Ms. McNair paved the way for so many black women. However on the same token it worked against her. She looked and sounded too much of what the public considered "white" - whatever that is - and the fact that she was black people didn't promote her as they should have. Why do so many know of Streisand, and not McNair?!
This woman just knocked me out! Damn! Too hip! That shouting arrangement didn't intimidate her at all. She came up to it with equal power and beyond. I'll bet the guys in the band were knocked out with her, too. So good. So damn good!
I had never heard of Barbara McNair before until today!! I was researching black singers that have passed and was shocked that she was african-american and shocked to see her features because she looks like a white woman with a deep tan! Amazing the beautiful variations in black skin colors. She was beautiful.
OMG! I've heard the name "Barbara McNair" before but never really paid much attention about who she is! AY Ay Ay! What a voice! And beautiful, too! Thank you, BronzeVenus, for posting this! You can be sure I'll know a lot more about Barbara NcNair!
"Overblow"? Funny that was the quality that helped make Streisand a superstar, and if you don't hear similarities in this performance and the arrangement, then go back and listen to Barbra's, released 2 years earlier. By the way, Harold Arlen loved the way Barbra overblew his songs!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Lovely ... but it seems like she comes close to getting lost, or the orchestra is often waiting for her to get on with it, or something. Especially in the earlier half of the song.
@RealPete I think it was just her style of phrasing. Barbara was a cabaret singer. She knew that the turn of a phrase can bring a lot of meaning to a lyric. It's always the band that follows the singer in the these circumstances. The other way around is called karaoke.
Wow. What a discovery. Not an easy song to essay. I only know 3 renditions of this one: Judy's, Barbra's, and now Ms. McNair's- and it's drop-dead gorgeous- both song and singer. That up-down register of the final "out" is a belter's dream!!
I've never heard a better arrangement or rendition of this tune. Totally "in the pocket" without the need to overblow a la Striesand. I had no idea she was so good. A devastating performance.
@DEEDUBB1979 I agree. Barbara McNair deserves her place among all of those singers. She appeared as a guest on many of the variety and game shows of the time. She even had a TV show of her own for a while. She appeared on Broadway. Played all the nightclubs of the time: Vegas, NY, all over the world. She was what they used to call a "legit" singer. She could take a song and sing it note perfect and make it work.
@DEEDUBB1979 She also did something none of those others would ever do: A spread in Playboy! Oct 1968. Long before it was considered fashionable for celebrities to do so. She was quite the trailblazer!
@BaggyJeansBoy Barbara falls somewhere between Leslie Uggams and Lola Falana for me. She had the legit singing chops like Leslie (maybe even better) but had the natural sex appeal like Lola (perhaps not as blatant).
Eh, well,...she'd have done a wonderful job w/ some of the songs from that show. According to her site, she'd recorded a few songs from "La Cage Aux Folles", so, I figured it was worth asking about.:)
@erickliddell Check out her other videos here on YouTube. Also check out a great film called, "They Call Me Mr.Tibbs" with Sidney Poitier. Barbara plays his wife. Her part was not big but she was quite good in it!
Ms. McNair paved the way for so many black women. However on the same token it worked against her. She looked and sounded too much of what the public considered "white" - whatever that is - and the fact that she was black people didn't promote her as they should have. Why do so many know of Streisand, and not McNair?!
acshore86 3 months ago
Best rendition over streisand, garland, everyone- real nice!!
dancingmckay 8 months ago
This woman just knocked me out! Damn! Too hip! That shouting arrangement didn't intimidate her at all. She came up to it with equal power and beyond. I'll bet the guys in the band were knocked out with her, too. So good. So damn good!
brewepau 1 year ago
Just gorgeous! such control of voice. This is my favorite version of this song . . .
thepieinthesky123 1 year ago
WOW!!! She had waaayyyy too big of a voice for Motown!...I love Motown! I love Barbara McNair!...She is so amazing here....WOW!!!
hollidayevery 1 year ago
I had never heard of Barbara McNair before until today!! I was researching black singers that have passed and was shocked that she was african-american and shocked to see her features because she looks like a white woman with a deep tan! Amazing the beautiful variations in black skin colors. She was beautiful.
cjs33139 1 year ago
OMG! I've heard the name "Barbara McNair" before but never really paid much attention about who she is! AY Ay Ay! What a voice! And beautiful, too! Thank you, BronzeVenus, for posting this! You can be sure I'll know a lot more about Barbara NcNair!
Belgusto1 1 year ago
I don't think Motown knew what to do with her. Probably the best female voice to record on that label.
divaenvy 2 years ago 4
"Overblow"? Funny that was the quality that helped make Streisand a superstar, and if you don't hear similarities in this performance and the arrangement, then go back and listen to Barbra's, released 2 years earlier. By the way, Harold Arlen loved the way Barbra overblew his songs!
Hunterunc 2 years ago
Miss McNair belted it to the rafters . . . without screaming . . . just a wonderful vocal from the fabulous Miss Barbara McNair. RIP Barbara.
paul51 2 years ago 6
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Lovely ... but it seems like she comes close to getting lost, or the orchestra is often waiting for her to get on with it, or something. Especially in the earlier half of the song.
