Barbra Streisand Quotes

Powerful Barbra Streisand for Daily Growth

About Barbra Streisand

Barbra Joan Streisand, born on April 24, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, is a multi-talented American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director renowned for her versatility across multiple arts. Known as "Barbra" or simply "Streisand," she rose to fame in the mid-1960s as a singer before conquering Broadway and Hollywood. Born to working-class parents, Streisand's passion for music was evident from an early age. She began singing at local venues and competed on television talent shows like "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts," which led to her recording contract with Columbia Records in 1960. Her debut album, "The Barbra Streisand Album" (1963), became an instant success, making her one of the few artists to have a number-one album in each of six consecutive decades. In 1964, she made her Broadway debut in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale," which earned her a Tony Award nomination. Her breakthrough film role came in 1968 with "Funny Girl," a biographical romantic comedy based on the life of Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice. Streisand's portrayal of Brice earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first woman to produce, star in, and win an Oscar for a film she produced. Throughout her career, Streisand has released numerous hit albums, including "Funny Girl" (1964), "A Star Is Born" (1976 - in which she also starred alongside Kris Kristofferson), and "Walls" (2018). She has won multiple Grammy Awards, Emmys, and Oscars. In addition to her artistic achievements, Streisand is known for her political activism and philanthropy. In 1993, she established the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to raise awareness about heart disease in women. Today, Barbra Streisand remains an iconic figure in entertainment, continuing to release music and acting in films while also maintaining her activism for various causes.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I'd rather be a little nobody, than a big nothing."

This quote suggests that it is better to be a relatively unknown individual with substance and purpose (a "little nobody"), than to be someone who lacks meaning or significance ("a big nothing"). In other words, it's preferable to lead an authentic life with personal growth and value, rather than pursuing fame or success without depth or impact.

"The more I do, the more I want to do."

This quote suggests a relentless drive and passion for self-expression and growth, whereby as one achieves or experiences more, their desire to explore, create, and learn only intensifies. It underscores the innate human thirst for experience and development, emphasizing that fulfillment comes from continuous effort, rather than reaching a static state of contentment.

"Ambition is a dream with your foot on the gas."

This quote by Barbra Streisand emphasizes the active, driven nature of ambition. She likens ambition to a dream that has momentum, as if it's being propelled forward by a foot pressing down on the accelerator. In essence, she suggests that dreams alone are not enough; for ambition to be realized, one must actively pursue their goals and dreams with determination and persistence, much like stepping on the gas pedal in a car to move forward.

"You don't find your own voice until you stop trying to be someone else."

This quote by Barbra Streisand underscores the importance of self-discovery and authenticity in personal growth. It suggests that when we spend too much time trying to emulate others, we delay the process of identifying and expressing our unique selves. By letting go of imitations, we can uncover our own voice - a voice that reflects our true thoughts, feelings, and passions. This authentic expression is crucial in fostering self-confidence, creativity, and fulfillment in life.

"Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; old days have a habit of recurring in our memories."

This quote by Barbra Streisand encourages individuals to appreciate their youth, its energy, and vibrancy, as these experiences often hold significant emotional value. The 'power' refers to the strength, vitality, and opportunities that youth presents. The 'beauty' signifies the attractiveness, charm, and exuberance of the youthful spirit. The last part suggests that as we age, our past memories have a tendency to resurface, reinforcing the importance of making the most of our youth while we can. It's a call to seize the day and cherish youthful moments, knowing they may hold a special place in our future recollections.

Doubt can motivate you, so don't be afraid of it. Confidence and doubt are at two ends of the scale, and you need both. They balance each other out.

- Barbra Streisand

Confidence, Need, Other, Scale

I must have got my detailed, obsessive streak from my father, who was an English teacher, because my mother wasn't like me at all.

- Barbra Streisand

Father, Like, Got, Streak

They're called 'angels' because they're in heaven until the reviews come out.

- Barbra Streisand

Angels, Come, Until, Reviews

Nobody on this earth has the right to tell anyone that their love for another human being is morally wrong.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, Tell, Human Being, Morally

My friend Quincy Jones says we won our first Grammys together in 1963. I have no recollection. I don't even remember the room. When he showed me the picture, I remembered what I wore. But it's like awards don't mean anything.

- Barbra Streisand

Remember, Anything, Our, Grammys

We have a president who stole the presidency through family ties, arrogance and intimidation, employing Republican operatives to exercise the tactics of voter fraud by disenfranchising thousands of blacks, elderly Jews and other minorities.

- Barbra Streisand

Through, Other, Minorities, Blacks

I'll see a celadon green room in an 18th century New Hampshire house and just fall in love. Colors stay in my head.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, New, Hampshire, 18th Century

I'm interested in the truth, and unauthorized biographies are not. Yes, I would like to correct those errors someday.

