Duets (Barbra Streisand album)

Duets (retitled Star Collection in some countries) is a compilation album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released on November 26, 2002, by Columbia Records. The collection features nineteen duets from Streisand's career, including two newly-recorded ones: "I Won't Be the One to Let Go" with Barry Manilow and "All I Know of Love" with Josh Groban. The former song was released as the album's lead single on November 4, 2002, as a streaming-only exclusive for AOL Music website members. Duets was reissued in South American countries in 2013 under the title Star Collection with new artwork.

Duets
Compilation album by Barbra Streisand
Released	November 26, 2002
Length	78:06
Label	Columbia
Producer	Barbra Streisand Walter Afanasieff Kim Carnes Bill Cuomo Martin Erlichman David Foster Albhy Galuten Bob Gaudio Barry Gibb Gary Klein Richard Marx Richard Perry Phil Ramone Karl Richardson Thomas Z. Shepard
Barbra Streisand chronology
The Essential Barbra Streisand (2002) Duets (2002) The Movie Album (2003)
Singles from Duets
"I Won't Be the One to Let Go" Released: November 4, 2002

The compilation was executively produced by Streisand and her manager, Jay Landers. Music critics highlighted the album's duets with Ray Charles, Judy Garland, and Frank Sinatra, but were disappointed by her decision to release another compilation album following The Essential Barbra Streisand, which was released earlier in 2002. Commercially, the album peaked within the top ten of record charts in Denmark and the Netherlands; it also entered the Billboard 200 at number 38 and became certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies. Duets has gone on to sell 1.5 million records worldwide.

Development and songs

During 2002, Streisand and Columbia Records released two compilation albums, with the first one being The Essential Barbra Streisand, a greatest hits album mostly consisting of the singer's top ten hits and top forty hits.[1] Later that year, on November 26, she released Duets, a compilation of nineteen duets from her music catalog.[2] The collection was executively produced by Streisand and her manager, Jay Landers.[3]

Fourteen out of the album's nineteen tracks were originally featured on previous Streisand studio albums. In addition, the singer included three songs that were originally performed live with another artist. "I've Got a Crush on You", with Frank Sinatra, initially appeared on his 1993 Duets album, while her rendition of "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" with Harold Arlen was first released on his 1966 studio album Harold Sings Arlen (with Friend). Her medley of "Get Happy / Happy Days Are Here Again" with Judy Garland was originally performed live on The Judy Garland Show in 1963. With eighteen of the album's songs being duets with other musicians, Streisand's medley of "One Less Bell to Answer" and "A House Is Not a Home" is a duet with herself, first released on the 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand.

Streisand recorded two new tracks for the album: "I Won't Be the One to Let Go" with Barry Manilow and "All I Know of Love" with Josh Groban. The former track was written by Richard Marx and Manilow, while the latter was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson.[3]

"I Won't Be the One to Let Go" was released as the album's lead and only single on November 4, 2002, as an exclusive download for AOL Music website members.[4] Although the track was not released commercially, "I Won't Be the One to Let Go" was distributed as a promotional CD single on January 6, 2003. With the release handled by Columbia Records, the CD was sent exclusively to United States radio stations and includes the "Radio Version Edit" and "Radio Version" releases of the song.[5] In 2013, Sony Music Entertainment rereleased the compilation in South American countries with a new cover art, but identical track listing, under the title Star Collection.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
BBC Music	(Favorable)[7]

AllMusic's William Ruhlmann awarded Duets three out of his five stars during his album review. He wrote that the best performances on the album are her duets with Sinatra, Garland, and Ray Charles. However, Ruhlmann criticized Streisand's role as a duet partner: "Her unsuitability to the duet format is repeatedly evidenced, as she seems virtually incapable of shutting up when her partner is trying to take a solo, invariably humming in the background to draw attention back to herself."[2] Tom Santopietro, author of The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand, was disappointed by Streisand's decision to release two greatest hits albums in the same year (the other being The Essential Barbra Streisand). Nonetheless, he considered the medley inclusion of "One Less Bell to Answer" and "A House Is Not a Home" to be the "standout cut" on Duets.[8] Morag Reavley from BBC Music highlighted the album's array of genres and wrote: "Even the most faithful Streisand acolyte must be delighted by the range of songs and singers assembled." She also enjoyed the inclusion of "I Won't Be the One to Let Go" and "All I Know of Love", writing that the latter track "shows that Barbra can still hold her own".[7]

