Je m’appelle Barbra (1966)
Catalog Number(s):
- CS 9347 (1966 LP)
- CK 9347 (CD)
Tracks
- Free Again [3:43]
(R. Colby / M. Jourdan / A. Canfora / J. Baselli) - Autumn Leaves [2:50]
(J. Mercer / J. Prevert / J. Kosma) - What Now My Love [2:41]
(C. Sigman / P. Delanoe / G. Becaud)
- Ma Première Chanson [2:19]
(E. Marnay / B. Streisand) - Clopin Clopant [3:10]
(B. Coquatrix / P. Dudan / K. Goell) - Le Mur [2:34]
(M. Vaucaire / C. Dumont) - I Wish You Love [3:01]
(A.A. Beach / C. Trenet) - Speak To Me Of Love [2:52]
(B. Sievier / J. Lenoir) - Love And Learn [2:29]
(N. Gimbel / E. Marnay / M. Legrand) - Once Upon A Summertime [3:37]
(J. Mercer / E. Marnay / M. Legrand / E. Barclay) - Martina [2:21]
(H. Shaper / M. Legrand) - I've Been Here [2:31]
(E. Shuman / M. Vaucaire / C. Dumont)
About the Album
- Released October 1966
- Produced by Ettore Stratta
- Arranged and Conducted by Michel Legrand
- Cover Photo: Richard Avedon
- Liner Notes: Maurice Chevalier, Nat Shapiro
Je m'appelle Barbra's producer Ettore Stratta recalled, “I was producing recordings by American artists singing in foreign language for the foreign markets. And it came the idea that we would do an EP— four songs— with Barbra in French. And then the project developed to such a point that she was so pleased, and of course she had just met Michel [Legrand] and fell in love with him — with his music, with his arranging and everything — that we extended the project and we made a whole LP.” 
Streisand began performing the French material in her summer 1966 concert tour. “For your entertainment pleasure,” Streisand announced from the stage, “I should very much like to do three songs which are not yet released on a new album of mine called Je m'appelle Barbra. Actually there are two albums. One I did completely in French and the other I did in English and in French ... and I should like to do them for you now — if I can remember the words.”
When the album was finally released in October 1966, it was pruned down to only one disc. Streisand still had an abundance of recorded material, however.
The songs “Non c'est rien”, “Les Enfants Qui Pleurent”, “Et La Mer”, and “Le mur” were released on a European EP album called Barbra Streisand En Français in July 1966.
Another song from the sessions, “Look,” was the b-side of Barbra's “Stout-Hearted Men” 7-inch single in June 1967.
(Above: Legrand, at piano, works on a musical passage with Streisand.)
Michel Legrand elaborated on the genesis of the project: “I met Barbra at night after a performance of Funny Girl. She had a little piano, you know, in her dressing room. Every night we worked after her performance, you know until four or five in the morning in her dressing room. Sometimes she’s impossible, very demanding. But when she fights it’s always for the good. When she’s at home with people of her — not caliber or stature but attitude — she’s a little girl.”
Streisand remembered, fondly, “The Je m’appelle Barbra album — oh, I love that because I had written my first song called ‘Ma Premiere Chanson’ and since I was working with them for my French album Je m’appelle Barbra, Eddy Marnay, a dear, dear person—he was doing the lyrics — so I asked him to write a lyric to my melody.”
(Above: Streisand in the recording studio goes over some music with Michel LeGrand.)
(Below): Barbra Streisand and CBS/Columbia president Goddard Lieberson—who first signed her to Columbia Records—bid farewell to Columbia's recording studios at 799 Seventh Avenue, New York. Streisand had a recording session for the French album on October 14, 1966, which was the last use of the studio. After the studio closed, Columbia artists used new facilities at 49 East 52nd Street.
Billboard Charts
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine.
Here's the numbers for this Streisand album:
- Debut Chart Date: 11-19-66
- No. Weeks on Billboard 200 Albums Chart: 29
- Peak Chart Position: #5
- Gold: 4/24/02
Gold: 500,000 units shipped
Note: The record company must submit an album to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) where it undergoes a certification process to become eligible for an award. The process entails an independent sales audit, which calculates the quantity of singles or albums shipped for sale, net after returns. The audit surveys shipments to the entire music marketplace, including retail, record clubs, television sales, Internet orders and other ancillary markets. Based on the certification of these shipments, a title is awarded Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum or Diamond status. The data here comes directly from official sources, mainly the RIAA online database.
Album Cover Outtakes
Richard Avedon shot the cover photo for Je m’appelle Barbra. Two photos from Avedon's sitting with Streisand appeared earlier in the December 1965 issue of Harper's Bazaar.
This was Streisand's first sitting for Richard Avedon. They managed to take many beautiful photographs of Streisand that day, including several rolls with Streisand wearing the paper-mâché bracelets; some of Streisand bare-shouldered, touching her nose; and about four rolls of Streisand wearing a wide-brimmed Spanish-styled hat, which Streisand published in her 1991 Just For the Record booklet.
End.
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