- Barbra Streisand

Yes, Like, Correct, Errors

It is sort of boring to stay in the same spot. You know, I didn't set out to become the first to do this, the first to do that. It was just that my interests were so diversified.

- Barbra Streisand

Stay, Set, Sort, Diversified

Marlon Brando. The finest actor who ever lived. He was my idol when I was 13. He's done enough work to last two lifetimes. Everything I do, I think: Can Brando play this with me?

- Barbra Streisand

Play, I Think, Idol, Brando

I find George Bush and Dick Cheney frightening, Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft frightening.

- Barbra Streisand

Donald, Rumsfeld, Bush, Cheney

Eighteenth century American furniture and the design of the architects Greene and Greene are my special love.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, Special, Century, Eighteenth

My biggest nightmare is I'm driving home and get sick and go to hospital. I say: 'Please help me.' And the people say: 'Hey, you look like...' And I'm dying while they're wondering whether I'm Barbra Streisand.

- Barbra Streisand

Sick, While, Biggest, Wondering

Why is it men are permitted to be obsessed about their work, but women are only permitted to be obsessed about men?

- Barbra Streisand

Work, Women, Obsessed, Permitted

I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy, and driven.

- Barbra Streisand

Beautiful, I Am, Selfish, Unattractive

I was a personality before I became a person - I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy and driven.

- Barbra Streisand

Lazy, Before, Became, Unattractive

Directing is so interesting. You know, it just sort of encompasses everything that you see, that you know, that you've felt, that you have observed.

- Barbra Streisand

Interesting, See, Felt, Observed

I arrived in Hollywood without having my nose fixed, my teeth capped, or my name changed. That is very gratifying to me.

- Barbra Streisand

Nose, Hollywood, Very, Gratifying

A man who graduated high in his class at Yale Law School and made partnership in a top law firm would be celebrated. A man who invested wisely would be admired, but a woman who accomplishes this is treated with suspicion.

- Barbra Streisand

Women, Woman, Accomplishes, Law School

Most awards, you know, they don't give you unless you go and get them - did you know that? Terribly discouraging.

- Barbra Streisand

Give, Go, Them, Discouraging

I got sent to a health camp when I was about 6 years old, and we all had to wear the same starchy blue uniform. The lady who took care of me after school knit me a burgundy sweater. It was the only thing that gave me any individuality.

- Barbra Streisand

The Only Thing, Wear, About, Sweater

I think when I was younger, I wanted to be a star, until I became a star, and then it's a lot of work. It's work to be a star. I don't enjoy the stardom part. I only enjoy the creative process.

- Barbra Streisand

Process, Think, Became, Creative Process

What does it mean when people applaud? Should I give 'em money? Say thank you? Lift my dress? The lack of applause - that I can respond to.

- Barbra Streisand

Dress, Give, Say, Applaud

When I was maybe 5 or 6 years old, the neighborhood girls would sit on the stoop and sing. I was known as the kid who had a good voice and no father.

- Barbra Streisand

Voice, Maybe, Stoop, Neighborhood

I love road trips! My husband and I love that. We bought a truck with a bench seat so we could put the dog in the middle.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, Bench, Middle, Trips

When I was a teenager in New York, I was buying antique clothes. I still am.

- Barbra Streisand

New York, New, Still, Teenager

I guess if you have an original take on life, or something about you is original, you don't have to study people who came before you. You don't have to mimic anybody. You just have a gut feeling inside, an instinct that tells you what's right for you, and you can't do it in any other way.

- Barbra Streisand

Study, Other, Before, Any Other Way

I hated singing. I wanted to be an actress. But I don't think I'd have made it any other way.

- Barbra Streisand

Think, Other, Actress, Any Other Way

I've always liked working really hard and then doing nothing in particular. So, consequently, I didn't overexpose myself; I guess I maintained a kind of mystery. I wasn't ambitious.

- Barbra Streisand

Doing, Kind, Always, Maintained

Sometimes you resent the people you love and need the most. Love is so fascinating in all its forms, and I think everyone who has ever been a mother will relate to this.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, Think, Been, Forms

I need instant gratification.

- Barbra Streisand

Need, Gratification, Instant, Instant Gratification

I started going to acting school when I was 14, and I would always have my own take on things.

- Barbra Streisand

Always, My Own, Going, Acting School

If I hear a record once, I usually never listen to it again. I rarely listen to music - unless it's Billie Holiday.

- Barbra Streisand

Listen, Holiday, Again, None

In the music business, we all do different things, but we sit there and admire other people who can write a song differently or sing differently. It's not so competitive.

- Barbra Streisand

Business, Song, Other, Different Things

To have ego means to believe in your own strength. And to also be open to other people's views. It is to be open, not closed. So, yes, my ego is big, but it's also very small in some areas. My ego is responsible for my doing what I do - bad or good.

- Barbra Streisand

Small, Big, Very, Open

I love things that are indescribable, like the taste of an avocado or the smell of a gardenia.