RealPete 2 years ago
@RealPete I think it was just her style of phrasing. Barbara was a cabaret singer. She knew that the turn of a phrase can bring a lot of meaning to a lyric. It's always the band that follows the singer in the these circumstances. The other way around is called karaoke.
torresongs2 5 months ago
I'd give my remaining teeth to see Barbara's performance of THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE from the 1965 Oscars again. She was so great!! Anybody?
JerseySurvivor 2 years ago
@JerseySurvivor Me too! I'll bet it was great! "Shadow" took the Best Song Oscar that year!
torresongs2 5 months ago
Wow. What a discovery. Not an easy song to essay. I only know 3 renditions of this one: Judy's, Barbra's, and now Ms. McNair's- and it's drop-dead gorgeous- both song and singer. That up-down register of the final "out" is a belter's dream!!
mca1218 2 years ago
This is May 11 1965.
rascal211 2 years ago
Big 1965 horn intro. They don't make music like this any more.
rascal211 2 years ago 14
Music ...ah music.
stillphil 2 years ago 4
Splendid!
priscillaofmanila 2 years ago
I've never heard a better arrangement or rendition of this tune. Totally "in the pocket" without the need to overblow a la Striesand. I had no idea she was so good. A devastating performance.
keoniili 2 years ago 10
@keoniili Um ... you might want to look up the word "devastating". (((((LOLOLOL))))))
mikesterSTLMO 7 months ago
@mikesterSTLMO dev·as·tat·ing [dev-uh-stey-ting] adjective
1. tending or threatening to devastate: a devastating fire.
2. satirical, ironic, or caustic in an effective way: a devastating portrayal of society.
Definition #2 applies in a way!
torresongs2 5 months ago
@torresongs2 Well uh .. if you say so:) At least we agree that 'the other Barbara' is magnifico!
mikesterSTLMO 5 months ago
@keoniili Barbra is better.
Monrocsol 4 months ago
Too bad she passed away last year. She has alittle bit of Nancy Wilson/Steisand/Leslie Uggams/Diahann Carroll. Love her.
DEEDUBB1979 2 years ago 6
@DEEDUBB1979 I agree. Barbara McNair deserves her place among all of those singers. She appeared as a guest on many of the variety and game shows of the time. She even had a TV show of her own for a while. She appeared on Broadway. Played all the nightclubs of the time: Vegas, NY, all over the world. She was what they used to call a "legit" singer. She could take a song and sing it note perfect and make it work.
torresongs2 5 months ago
@DEEDUBB1979 She also did something none of those others would ever do: A spread in Playboy! Oct 1968. Long before it was considered fashionable for celebrities to do so. She was quite the trailblazer!
torresongs2 5 months ago
never heard of her before but I like it. Was she a big recording artist for motown, any one knows?
grenadian11 2 years ago
@grenadian11 She was underutilized at Motown.
Berry Gordy placed her as a Middle-Of-The Road act instead of using her torchy voice.
There are a quite a few best of CDs of her out, including a Motown best of.
Valizan 2 years ago
Big voice with big band scoot over Striesand let the deep sea roll baby
1SECRETBILLY 2 years ago 2
i love this version but streisands is dominating this song right now! but i still love Mcnair
wickedwatwat1 3 years ago
There is something very Leslie Uggams about this vocal performance. Love it!
BaggyJeansBoy 3 years ago
@BaggyJeansBoy Barbara falls somewhere between Leslie Uggams and Lola Falana for me. She had the legit singing chops like Leslie (maybe even better) but had the natural sex appeal like Lola (perhaps not as blatant).
torresongs2 5 months ago
What a voice. Live!~
vanityisvamp 3 years ago
I wonder what the date is on this > Streisand sings a note for note version on an early recording.
hubbellgardner 3 years ago
hubbellgardner, must be 1965 or 1966.
MasonOnTheFly 2 years ago
Interesting--it's a 3 minute tune: one chorus
guitaress1 3 years ago
Can't get enough of this!
lifeforce1986 3 years ago
wow!
paulsheesley 3 years ago
Underrated & underpraised, period!!
StephanAOTTO1 3 years ago 6
You hit it Stephan, as always.
paul51 3 years ago 2
I wonder if she'd ever performed anything from "Mame"...uh-oh, now, I'm gettin' light-headed!!!
StephanAOTTO1 3 years ago
Mame? Start slapping yourself . . .
paul51 3 years ago
Eh, well,...she'd have done a wonderful job w/ some of the songs from that show. According to her site, she'd recorded a few songs from "La Cage Aux Folles", so, I figured it was worth asking about.:)
StephanAOTTO1 3 years ago
barbaramcnair. com
Her official site.
StephanAOTTO1 3 years ago
Magnificent!
ErsatzWino 3 years ago
Excellent rendition from a beautiful woman...inside and out!
cdivo39 3 years ago
beautiful!
gmlch 3 years ago
Whoa!
undercoverblackman 3 years ago
Yes, Barbara had a fabulous voice. We lost her a few years ago. It would be nice to see more videos from this lovely & talented lady.
dungareedoll1 3 years ago
PHENOMENAL!
PootahBear08 3 years ago
Sensational by any standards! Brava! TY
paulostroff99 3 years ago
i need to find out more about this chick
erickliddell 4 years ago
@erickliddell Check out her other videos here on YouTube. Also check out a great film called, "They Call Me Mr.Tibbs" with Sidney Poitier. Barbara plays his wife. Her part was not big but she was quite good in it!
torresongs2 5 months ago
Superb voice and technique nice post
1SECRETBILLY 4 years ago