Customer Reviews

Emotion

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Yep. That's what her detractors were calling "Emotion" when first released back in 1984. Let's begin by eliminating the bad ~ "You're A Step in the Right Direction", and focus on the major strengths and the core of this vastly underrated work: Streisand's collaboration with Earth Wind and Fire's Maurice White. Almost as compelling as her more famous works with Mr. Gibb, the three White songs ~ "Time Machine", "Heart Don't Change My Mind", and "When I Dream" show Streisand at her strongest and most secure vocally in the world of contemporary "pop". Why not one of these three tunes were released as singles I will never understand (while the very enjoyable, simply sublimely melodramatic but dated even by the time of release, "Left In the Dark" and the inconsequential but fun "Emotion" were!). The duet with Carnes on "Make No Mistake..." is very powerful while "Here We Are At Last" is cinematic and larger than life (reminds me of "Widescreen" from "Lazy Afternoon", no?). However, the most moving and superbly sung track remains "Best I Could", where Streisand's voice soars with all the power, theatricality, and sensitivity the like no one else will ever equal in our lifetime. So in a nutshell, this album is no "The Third Album", "People", or "Guilty Pleasures". It is also not the disaster that folks tend to label it to this day, and I find it superior and much stronger than the latter "Till I Loved You". A flawed but majestically sung album by one of the finest singing actresses of all time.
Luigi ~ NYC

Many fans of Streisand were disappointed when this effort was first released in 1984 due in part to the great successes she had with GUILTY in 1980 & YENTL soundtrack in 1983. It is arguably at best to say that this is not her best effort but it does show her versatility to tackle material that was sometimes beneath her and yet made an HONEST attempt to sound FRESH and RELEVANT in the music business of the early 1980's when Music was definitely shifting towards electro and rock sounds of the time. The best cuts here in my humble opinion are the following:
LEFT IN THE DARK - Classic Steinman style but Streisand nails it in her own bravaura voice. Celine still doesn't match it. HEART DON'T CHANGE MY MIND - This is Streisand at her vocal prowess. FUN duet w/Kim Carnes "MAKE NO MISTAKE HE'S MINE" still the best duet version of other collaborations whether it be country or Pop is the bomb! The Maurice White produced efforts are fair but
"WHEN I DREAM" is still lovely to listen to and inspiring. EMOTION is just plain fun because of the Pointer Sisters backing. She let loose here. Only Misfire could be and justifiably is her collaboration written song "YOU'RE THE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION" w/John Mellencamp is campy and forced. But as time goes on you can help to enjoy it's guilty pleasure. So okay, it's not GUILTY or SUPERMAN but no other female vocalist could make these songs today and make them seem sincere and fresh...Streisand truly gives EMOTION here. That's just my opinion and I still think it's one of her most under rated efforts from this period.

Emotion is a much mocked and maligned album by critics, fans, even Barbra herself. Many say she is simply not suitable for a pop material, that she should just leave these kinds of songs to other pop artists, Streisand herself said this. I disagree.

I was fourteen years old when I bought a cassette tape of Emotions, back in the late 80's, I did honestly enjoyed it. It's fun to listen (I even remember Babs Emotions and Left in the Dark Video, her only two music videos I believe which were NOT filmed in a recording studio.) to and Streisand perhaps wanted to try to break into the MTv generation with mixed results.

Barbra will never be an MTv artist. Hers is a voice that will never be just a product. Her voice is an artform, an experience of joy.

But to anyone who doesn't know that Barbra was the one singing it would still be impressed with her technique, though singing to the beat is not her best forte.

I specially loved Heart Don't Change My Mind, Left in the Dark, Emotion and Clear Sailing. I think she didn't succeed with Time Machine and You're a Step in The Right Direction. She sounded forced and studied.

But still it's the voice of Streisand. Listen and judge for yourself.

Fifteen years later, I still love to listen to this CD, and still think it is one of her better forays into "pop music." Well okay, the final song, "Here We Are At Last," is just about the only Streisand song I've ever considered to be a disappointment, a dud, sorry, Barbra, I know you wrote it, but I'll play the CD songs 1 through 9, and forever skip right over number 10. Maybe on another album it would work, but on this one it just doesn't fit. But the rest of the album is fantastic! "Best I Could," "Heart Don't Change My Mind," and "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" are her usual wonderful ballads. "When I Dream" is just that: dreamy. "Clear Sailing" showcases her magnificent voice, that here sounds as if the most finely-tuned flute ever created. And at the opposite end of the music spectrum, "Left in the Dark" shows that she can rock with the best of them, for over seven minutes too! Okay, this album is not "The Broadway Album," but then I don't think she ever intended it to be so? What it is is a very enjoyable pop album that still stands the test of time.Well, except for "Here We Are At Last," that is!