Commercial performance

Duets entered and peaked on the Billboard 200 at number 38, during the week of December 14, 2002. It was the chart's eleventh highest debut and would go to spend fourteen weeks on the listing.[9] On January 9, 2003, it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for physical shipments of 500,000 copies,[10] and during the year-end Billboard 200 chart in 2003, the compilation was listed at number 176.[11] As of June 22, 2007, Duets has sold 561,000 copies in the United States, outselling its predecessor (The Essential Barbra Streisand) by 55,000 copies.[12] In Oceania, the album peaked in Australia and New Zealand at numbers 13 and 11, respectively.[13][14] In the two aforementioned countries, it received a Gold certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of 35,000 copies and a Platinum certification by Recorded Music NZ for shipments of 15,000 copies.[15][16]

The album entered several record charts across Europe as well. According to the Official Charts Company, it peaked at numbers 39 and 30, in Scotland and the United Kingdom, respectively.[17][18] In the latter country, the compilation spent 6 weeks charting during 2002 and was ranked on the year-end sales charts at position 89.[19] In Denmark and the Netherlands, Duets peaked within the top ten at numbers 10 and 9, respectively.[20][21] The album reached number 26 in Spain and received a Gold certification by PROMUSICAE for shipments of 50,000 copies.[22][23] Its lowest peak positions were achieved in France, Germany, and Switzerland, where the compilation peaked at numbers 44, 53, and 88, respectively.[24][25][26] The album has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.[27]

Track listing

Duets – Standard edition[3]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Won't Be the One to Let Go" (with Barry Manilow)	Barry Manilow Richard Marx	Marx Walter Afanasieff	4:41
2.	"Guilty" (with Barry Gibb) (from Guilty, 1980)	Barry Gibb Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb	B. Gibb Albhy Galuten Karl Richardson	4:25
3.	"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (with Neil Diamond) (from Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2, 1978)	Alan Bergman Marilyn Bergman Neil Diamond	Bob Gaudio	3:25
4.	"I Finally Found Someone" (with Bryan Adams) (from The Mirror Has Two Faces, 1996)	Barbra Streisand Marvin Hamlisch R.J. Lange Bryan Adams	David Foster	3:43
5.	"Cryin' Time" (with Ray Charles) (from Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments, 1973)	Buck Owens	Martin Erlichman	2:18
6.	"I've Got a Crush on You" (with Frank Sinatra)	George Gershwin Ira Gershwin	Foster Phil Ramone	3:23
7.	"Tell Him" (with Celine Dion) (from Higher Ground, 1997)	Foster Linda Thompson Afanasieff	Foster Afanasieff	4:53
8.	"No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" (with Donna Summer) (from Wet, 1979)	Paul Jabara Bruce Roberts	Gary Klein	4:43
9.	"What Kind of Fool" (with Barry Gibb) (from Guilty)	B. Gibb Galuten	B. Gibb Galuten Richardson	4:07
10.	"I Have a Love / One Hand, One Heart" (with Johnny Mathis) (from Back to Broadway, 1993)	Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim	Foster	4:45
11.	"One Less Bell to Answer / A House Is Not a Home" (from Barbra Joan Streisand, 1971)	Burt Bacharach Hal David	Richard Perry	6:32
12.	"Lost Inside of You" (with Kris Kristofferson) (from A Star Is Born, 1976)	Leon Russell Streisand	Ramone Streisand	2:55
13.	"Till I Loved You" (with Don Johnson) (from Till I Loved You, 1988)	Maury Yeston	Ramone	5:04
14.	"Make No Mistake, He's Mine" (with Kim Carnes) (from Emotion, 1984)	Kim Carnes	Carnes Bill Cuomo	4:11
15.	"If You Ever Leave Me" (with Vince Gill) (from A Love Like Ours, 1999)	Marx	Foster Marx	4:38
16.	"The Music of the Night" (with Michael Crawford) (from Back to Broadway))	Andrew Lloyd Webber Charles Hart Richard Stilgoe	Foster	5:38
17.	"Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" (with Harold Arlen)	Harold Arlen E.Y. Harburg	Thomas Z. Shepard	1:54
18.	"Get Happy / Happy Days Are Here Again" (with Judy Garland)	Arlen Ted Koehler Jack Yellen Milton Ager	Mort Lindsey^[a]	2:22
19.	"All I Know of Love" (with Josh Groban)	Foster Thompson	Foster	4:29
Total length:				78:06

