“As if We Never Said Goodbye”: Streisand at the MGM Grand (New Year’s Day, 1994; live performance)

Re-posted by N.S.

(I planned this before today’s national catastrophe.)

The Vegas versions are the only ones worth listening to. Later during the tour, she caught a bad cold, and when she came back (Madison Square Garden?), she was less than 100%.

Oddly, there was an intimacy to this performance. New lyrics were written for her that really worked (the ones for her Brooklyn performance were dopey). She, her crew, and her lyricist must have anticipated that certain moments would bring down the house, or inspire standing ovations—“We were young together,” and “I’ve come home at last!”

The funny thing is, she’s performing in Vegas, but the audience is filled to overflowing with middle-aged and older, New York Jews (her age). And so, she is home, to the degree she could call anywhere home.

The director (not Barbra) did a brilliant job showing famous faces, starting with the lobby beforehand, yet emphasizing the “nobodies” who had supported her, her entire career.

I hope she leaves this up here. She has a history of taking it down.