Motown's "Shake Me, Wake Me" by Barbra Streisand. BARBRA STREISAND? HUH?.....

[Philles/Motown Gary]

When I discovered this remake of Motown's chestnut on YouTube, I must admit I didn't expect much. But, boy, was I wrong! Dance Music fans -- do you agree?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub1QSoHI9hI

[[Thanks to DJDiscoCatV2 for this super-extended Remix on YouTube.)

[reese]

When I bought the LAZY AFTERNOON album, I fell in love with this version. In fact, its the only song from that album that I ever play.

[Bluebrock]

She is one of the finest female vocalists of the 20th century and i admit to having virtually every album of hers. I always liked this version too reese.

[jack020]

Here you can find the 12 inch remix:
http://burningtheground.net/2014/01/barbra-streisand-shake-me-wake-me-when-its-over-us-12-promo-2/

[jack020]

She recorded Tracks Of My Tears for the Wet album, but this remains in the vaults.

[marv2]

I think she did a great job. Still sounds fresh.

[luke]

Not bad but a little shrill to my ears. The beginning just about lifted from 3 degrees when will I see you again

[Bluebrock]

She has dozens of songs in the vault. She did release some on a cd a couple of years ago and another is due later this year or next. She has total control over her recordings.

[arr&bee]

UMM PERHAPS BABS SHOULD STICK TO SHOWTUNES AND LEAVE MOTOWN TO THE MOTOWNERS...remember when they burned all those disco records in Cleveland...THIS ONE SHOULDA BEEN WITH EM!!!

[LuvHangOva]

It's one of my remakes. I'm very liberal when it comes to music... When an artist has sonehthing they wanna express the very least I can do is give it a chance.

[Bluebrock]

UMM PERHAPS BABS SHOULD STICK TO SHOWTUNES AND LEAVE MOTOWN TO THE MOTOWNERS...remember when they burned all those disco records in Cleveland...THIS ONE SHOULDA BEEN WITH EM!!!
Harsh!!She is nothing if not versatile, She can , and will record whatever she likes whether you like it or not!

[arr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...i love babs,but she's messin with my fav from levi and the fellas,and i don't like it!!!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Jeez, arr&bee, get a grip! You're scaring people away from my thread! Babs didn't "mess with" anything! To hear you ranting and raving, yelling in ALL CAPS, you'd think she broke into Motown's vaults and replaced the Four Tops' original "Shake Me, Wake Me" master with her own Columbia master! Not the case here! She's always liked the song and simply wanted to do her own tribute to it. And in her "Lazy Afternoon" album liner notes, she said she had a ball recording it! She's done nothing wrong. She created a dance version which some of us think is hot. [[Granted, that weird synthesizer running through it is annoying as all hell, at least to my ears, but other than that, it's a hot dance production.) If you don't happen to like it, that's certainly your prerogative, but don't ruin it for those of us who do.

AFTER-THOUGHT -- Don't worry, arr&bee, nobody's version will ever replace the Four Tops' original Motown masterpiece. And, if the truth be known, Streisand and/or Columbia Records probably paid Motown a handsome fee for the copyright to record her version. Motown benefitted nostalgically AND all the way to the bank!

[TheMotownManiac]

I've loved a lot of Streisand tracks but to me this is her worst vocal ever. The complete meaning of the lyric is lost in her putting her touch on the melody. This is why so few have been able to do successful remakes of all those classic HDH tunes. I think Diana owns this song over Levi, yet I don't like her Sugar Pie Honey Bunch at all [[however I've always felt she just did it to get it over with as she puts nothing into it at all.) I like Barbra's track but hate her vocal, I'm glad there are peeps there who dig it. I have heard her Tracks Of My Tears and it's wonderful.

[marv2]

Diana Ross will never own anything vocally over Levi Stubbs! My sides just starting hurting laughing at that comment! LOL!!!!

