Customer Reviews

Butterfly

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This cd is the epitomy of all that is Barbra!! Especially liked "Guava jelly" and "Is there life on Mars" it gave me goose pimples!!She does it better than David Bowie.

I don't LOVE this CD, but I don't HATE it either. Anything by Barbra Streisand is usually better work than most of what is on the market...even when it's odd. This is not one of my favorite CD's, but song #4, "I Won't Last A Day Without You," is one of my all-time favorite individual tracks of Barbra Streisand's entire catalog. This is one of the most intimate, heartfelt, really- feeling-the-love-energy-go-right-through-you songs (and vocals, for that matter) ever recorded. This song alone is worth the CD purchase price. I also like the calypso "Guava Jelly." I can't help but think of Barbara Streisand singing this song dressed like Mary Ann from "Gilligan's Island." Incidentally, folks, don't forget the early 1970's were an experimental/growth time. Very little lasting/quality music, film, clothes, or interior decor came from this time. "Butterfly" is like that avocado lamp, harvest-gold rug or orange-and- brown bean bag chair you come across in the attic. Once you're through making jokes about it, you pay attention and begin to focus on what you liked about it at the time it caught your attention.

The 1st time I heard Barbra Streisand's "ButterFly" I was in a dentist's chair with Nitrous Oxide on... an exceptionally receptive mood for "Love in the Afternoon" to float in on. Then "Guava Jelly" ups the tempo a bit and is a great fun loving song. Slipping into a bluesier and thoughtful "Grandma's Hands" and then into more familiar Lite-FM-esque "I Won't Last A Day Without You" and onto a refreshing "Jubilation". I was hooked, gas or not.

The 2nd half of the album is at least as good as the 1st. "Simple Man" is almost spiritual in it's simplicity and earnest appeal. Then the best cut of the album, Barbra's remake of "Life On Mars", the David Bowie classic. Many people have lamented her version over the years, unjustly comparing it to the original. Barbra's introduction is haunting, futuristic and daring and she makes great use of her acting style so often well-utilized in her Broadway songs, to give this rendition a multi-layered and deeper interpretation.

"Since I Don't Have You" and "Crying Time" are unique. Streisand can at times create an unusual sound with her range and stylizations. These songs alternately feel country and soulful, an odd and yet very satisfying blend. Listen for yourself. She would later perform "Crying Time" as a duet with Ray Charles on one of her TV specials.

The 70's laid-back feel and spoken intro of "Let the Good Times Roll" harkens back to a simpler time. Before all the great "causes" that would leave us all in a perpetual state of despair. When the strongest drug of choice was pot, when sex wasn't life threatening and feeling good and mellow was "in".

This was back when she wasn't afraid to experiment with contemporary sounds and I'm glad we have albums like this and "Lazy Afternoon", "Stoney End" etc. to remind us of better times.

Love this CD, started playing it when I was a teenager back in 1974, had the vinyl album. I like that this is really different from her usual stuff, which I like also... This is jazzy, bluesy, uplifting, has a real good feeling to it. All 10 songs are just great. It is unusual for me to like ALL of the songs on a CD, usually there are only a few that I really like. ALL of these I play and just let it loop over and over, it is that good. Give it a buy, you won't be disappointed. Keep an opened mind and appreciate that she's done something really good and different here. Enjoy.

Leave your prejudices at the door...this album was savagely criticised when it came out in 1974, due mainly to the involvement of Jon Peters. Critics seemed to miss
the fact that Streisand was trying out different styles and textures in her voice and experimenting with a different type of song. "Love In The Afternoon" "Guava Jelly" and "Grandma's Hands" in particular are light years away from what she had been doing. The understatement of "Simple Man" is a great introduction for people who only see Streisand as a 'belter'. Her gentle interpretation of that song alone is worth the
price of the album. In my opinion the only substandard
track would be "Jubilation", which does sound a little Broadway Goes Gospel. Apart from that...enjoy.

This is one of Babs most experimental albums. Far from her best which belongs to "The Star Is Born" SDTK, "Lazy Afternoon" and Guilty" but definately listenable and soulful which Barbra has lacked..until this album came along. It has that quintessential 70's sound but the funkiness, vulgarity and and eroticness of "Lazy Afternoon" and "Guava Jelly" is something that we have NEVER heard Barbra do. "Life On Mars' is the gem on this record. Even though David Bowie and critics alike have knocked it, I Love it. It has a mechanical/futuristic sound and ends with Barbra belting full throttle. "Cryin Time" is another priceless gem. Whomever said this girl didn't have soul! She takes this song and makes it her own. Don't sleep on this underrated offer from Barbra in the early 70's. Worth it for: Cryin Time, Jubilation, Grandma Hands, Life On Mars, Love In the Afternoon.