Duets EP – Promotional sampler edition[28]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Won't Be the One to Let Go" (with Barry Manilow)	4:41
2.	"Guilty" (with Barry Gibb)	4:25
3.	"I Finally Found Someone" (with Bryan Adams)	3:43
4.	"I've Got a Crush on You" (with Frank Sinatra)	3:23
Total length:		16:12

Notes

• ^{^a} Mort Lindsey is credited as the track's musical director; no producer is listed

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002–2003) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] 13 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[29] 36 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] 10 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] 9 French Albums (SNEP)[24] 44 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 53 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14] 11 Scottish Albums (OCC)[17] 39 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[22] 26 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 88 UK Albums (OCC)[18] 30 US Billboard 200[9] 38

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position UK Albums (OCC)[19] 89 Chart (2003) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[30] 63 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[31] 65 US Billboard 200[11] 176

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[15]	Gold	35,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[16]	Platinum	15,000^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[23]	Gold	50,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[32]	Gold	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)[10]	Gold	561,000[12]
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Citations

1. Ruhlmann, William. "Barbra Streisand – The Essential Barbra Streisand". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
2. Ruhlmann, William. "Barbra Streisand – Duets". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
3. Duets (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Columbia. 2002. C2K 86126.CS1 maint: others (link)
4. "Ask Barry! In the Studio...". Barry Gram (Winter). 2002.
5. "I Won't Be the One to Let Go" (Radio edit) (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow (Promotional CD ed.). United States: Columbia. 2003. CSK 59450.CS1 maint: others (link)
6. Star Collection (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Venezuela: Sony Music Entertainment. 2013. 5 099750 981290.CS1 maint: others (link)
7. Reavley, Morag (2003). "Barbra Streisand Duets Review". BBC Music. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
8. Santopietro 2007, p. 56
9. "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
10. "American album certifications – Barbra Steisand – Duets". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
11. "The Year-End Issue 2003". Billboard. 115 (52): 72. December 27, 2003. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
12. Caulfield, Keith (June 22, 2007). "Keith discusses top debuts, Barbra Streisand, Tiffany and more". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
13. "Australiancharts.com – Barbra Streisand – Duets". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
14. "Charts.nz – Barbra Streisand – Duets". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
15. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
16. "New Zealand album certifications – Barbra Steisand – Duets". Recorded Music NZ.
17. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
18. "Barbra Streisand | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
19. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 - 2002". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
20. "Danishcharts.dk – Barbra Streisand – Duets". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Barbra Streisand – Duets" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
22. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
23. "Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 2000–2002". Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
24. "Lescharts.com – Barbra Streisand – Duets". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
25. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
26. "Swisscharts.com – Barbra Streisand – Duets". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
27. Copsey, Rob (August 29, 2014). "Lionel Richie talks working on new Barbra Streisand album: 'She's a gift to the world'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
28. Duets (Liner notes). Barbra Streisand. Spain: Sony Music Entertainment. 2002. PROMO10.CS1 maint: others (link)
29. "Ultratop.be – Barbra Streisand – Duets" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
30. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2003". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
31. "Jaaroverzichten Album 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. GfK. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
32. "British album certifications – Barbra Steisand – Duets". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Duets in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

Bibliography

• Santopietro, Tom (April 1, 2007). The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand. Macmillan. ISBN 142990853X.

External links

• Duets at Discogs (list of releases)