I Know Him So Well.(from CHESS) Barbra Streisand + Brooklyn

Love theme from the musical CHESS.
I KNOW HIM SO WELL

Nothing is so good it lasts eternally
Perfect situations must go wrong
But this has never yet prevented me
Wanting far too much for far too long.
Looking back I could have played it differently
Won a few more moments who can tell
But it took time to understand the man
Now at least I know I know him well.
Wasnt it good? oh so good
Wasnt he fine? oh so fine
Isnt it madness he cant be mine?
But in the end he needs
A little bit more than me
More security
He needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well.

No one in your life is with you constantly
No one is completely on your side
And though I move my world to be with him
Still the gap between us is too wide.

Looking back I could have played it differently
Could have played things some other way.
Learn about the man before I fell
I was just a little careless maybe
But I was ever so much younger then.
I was so much younger then
Now at least I know I know him well
Wasnt it good? oh so good
Wasnt he fine? oh so fine
Isnt it madness he wont be mine?
Didnt I know how it would go?
If I knew from the start
Why am I falling apart?
Wasnt he fine? isnt it madness
He wont be mine?
But in the end he needs a little bit more than me
More security
He needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well
It took time to understand me
I know him so well.

Music by: Bjorn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson. Lyrics by: Tim Rice

"Chess is a musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA. The story involves a romantic triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the characters' personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer."

Video: ERASMUS HALL HIGH SCHOOL, Brooklyn, New York. Circa 1955-1960.

Barbra Streisand's Alma Mater, ERASMUS HALL
HIGH SCHOOL, located on Flatbush Avenue in
Brooklyn. Barbra graduated in January 1959,
so let's assume she attended that school
from 1955-1959. She sang in the school choir
along with a future duet partner named Neil
Diamond. She was described by her fellow
student as sort of a loner, dreaming of
becoming a famous actress. At the school
cafeteria she sat opposite another loner
living in his dream world, chess maven
Bobby Fischer. He was already becoming
famous in Chess circles, and newspapers
articles and TV shows mentioned the wiz kid
from Brooklyn's ERASMUS HALL H.S.. I wonder
if he was the one who taught Barbra how to
play chess. Other future famous at Erasmus
High School at this period were basketball
player Billy Cunningham, musical arranger
Artie Butler, and Richard Hirschman (D.D.S.). Don K. Reed, (1960) (disc jockey, hosted "The Doo-Wop Shop" radio show on New York oldies station WCBS-FM.).Lainie Kazan (Lainie Levine), (1956); Broadway, film and TV actress and singer..

BOBBY FISCHER: "In 1956, when he was 13, he became the youngest winner of the U.S. Junior Championship. In 1958, he stunned the American chess world by winning the U.S. championship, which qualified him to play in the Interzonal Tournament in Portoroz, Yugoslavia. He became the youngest international grandmaster in the history of the game."

"At Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, he excelled in Spanish, math and the sciences but considered his teachers "all mental cases." He devoured chess books and magazines, including the Russian publication Shakhmaty.

In 1957, in Cleveland, the gangly kid from Brooklyn won the U.S. open championship in a field of 175 players, tying with U.S. champion Arthur B. Bisguier. The victory qualified him for the U.S. Chess Federation's championship tournament at the Manhattan Chess Club, where, on Jan. 7, 1958, the 14-year-old defeated Bisguier, thus becoming U.S. champion."

The Chess game shown at the end of the video
is part of the 1958 encounter between Bobby
Fischer and Bent Larsen. Bobby Fischer played white. Wonder if he discussed the
game with Barbra at the school cafeteria
at ERASMUS HALL HIGH SCHOOL.

JANUARY 1, 1959
Barbara Streisand graduates from Erasmus Hall High with a 93 average and a medal in Spanish.
(class of 1959)
Barbra Streisand was a member of Freshman Chorus and the Choral Club.

"Thomas Lawrence - in Richard's class at Erasmus Hall High School (1958). One of Richard's favorite teachers in high school.
-Richard Hirschman"
בובי פישר

-" Ein Jugendfreund war der spätere Schachmeister Bobby Fischer."
Bobby Fischers bedside when he muttered his final words and passed away: Nothing eases suffering like human touch. • 17 January 2008
Бобби Фишер
Барбра Стрейзанд
בארברא סטרייסאנד
ברברה סטרייסנד

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Barbra
• Streisand
• Erasmus
• High
• School
• chess
• Neil
• Diamond
• Billy
• Cunningham
• Robert
• James
• Bobby
• Fischer
• Richard
• Page
• Mr.
• Mister
• Jaque
• mate
• checkmate
• Мат
• шахматы
• Нью-йорк
• Бруклин
• Bert
• Larsen
• 1958
• ABBA
• CHESS
• Bjorn
• Ulvaeus
• Benny
• Andersson
• Tim
• Rice
• Hall
• Brooklyn
• Schach
• Шахматы
• ajedrez
• échecs
• Фишер
• Роберт
• Джеймс
• schaak
• שחמט
• בובי
• פישר

[tbspeaks]

Barbra, you never cease to amaze me. This version is absolutely smooth, painfully emotive yet beautifully done. Thank you.

[1977jenna]

Yeah...Björn and Benny are not of this world! It´s amazing how many great songs they´ve written! Nothing but pure geniouses!

[JefferyK]

@kpasanski It's on the "Just For the Record" boxed set and highlights CD.

[Raptormon132]

Not bad. I recon it would've interesting if Jodi Benson sang it with her.

[kpasanski]

I had no idea Barbra did this song. Does anyone know what album this is on?

[markliebergall]

I was at Erasmus with Barbara and Bobby F. Great to see some of the old photos and people.

[secondaryactons]

I wish she released this song as a single in the '80's. It didn't work for The Broadway album but it would have been perfect for Till I loved You.

[mumusings]

One of the most beautiful songs ever!

[Nautilus1972]

@albertdiner Bernadette Peters far exceeds Streisand in phrasing and execution. Streisand is all about singing by the numbers. And how is there a male singing this duet?> Is he gay?

[Nautilus1972]

@jeffbazell1Isn't he the guy that blew his brains out ?

[BBballPlayaGirl]

their timings were off. expected a little more cuz shes amazing