After experiencing a creative rebirth in her music career in the early 1970s, Barbra Streisand began to concentrate both on it & her acting career with near-equal diligence. However, 1971's BARBRA JOAN STREISAND (one of her strongest works even now) was her last album of all-original material for two years with only 1972's LIVE CONCERT AT THE FORUM coming before 1973's THE WAY WE WERE. That album gave Barbra her first #1 pop hit with the title track, but while it was on the whole quite good, it still seemed like an album created to capitalize on her heightened profile thanks to Barbra's appearance in the blockbuster film of the same name. With 1974's BUTTERFLY, the aim appeared to have been to continue THE WAY WE WERE's theme of classy, up-to-date pop music, but not having it tied to another project to ensure its success. In the end, it backfired slightly on the commercial side & BUTTERFLY has since been judged to be not near Barbra's finest work. Once again, like 1969's WHAT ABOUT TODAY? and BARBRA JOAN STREISAND, it is actually better than given credit for.

While Barbra's impeccable choice of material is often duly noted, it is often claimed that sometimes she shoots a little too high in her bid to be diverse, and BUTTERFLY's adventurous song choices is said to be proof of this. Indeed, the choices themselves may be more interesting than their execution, but if anything, it ensures BUTTERFLY as an enjoyable listen if nothing else because you are eager to hear just how well Barbra will succeed with the songs she sings.

The opening "Love In The Afternoon" seems to be the only song that is brand-new on an album with covers of various sorts. The leisurely mood of BUTTERFLY is automatically set on here with a languid pace and lyrics that are among the most nakedly sensual Barbra has ever sung. It is actually quite refreshing to hear Barbra not play to the back row for a while, and BUTTERFLY as a whole demonstrates this ethic.

The equally sexy "Guava Jelly" comes by way of Bob Marley, and it is apparent that Barbra is having a load of fun singing this song. I'm not too sure if Barbra could do any more reggae material like this, but in this case, she does pretty well. The songs that have Barbra not obviously in the throes of love are given the same treatment as the previous two, and they work to varying degrees. Paul Williams' "I Won't Last A Day Without You" had already been done fabulously and with success by the Carpenters, so Barbra decided to give it a go. However, with a fiercely independent woman like Barbra, its wishing not to be left alone seems a little bit of a contrast to her true nature.

The Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You" is maybe not very close to the borderline White-soul of the original version, but Barbra projects the right amount of heartache to make it work, and not to mention, it is miles ahead of Guns N' Roses' cover by far. Buck Owens' "Crying Time" was a country song that was sure to work in just about every other genre as well (per Ray Charles' classic cover), and again Barbra turns it into another winner on her part. Even on an album that has Barbra letting her hair down slightly, she is still well aware of what she does best.

Graham Nash's "Simple Man" is another example of playing to Barbra's strengths as a balladeer, but not necessarily using it for straightforward love songs. Unfortunately, she loses the plot slightly on David Bowie's "Life On Mars". A case of the actual choosing of the song being more successful than the act itself, Barbra does not show enough interest here to warrant the trouble, but unlike some people's outright hatred of the song (including that of Ziggy himself), it is worth at least a listen. Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands" has Barbra inhabiting the song more easily, and its stripped-down instrumentation is more than true to Withers' own folk-soul sound, proof that Barbra can work just as well without a 1,000-piece orchestra behind her.

While BUTTERFLY may be an album of ups and downs, the song that is the most obvious up is Paul Anka's "Jubilation". Yes, the song sounds like an outtake from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, but Barbra as gospel singer works fantastically, and even those who are not regular churchgoers will feel the need to testify after hearing this song. The mood of this song is so infectious, I wonder if the Man Upstairs was smiling from ear to ear at hearing Barbra sing His praises so enthusiastically. She may now be retired from the concert stage, but I bet that Barbra can still bring a house down with a rousing tune like "Jubilation"! If only that had been the case on Shirley & Lee's "Let The Good Times Roll", which is unfortunately done in a somnambulant ballad vein with only a slight hint of spring in its step. What could have been a real fun version is utterly wasted.

