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Feature |
Barbra's Holiday
Surprise |
Nov 2005 |
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 Now out of print, the
2005 release of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" featured the English language
version of a Barbra Streisand Christmas favorite: "Gounod's Ave Maria."
This version of the song was never released until Starbucks got the
rights to include it in this special edition CD. You might still be able to find a few
copies at amazon.com.
Barbra performs "Ave Maria" in English.
Hear an audio sample
(in RealPlayer)
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 Lost
Track Unearthed
Decades later, it's Barbra's "Ave Maria" - in English!
November 8, 2005 - Christmas arrived early with the unexpected
release of a "new" Streisand single. The song, Gounod's Ave
Maria, was recorded by Barbra in both Latin and English during
recording sessions for 1967's A Christmas Album. The Latin
version was chosen for use on the LP. But for the past 38 years,
the English language version of the recording remained hidden away
under lock and key, and is only now being made commercially
available.
The surprise emergence of this unknown cut from Barbra's 1966
recording session is a delightful revelation that will have fans
all around the world scrambling for a copy. This early Streisand
vocal is breathtakingly pure. It matches Barbra's original Latin
version in its graceful reverence and piety, while surpassing it
with a much more dynamic and intense vocal delivery.
The "new" Ave Maria is featured on a special edition
holiday CD called, Baby, It's Cold Outside, which was
originally available at most Starbucks retailers. |
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The
New Liner Notes
"Barbra Streisand
has twice included the Latin prayer "Ave Maria" on Christmas
albums, most recently including the more familiar Franz Shubert
version on 2001's Christmas Memories. Here, however, the
prayer is set to the music of 19th-century French composer
Charles Gounod, which is based on J. S. Bach's first prelude in
The Well-Tempered Clavier. "Gounod's Ave Maria" was recorded in
both Latin and English for 1967's A Christmas Album. Streisand
opted to include the Latin take on the LP, shelving the English
version for 38 years. It makes its debut on this CD."
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Original
1967 single |
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The
English Lyrics
Ave Maria,
Thou art highly favored,
God is with thee,
Blessed, blessed art thou,
Above, above all women.
Blessed be thy Offspring,
Blessed be thy Son,
The Son of God,
The Lord most high.
Blessed Maria,
Blessed Maria.
Maria,
Pray, o pray for us,
For us wretched sinners,
Now and at the hour
Of our death,
Our death,
O take us. |
(Chorus):
Blessed Maria,
Blessed Maria.Maria,
Pray, o pray for us,
For us wretched sinners,
Now and at the hour
Of our death,
Our death,
O take us.
Amen,
Amen.
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