Ra SHAWN-DA-PROFESSOR

Ra SHAWN-DA-PROFESSOR

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

DISCO FLASHBACK: POP AND DISCO DIVA HISTORIC TOP CHARTING ANTHEM


" />

BARBRA STREISAND & DONNA SUMMER
NO MORE TEARS (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH)
WRITTEN BY PAUL JABARA AND BRUCE ROBERTS
PRODUCED BY GARY KLEIN AND GIORGIO MORDER
1979 COLUMBIA/CASABLANCA RECORDS

The 1970's was the decade of liberation where many artist recorded songs about self pride, respect and strength and when Barbra Striesand and Donna Summer teamed up thrity years ago, not only did these two legendary Icons record a hot song, they also made history by becoming the first female duo to score a # 1 Pop hit and one of the last hits from the Disco era.
By the mid 1970's Striesand and Summer had become household names; Babs had starred in many hit movies and scored two hit duets with Kris Kristoffen ("Evergreen) and Neil Diamond ("You Don't Bring Me Flowers"), while Summer was on her way to becoming the undisputed Queen of Disco, and to have them sing on a record was something that radio and fans couldn't resist.
The song starts off in a form of a ballad consisting of strings and piano with Striesand singing with Summer coming on the next part mellow yet power. Then after performing a call and response, they sing to a hot Disco beat that has a nice percussion, guitar and lyrics telling their men to get out their homes and their lives.



Pack his rain coat
Show him out
Just look him in the eye
And simply shout!!!
Enough is enough!
I can't go on
I can't go on
Enough is enough!
I want him out
I want him out
That door now!!

My favorite part is the second verse where both ladies blend their powerful voices together which gives the song power, as well as the bridge where they both ad-lib and showcases their individual styles before singing "I've had it" while the background vocalist sings 'Is enough' giving the song a nice Gospel flavor and inspiration for those who are tired of crying tears to give their bad lovers their rain coat and show them the door.

Donna Summer and Barbara Streisand recorded a powerful anthem and though it's been over 30 years, it's time for the two ladies to sing this song live.

FACTS ABOUT THE SONG

When Babs was working on her 1979 album "Wet", she wanted the songs to revolve around water and when Babs got the song, her producer and label told the writers that it lacked the liquid, so the writers added the line It's rainging/It's pouring/My love life has been boring me to tears'

In her autobiography Ordinary Woman, Donna wrote how Paul Jabara told her he was going to show Barbra a song he wrote for her. He later came back to Donna's house and told her he wrote it as a duet and wanted to know if she wanted to record the song with her. Donna said yes and as soon as he got the OK from Babs, they met for lunch and clicked.

They also spent time looking for studios where they felt comfortable.

The day of the actual recording of the vocals, Donna had arrived 2 hours late due to a concert and after party and when she went to record her part, she lost her breath and collapse from her stool. When she woke up, she saw Barbra still recording her part, and when she finished, she asked Donna if she was OK

The song peaked at the top of the Pop charts for 2 weeks making them the first female duo to have a # 1 hit.

1 comment:

Frank R said...

Great post and story I know Babs. Was a household name even before the 70s and remember her saying the song had to do with wetness then they added "No More Tears" to the title. You did a great report