We’d had the summer of ’76 when it felt like the sun would never stop shining (down like marmalade anyone ?) and the pavements were melting. Some of our friends could sense something was stirring in London but for most of us that would have to wait until 1977. Meanwhile as my 14th birthday and Xmas approached in December 1976 a film was released that was so up our parents street it could very well have been made for them alone.

We grew up in a house where the soundtrack swung from Classical music to Reggae but mostly it was Jazz, the great Swing bands and singers (Sinatra, Crosby) and songs from the great musicals which is probably the first time I would have heard the incredible voice of Barbra Streisand. 

When “A Star Is Born” was released I’m sure we all trooped off as a family to see it at the cinema and I gotta admit I was quite taken with it, but most of all I was captivated by Barbra Streisand’s voice. The whole film is worth watching and the soundtrack has some great songs in it. Kris Kristofferson’s “Watch Closely Now” & “Crippled Crow” are great examples of 70’s US FM rock. 

As it’s recently been re-made starring Lady Ga Ga it was in the news again. If Lady GaGa even gets close to Streisand’s imperious vocal on the closing medley of “With One More Look At You/Watch Closely Now” on any of the new films soundtrack then she’ll have worked miracles. This one performance can bring a lump to my throat just by thinking about it. Give it a go, it might just surprise you…

With One More Look At You/Watch Closely Now - https://youtu.be/Inkf7WZJdjc