[thommg]

Jeez, arr&bee, get a grip! You're scaring people away from my thread! Babs didn't "mess with" anything! To hear you ranting and raving, yelling in ALL CAPS, you'd think she broke into Motown's vaults and replaced the Four Tops' original "Shake Me, Wake Me" master with her own Columbia master! Not the case here! She's always liked the song and simply wanted to do her own tribute to it. And in her "Lazy Afternoon" album liner notes, she said she had a ball recording it! She's done nothing wrong. She created a dance version which some of us think is hot. [[Granted, that weird synthesizer running through it is annoying as all hell, at least to my ears, but other than that, it's a hot dance production.) If you don't happen to like it, that's certainly your prerogative, but don't ruin it for those of us who do.

People do get possessive regarding their Motown tunes! :) I think all of us are quite discriminating when we hear a cover version of a Motown song. I've learned, through the years, to look at them as interesting diversions. Though Barbra doing the Four Tops is not the best thing she ever recorded, I enjoy it quite a bit - and it always encourages me to put on my Four Tops singles collection! So there's that!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

People do get possessive regarding their Motown tunes! :) I think all of us are quite discriminating when we hear a cover version of a Motown song. I've learned, through the years, to look at them as interesting diversions. Though Barbra doing the Four Tops is not the best thing she ever recorded, I enjoy it quite a bit - and it always encourages me to put on my Four Tops singles collection! So there's that!

Oh, I agree, thommg. And I'm usually one of them. I typically hate it when non-Motowners try to cover Motown because it usually ends up sounding weak and weird, which is why I didn't expect much from Streisand's version until I gave it a chance and actually heard it. I was very pleasantly surprised. With the exception of what sounds like an electric flute-o-phone buzzing through it [[remember those white and red plastic things from 3rd grade introduction-to-music class?!!!), I found Streisand's musical arrangement to be disco-powerful, and the back-up girls are vocally hot! Babs voice hasn't bothered me at all. Vocals aside, if you like the music on Streisand's version, and if it inspires you to listen to Motown's original version immediately afterward, there's nothing wrong with that!

[Bluebrock]

Diana Ross will never own anything vocally over Levi Stubbs! My sides just starting hurting laughing at that comment! LOL!!!!

I love Diana but I would have to agree with you here Marv. Nobody but nobody can or will own anything vocally over Levi!!

[Ollie9]

For me this song destroys the mood on Streisands "Lazy Afternoon" album. All other songs featured on it are quite dreamy and languid.
I prefer Diana's version of Reach Out I'll Be There" over Levi's. Admittedly they are very different arrangements, so perhaps should not really be compared.

[arr&bee]

Jeez, arr&bee, get a grip! You're scaring people away from my thread! Babs didn't "mess with" anything! To hear you ranting and raving, yelling in ALL CAPS, you'd think she broke into Motown's vaults and replaced the Four Tops' original "Shake Me, Wake Me" master with her own Columbia master! Not the case here! She's always liked the song and simply wanted to do her own tribute to it. And in her "Lazy Afternoon" album liner notes, she said she had a ball recording it! She's done nothing wrong. She created a dance version which some of us think is hot. [[Granted, that weird synthesizer running through it is annoying as all hell, at least to my ears, but other than that, it's a hot dance production.) If you don't happen to like it, that's certainly your prerogative, but don't ruin it for those of us who do.

AFTER-THOUGHT -- Don't worry, arr&bee, nobody's version will ever replace the Four Tops' original Motown masterpiece. And, if the truth be known, Streisand and/or Columbia Records probably paid Motown a handsome fee for the copyright to record her version. Motown benefitted nostalgically AND all the way to the bank!oh,ok is this better...the very idea of me scaring anybody from a good Motown argument is funny,i'm probably the unscariest person here,i just don't like her version...i'll go quietly ok...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

oh,ok is this better...the very idea of me scaring anybody from a good Motown argument is funny,i'm probably the unscariest person here,i just don't like her version...i'll go quietly ok...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Naw, don't go away, arr&bee. You weren't THAT bad! HaHa!

[Bluebrock]

For me this song destroys the mood on Streisands "Lazy Afternoon" album. All other songs featured on it are quite dreamy and languid.
I prefer Diana's version of Reach Out I'll Be There" over Levi's. Admittedly they are very different arrangements, so perhaps should not really be compared.
I also adore Diana's version of this but it seems like a totally different song as did her version of "anmhe" so I think I agree with you when you say they perhaps should not be compared.