Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan to release the duet no one asked for
At first glance the list of collaborators on Barbra Streisand s newly released duets album The Secret of Life Partners Volume Two offers an expected blend of fellow superstars and more contemporary acts including Paul McCartney James Taylor Sting Mariah Carey Ariana Grande Sam Smith Bob Dylan Wait what Bob Dylan This album cover image published by Columbia Records shows The Secret of Life Partners Volume Two by Barbra Streisand Columbia Records via AP In fact it s not as crazy as one might think They re both Jewish years old Streisand was born a month before Dylan and began their careers by changing their birth names Barbara Streisand Robert Zimmerman and fleeing their hometowns to seek stardom in Manhattan even if the Brooklyn-born Streisand didn t have to journey as far as Minnesota s own Dylan They also both signed deals with Columbia Records which remains their dual home to this day In a Dylan interview with the late Minneapolis blues legend Tony Glover that emerged after Glover s death Dylan revealed he had written his classic Lay Lady Lay for Streisand In a message to NBC News at the time Streisand responded to the news I m very flattered to find out that Bob Dylan wrote Lay Lady Lay for me What I remember is getting flowers from him with a handwritten note asking me to sing a duet with him but I just couldn t imagine it then Guess what Bob I can imagine doing it now It turns out the pair kept eyes on each other for decades In her memoir My Name Is Barbra she wrote that in the s he sent me flowers and a charming note written in colored pencil with childlike letters asking me if I would like to sing with him In Streisand wrote to Dylan suggesting they work together Five years later he sent her a copy of his latest album Infidels with a message saying he was looking forward to seeing her film Yentl and hoped she d direct him in a movie someday You are my favorite movie star Your self-determination wit and temperament and sense of justice have invariably appealed to me We ll find out what the long-in-the-works duet sounds like when Streisand s album a sequel to s Partners arrives June The pair s song The Very Thought of You is presumably the standard by Ray Noble although it s workable it could be an unreleased Dylan original of the same name from It s supposedly not though Dylan took a deep dive into covering classic pop standards on a trio of late s albums I ve invariably loved trilling duets with gifted artists Streisand revealed in a news release They inspire me in unique and different options and make our time in the studio a happiness My new album The Secret Of Life Partners Volume Two gave me the chance to work and play with various of my old friends label mates and new artists too I admire all of them and I hope that you ll enjoy listening to our collaborations as much as I enjoyed recording with all of my wonderful partners Related Articles Hank Williams Jr to play Minnesota State Fair Grandstand for the third time Tickets for the Purple Rain musical go on sale May Concert review Charli XCX was all style no substance at Target Center Review Flute player s range and skill make for impressive concert with SPCO James Taylor on his new musical songwriting Ukraine and more It helps to have a deadline