BUTTERFLY's reputation in Barbra Streisand's career may be a rather low one, but if anything, it proved that even a theatrical vocalist like her can convincingly wind down and not sing out for a change. Also, the production by Barbra's then-paramour Jon Peters is not as inexperienced as has been claimed, for he does well enough so as not to give the impression his choice by Barbra to man the boards was one of nepotism. If his aim was to make Barbra sound down-to-earth and real for a change, it definitely worked. At least some of her fans agreed, for BUTTERFLY charted rather high at #13 without the benefit of a hit single. It may not be a complete winner, but BUTTERFLY is an album of Barbra's that deserves more of a chance, and is a fine document of where she was in her development.

Possibly the most controversial album of Streisand's long career, BUTTERFLY is a recording that manages to be both interesting and entertaining. Dispite the negative reviews from most music critics of the day, the album went on to peak at a respectable #13 on the Hot 200 and quickly reached Gold status in sales. While Jon Peter's production received a lot of criticism at the time of the record's release, he actually does a commendable (if sometimes overdone) job for a first time producer. The song set is easily Streisand's most adventurous track listing, with only a very few of the numbers proving to be an ill fit for the singer.

The shockingly anti-feminist "I Won't Last a Day Without You" trades genuine emotion for pure schmaltz, and Barbra's phrasing is a bit too stiff on the otherwise chilling "Grandma's Hands." Streisand also seems to loose her grip on her performance of David Bowie's "Life on Mars." While Barbra's rendition is far from being "bloody awful" (which is how Bowie himself described her performance), it is obvious that Barbra has no idea of how to interpret obscure lines like "Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow."

Thankfully, these three missteps are BUTTERFLY's only faults. In fact, this disc includes some of the most impressive singing of Streisand's unparalleled career. Barbra sounds simply radiant on many of the cuts, especially her sexy cover of Bob Marley's "Guava Jelly," which works far better than just about anyone could imagine. "Guava Jelly" marks the only time in her career that Streisand ever recorded a straight funk song, and she is almost shockingly credible. Equally outstanding is the gorgeous ballad "A Simple Man," which features some of her most delicate and beautiful phrasing.

Barbra also excels on the bluesy cuts "Since I Don't Have You," "Cryin' Time," and the terrific album closer "Let The Good Times Roll." The incredibly sensual "Love In the Afternoon" features some then-provocative lyrics, and uses Barbra's numerous overdubs to inventively create a haunting and truly memorable aural experience. The true highlight among highlights, however, is the amazing pseudo-gospel of "Jubilation." She truly sounds spirit-driven on this amazing cut that rivals even the best gospel singing of Mahalia Jackson.

Though many music critics and Streisand fans were unfairly harsh on the album (no doubt due to the fact Peters was producing), BUTTERFLY is a rewarding and engaging listen that features some of Streisand's most underrated material. The sheer riskiness of the disc alone puts to shame the assembly line pop of today, and the fact that Streisand is successful at covering most of it makes it somewhat of a unheralded classic in her catalogue. In summary, BUTTERFLY features some totally phenomenal performances that show off Streisand's versatility in a variety of settings. If you're someone who thinks of Streisand as only performing adult contemporary and Broadway standards, this unusual foray into the unknown may forever change your mind - and that's a very good thing!

As a Streisand diehard, I am making it a point to pick up her entire catalogue. My mother had this on vinyl before I picked up the CD, so I'd listened to it long before purchasing it.

The material in this album works as a cohesive whole. The songs all have a similar feel and style to them. Among the track list, there are a few that stand out to me as memorable works of Streisand, namely the classic hit "I Won't Last A Day Without You", which is absoultely gorgeous and my personal favorite on the entire album, and "Let the Good Times Roll". "Jubilation", "Crying Time", "Life On Mars", and "Since I Don't Have You" work well for the style of this album.

Even though I usually hit the skip button for the first 3 tracks, none of the tracks on the album are poor. I personally don't think anything Barbra lends her voice to is ever so awful it's not worth listening to, but this album, overall, is more of an easy listen or appropriate background music then it is a classic Streisand memory.

If you're a diehard looking to pick up all of Barbra's work, definitely pick up a copy. If you haven't heard most of her work, this album, in my opinion, is not an accurate representation of the classic Barbra Streisand we all know and love. I must say, however, that I think "I Won't Last A Day Without You" alone makes the album worth getting.

While it is true this album seems to be a bit of departure for her, it is nonetheless one more example of a nearly flawless vocal talent. Yes, some of the song selections might seem a little questionable but, as pointed out in another review, the early seventies were a time of considerable experimentation for her musically. I enjoy this album and agree with the assessment that track 4 is very good. I think the true Barbra fan would appreciate this album as well as her other albums of the time period - I feel that the albums spanning from 1969's "What About Today" to "Butterfly" (1974) contain some of her greatest recordings. This era of her music has become a favorite of mine.