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Superman (Barbra Streisand album)

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Superman (1977) is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. The lead single "My Heart Belongs to Me" became a hit in 1977, peaking at #4 on the US pop chart. The title track was released as a follow-up but did not chart as highly as its predecessor. The album peaked at number 3 on the Top 200 LP Billboard album chart and on the UK Albums Chart at number 32.[1] It has sold 2 million copies in United States and was certified 2× Platinum.[2] Streisand co-wrote two songs on the album - "Don't Believe What You Read" and "Answer Me". The latter is also featured on her 2023 compilation album Evergreens: Celebrating Six Decades.

Superman
Cover of CD booklet
Studio album by
Barbra Streisand
ReleasedJune 1977
RecordedMarch – April 1977
GenrePop
Length36:41
LabelColumbia
ProducerGary Klein, Charles Calello (track 6)
Barbra Streisand chronology
A Star Is Born
(1976) 		Superman
(1977) 		Songbird
(1978)
Singles from Superman
  1. "My Heart Belongs to Me"
    Released: May 1977

Background and production

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The album was released after the success of Streisand's movie A Star Is Born, from 1976. At that time the movie soundtrack was the singer's best-selling album with 4.1 million copies sold worldwide and a platinum certification in the United States, for more than 1 million copies sold.[3] According to The New York Times, the album brings sounds from what they called "the second transition in Streisand's career", which began with the Stoney End album, in 1970, in which the singer experimented contemporary pop rock sounds and left aside "old‐fashioned" and "theatrical diva" from her early LPs, and that in Superman she confirms as a "a credible interpreter of contemporary songs".[3]

Two songs were written for the movie A Star Is Born but not used in the picture — "Answer Me" by Streisand, Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher; and "Lullaby for Myself" by Rupert Holmes.[4] It also includes cover versions of contemporary singer-songwriters Kim Carnes' "Love Comes from Unexpected Places" from her album Sailin' and Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" from Turnstiles. According to Joel, Streisand's recording resulted in his mother looking at his career with newfound respect: "Certainly my mom looked at me with fresh eyes--finally, a real singer had picked up on her errant son's efforts."[5]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide     [7]

The album received good reviews from music critics. William Ruhlmann from AllMusic wrote that even though the album "seemed to be an unusually personal album for the singer, reflecting her feelings and viewpoints" it is not one of her best.[6] Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone wrote that the album was Streisand's best effort since her Stoney End (1970) album,[8] and that it's an "ample evidence that Streisand actually can get away with singing whatever she chooses".[8] He also wrote that even though there are some mannerisms, like her phrasing, "the material is chosen skillfully enough to transcend that".[8] In his review for The New York Times, Stephen Holden wrote that Superman "ranks among the finest of Barbra Streisand's 30plus LP's", and that her "voice is in amazing shape today—stronger, more controlled and more confident than ever".[3]

Commercial performance

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The album repeated the success of the singer's previous album, the movie soundtrack A Star Is Born, and as of November 1977, it had sold 1.6 million copies in the United States, three times more than the two previous studio albums: Butterfly (1974) and Lazy Afternoon (1975).[3] The album peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart and on the UK Albums Chart at number 32.[1] On November 14, 1994, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for 2 million copies sold in the United States.[9]

Track listing

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  1. "Superman" (Richie Snyder) – 2:47
  2. "Don't Believe What You Read" (Barbra Streisand, Ron Nagle, Scott Mathews) – 3:37
  3. "Baby Me Baby" (Roger Miller) – 4:26
  4. "I Found You Love" (Alan Gordon) – 3:50
  5. "Answer Me" (Streisand, Paul Williams, Kenny Ascher) – 3:16
  6. "My Heart Belongs to Me" (Alan Gordon) – 3:21
  7. "Cabin Fever" (Ron Nagle) – 3:14
  8. "Love Comes from Unexpected Places" (Kim Carnes, Dave Ellingson) – 4:10
  9. "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel) – 4:44
  10. "Lullaby for Myself" (Rupert Holmes) – 3:17

Personnel

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Platinum 100,000^
Japan — 15,000[12]
United States (RIAA)[20] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Barbra Streisand - Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  2. ^ "RIAA: Streisand Superman -2× Platinum Certification". www.riaa.com. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d Holden, Stephen (November 6, 1977). "The Best of Streisand Is in Her Records". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Superman (1977)". Barbra Streisand Archives. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  5. ^ Schruers, Fred (2015). Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography. New York: Crown Archetype. p. 115.
  6. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Streisand Superman (Allmusic Review)". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  7. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 679.
  8. ^ a b c Marsh, Dave (August 11, 1977). "Rolling Stone Review-Streisand Superman". www.rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA: Barbra Streisand". RIAA. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  11. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3667". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
  12. ^ a b Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  13. ^ "Charts.nz – Barbra Streisand – Superman". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Barbra Streisand – Superman". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Barbra Streisand | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  16. ^ "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  17. ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1977". Archived from the original on October 25, 2012.. Cash Box magazine.
  18. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  19. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Barbra Streisand – Superman". Music Canada.
  20. ^ "American album certifications – Barbra Streisand – Superman". Recording Industry Association of America.
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