In my opinion, this was one of Barbra's best albums. Years ago I wore out the cassette tape - happiness is being able to hear these great songs and relive the memories that go with them.

Streisand Soars on fantastic vocals. This album came out in 1984 after Yentle the Previous year. It is pure Streisand Magic. It has an upbeat song Emotion with a classy video with Roger Daltry as Babs love interest. a Great duet with Kim Carnes. THe lovely Clear Sailing hits an emotional note since it is a song my ex and I shared as one of ours. Barbra's voice is a gift from heaven and any album of hers is worth a listen. Enjoy!

Had a tape copy of this album a long time ago. Somehow remembered it again and checking Amazon found it to be still available. Album is still every bit as good as I remembered. Highlights for me are 'Emotion', 'Left in the Dark' and 'He's Mine'. Great songs from a great singer/performer. Absolutely recommend it.

Being as big of a Streisand fan that I am, I tend not to like her commercial success's as much as I have enjoyed the more obscure songs and albums of her career. Barbra has put out a few "pop" albums over the last five decades. They are "What About Today?," "Stoney End," "Barbra Joan Streisand," "Butterfly," "Lazy Afternoon," "Superman," and "Emotion." None of these albums were huge a huge commercial success, with the exception of "Superman." (One of my least favorites.)

This album itself tends to be a little dated, but there are a few great and timeless tracks on it. My three personal favorites are "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" with Kim Carnes. There voices blend so well together. "Left In the Dark," is an 80's epic ballad in the style of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," or "I Would Do Anything For Love." It's overly long, but nontheless, Streisand being the great actress that she is, keeps your attention throught he whole thing. The last song "Here We Are At Last," is absolutely beautiful. The only problem with it is, it doesn't sound like it belongs on the album. It answers so many questions we have about love. Overall this is an enjoyable album and I would reccomend it for any true Streisand fan.

This album is a real mixed bag for Streisand fans. Some of it's wonderful, some of it's awful. There are a total of 9 producers who worked on this album's 10 tracks! Maybe that's why it's so uneven.

Let's hear the bad news first: two of Streisand's worst songs are to be found here. "You're A Step In the Right Direction" is a nightmare. I was embarrassed to listen to Barbra try to imitate John Mellencamp (who wrote the music to this track). Barbra, we love you the way you are, please don't try to be someone else. The other howler, "When I Dream," suffers from laughable lyrics, an out-of-place bridge, and back up vocals that almost drown out Streisand.

"Time Machine" sounds as if it were made by computers who were fed on every feel-good love anthem of the last twenty years, while "Best That I Could" and "Clear Sailing" are pleasent, but utterly forgettable tunes.

The up beat title track "Emotion" (featuring back up by the Pointer Sisters) and the mid tempo "Heart Don't Change My Mind" (one of the better songs written by Dianne Warren) are both charming, if slightly dated, numbers.

Better yet, however is that EMOTION features three Streisand classics. "Left In the Dark" is beautifully written Jim Steinman epic that features a nicely restrained vocal and "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" is terrific duet with Kim Carnes where the contrast between the two very different singers' vocals is put to great effect. The album closes with "Here We Are At Last" which is a wonderful love song (music written by Streisand) that is so good it almost makes you forget some of the album's low points. Almost, that is.

Every artist releases a dud every now and then and this happens to be one of Streisand's few. While the three great songs will make this mandatory for Streisand fans, everyone else should stick to her much, much better offerings.

Barbra Streisand's "Emotion" album came out in October, 1984 and went to #19 on Billboard and eventually was certified Platinum selling a million copies making this release a certified hit.

Three songs were released as singles with the biggest being "Make No Mistake, He's Mine", a duet with Kim Carnes (also written by her) that would be recorded by many other artists most notably Kenny Rogers and Ronnie Milsap. Other highlights here include the Barbra Streisand/John Melencamp written song "Your a Step in the Right Direction", an upbeat rock number. My favorite track from "Emotion is the Diane Warren/Robbie Buchanan number "Heart Don't Change My Mind".

This record was followed in 1985 by the blockbuster "The Broadway Album".