August 16, 2005 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 4:50 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Barbra Streisand singles chronology | ||||
|
"Stranger in a Strange Land" is a song recorded by American singer Barbra Streisand for her 31st studio album, Guilty Pleasures (2005). It was released as the album's lead single on August 16, 2005, by Columbia Records. The track was written by Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb and Stephen Gibb while production was handled by Barry Gibb and John Merchant. It serves as the first of 11 reunion collaborations with Barry Gibb, who Streisand had last collaborated with on Guilty (1980). The single was released digitally and physically distributed on CD and DVD, with some editions including the song's official music video.
The composition is essentially a
Background and release
"Stranger in a Strange Land" was taken from Streisand's 31st studio album, Guilty Pleasures (2005). The parent album serves as a reunion piece between the singer and musician Barry Gibb, with whom she had previously worked on Guilty (1980).[1] Guilty Pleasures was officially announced on August 29, 2005, and was described as a collaborative effort between Gibb and Streisand.[2] "Stranger in a Strange Land" was written by Ashley Gibb, Barry Gibb and Stephen Gibb while production was handled by Barry Gibb and John Merchant. The track includes backing vocals from singers Beth Cohen and Leesa Richards, in addition to Barry Gibbs, who backed for Streisand on each of the album's 11 songs.[3]
The song was released on August 16, 2005,[4] through Columbia Records as the first of three singles from Guilty Pleasures. Distributed digitally, and as both a CD single and DVD single, the standard edition CD features the album version of "Stranger in a Strange Land" while the promotional version uses the radio edit of the song instead.[5][6] In the United Kingdom, a maxi CD single was distributed and includes Streisand and Barry Gibb's 1980 duet "Guilty", the official music video for "Stranger in a Strange Land", and the album version of the single.[7] A DVD single was released in Greece featuring the music video and four television advertisements used to promote "Guilty".[8]
Directed by Rick Walker,
Composition and lyrics
A
Reception
A staff member from Billboard described the single as "priceless" and a "positive yet poignant timely expression". The reviewer also acclaimed Streisand's vocal performance and Barry Gibb's contributions to the production.[11] Also impressed, Tom Santopietro, author of The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand, applauded its "catchy melody".[13] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic praised Gibb's production work on "Stranger in a Strange Land" (and on single "Night of My Life" and album track "Hideaway") for "proudly stick[ing] to unfashionable pop styles".[9]
"Stranger in a Strange Land" did not enter the
Track listings and formats
|
|
Charts
Chart (2005) | Peak position |
---|---|
66 | |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[15]
|
111 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[14] | 39 |
References
Citations
- ^ Holden, Stephen (October 10, 2006). "Music Overpowers Streisand's Many Missteps". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ Columbia Records (August 29, 2005). "New Barbra Streisand–Barry Gibb Collaborative Album, 'Guilty Pleasures,' to be Released as CD and DualDisc on Tuesday, September 20". Columbia Records Press & Publicity Department. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ Guilty Pleasures (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Columbia. 2005. CK 93559.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Columbia Records (August 16, 2005). "Amazon.com Hosts World Premiere of Debut Single from Barbra Streisand's New Album; Twenty-five Years After the Epic 'Guilty' album, Streisand Reunites with Barry Gibb to Record 'Guilty Pleasures'". Columbia Records Press & Publicity Department. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ a b "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (CD ed.). Columbia. 2005. CSK 17286.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Radio edit) (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (Promotional CD ed.). United States: Columbia. 2005. SAMPCD 150511.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (CD ed.). United Kingdom: Columbia. 2005. 82876 748652.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (DVD ed.). Greece: Columbia. 2005.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Barbra Streisand – Guilty Pleasures". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ Gibb, Barry; Gibb, Ashley; Gibb, Stephen (2005). "Barbra Streisand 'Stranger in a Strange Land' Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ from the original on June 29, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
- ^ Streisand & Gibb 2006, p. 9
- ^ Santopietro 2007, p. 188
- ^ a b "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ The Official Charts Company. Archivedfrom the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ "Stranger in a Strange Land" (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand (CD ed.). Columbia. 2005. CSK 17309.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Bibliography
- Santopietro, Tom (April 1, 2007). The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1429908535.
- ISBN 057152592X.