Streisand's First 7-inch Singles
Catalog Number(s):
- #4-42631 | Happy Days Are Here Again / When The Sun Comes Out (Released November 1962)
- #4-42648 | My Coloring Book / Lover, Come Back To Me (Released November 1962)
Before Columbia Records recorded an entire album of Streisand, they teamed her with producer Mike Berniker and conductor/arranger George Williams. Together they recorded four songs on October 16, 1962 at Columbia's Studio C (207 East 30th Street) in New York. (“Right As the Rain”, by Harold Arlen, was recorded that day but has never been released).
Happy Days Are Here Again / When The Sun Comes Out (#4-42631)
“Happy Days” and “When the Sun Comes Out” were paired for Barbra's first 7-inch single release (“Sun” was the b-side) in early November 1962. Columbia, not 100 percent behind their newly signed recording artist, only pressed 500 copies of Barbra's first single.
Below: Label copy and shipping instructions for the “Happy Days” single.
My Coloring Book / Lover, Come Back To Me (#4-42648)
Marty Erlichman, Barbra's fearless manager, insisted that another 7-inch single be released as soon as possible.
In mid-November 1962, Columbia released Barbra's version of the Kander & Ebb song “My Coloring Book”, which she recorded on November 9, 1962. The b-side of that single was “Lover, Come Back to Me”, recorded back on October 16th. “Coloring Book” was arranged and conducted by Bob Mersey.
Kander and Ebb said they wrote “Coloring Book” for comedienne and cabaret star Kaye Ballard. Sandy Stewart ended up singing it on a Perry Como television show, and it became a big hit for her. George Chakiris (Bernardo in West Side Story film) also recorded it for Capitol Records; Kitty Kallen sang it, too.
Here's Barbra's single of “My Coloring Book”:
It should be noted that all five tracks recorded in October and November 1962 featured different arrangements than what ultimately appeared on Barbra's first album. (Peter Matz did the album's arrangements).
The 7-inch singles, pressed on vinyl, were commercially available in record stores but, to date, have not been released in digital form on a CD.
Barbra began recording her first album in January 1963.
Hall of Fame Re-Issue
Columbia Records released “Happy Days” b/w “My Coloring Book” as a “Hall Of Fame” re-issue single (# 13-33078).
End.
Sources/Page credits:
- Barbra Streisand Music Guide by Mark Iskowitz
- Barbra Streisand: The Woman, the Myth, the Music by Shaun Considine, Delacorte Press, 1985.
- Roger ... for the “Hall of Fame” scans