- Barbra Streisand

Love, Gardening, I Love, Indescribable

As a young woman, I wanted nothing more than to see my name in lights.

- Barbra Streisand

Woman, See, Wanted, Lights

I do have friends that are Republicans, and we have very spirited conversations on a whole range of issues. I am often baffled by why they are Republicans, but I enjoy the dialogue and can move beyond politics to find common ground in my personal relationships.

- Barbra Streisand

Politics, Very, Republicans, Common Ground

I hear these melodies. I hear horn lines and string lines. That's what's fun about recording with an orchestra.

- Barbra Streisand

String, Melodies, About, Orchestra

How I wish we lived in a time when laws were not necessary to safeguard us from discrimination.

- Barbra Streisand

I Wish, Laws, Necessary, Discrimination

I've considered having my nose fixed. But I didn't trust anyone enough. If I could do it myself with a mirror.

- Barbra Streisand

Trust, Mirror, Nose, Fixed

My mother had a great voice. Not like mine, not like my sister's, not like my son's - a high soprano voice, but like a bird. I mean, really beautiful.

- Barbra Streisand

Voice, Like, Mine, Soprano

I don't enjoy public performances and being up on a stage. I don't enjoy the glamour. Like tonight, I am up on stage and my feet hurt.

- Barbra Streisand

Feet, Like, Tonight, Glamour

The audience is the best judge of anything. They cannot be lied to. Truth brings them closer. A moment that lags - they're gonna cough.

- Barbra Streisand

Best, Audience, Gonna, Cough

I wish I could be like Shaw who once read a bad review of one of his plays, called the critic and said: 'I have your review in front of me and soon it will be behind me.'

- Barbra Streisand

Behind, I Wish, Read, Front

It always gave me the creeps when I saw performers who desperately wanted the audience to like them. That's not what I'm about.

- Barbra Streisand

Audience, Always, Performers, Creeps

I've been called many names like perfectionist, difficult and obsessive. I think it takes obsession, takes searching for the details for any artist to be good.

- Barbra Streisand

Art, Think, Been, Perfectionist

When I was working a lot, I felt guilty as a parent. I couldn't pick up my son every day from school, bake him cookies and that kind of thing.

- Barbra Streisand

Parent, Every Day, Kind, Bake

I just don't want to be hampered by my own limitations.

- Barbra Streisand

Want, Own, My Own, Limitations

I also have intense relationships with furniture... probably because we practically had none when I was growing up.

- Barbra Streisand

Had, Practically, Also, Intense

There's a part of you that always remains a child, no matter how mature you get, how sophisticated or weary.

- Barbra Streisand

How, Always, Sophisticated, Weary

I still like my antique clothes.

- Barbra Streisand

Clothes, Like, Still, Antique

I'm tired of malicious articles slandering me.

- Barbra Streisand

Me, Tired, Malicious, Articles

On a very basic level, many people think celebrities have too much already, so we shouldn't be entitled to our political opinions.

- Barbra Streisand

Think, Very, Entitled, Basic

Myths are a waste of time. They prevent progression.

- Barbra Streisand

Waste, Progression, Prevent, Waste Of Time

Success to me is having ten honeydew melons and eating only the top half of each slice.

- Barbra Streisand

Success, Having, Half, Slice

What is exciting is not for one person to be stronger than the other... but for two people to have met their match and yet they are equally as stubborn, as obstinate, as passionate, as crazy as the other.

- Barbra Streisand

Strength, Other, Obstinate, Met

I don't read music. Not even essentially. Not even nonessentially.

- Barbra Streisand

Music, Read, Even, Essentially

I have one son. Of everything I've done in my life, nothing matches the feeling of having life growing inside you.

- Barbra Streisand

My Life, Nothing, Having, Matches

I always wear the same thing at home. I can't be bothered with jewelry. My pants have elastic waists. I like to be comfortable. There are so many more important things to worry about.

- Barbra Streisand

Pants, Wear, Same Thing, Bothered

I don't care what you say about me. Just be sure to spell my name wrong.

- Barbra Streisand

Sure, About, Spell, Wrong

Why does a woman work ten years to change a man's habits and then complain that he's not the man she married?

- Barbra Streisand

Anniversary, Woman, Habits, Complain

I was kind of a wild child. I wasn't taught the niceties of life.

- Barbra Streisand

Life, Kind, Taught, Wild

I remember when I was 5 living on Pulaski Street in Brooklyn, the hallway of our building had a brass banister and a great sound, a great echo system. I used to sing in the hallway.

- Barbra Streisand

Living, I Remember, Hallway

When they tried me out as a host on TV, I found that I just couldn't be that gregarious person. I was stranger than that.

- Barbra Streisand

Out, Tried, TV, Stranger

Oh God, don't envy me, I have my own pains.

- Barbra Streisand

Envy, My Own, Oh God, Oh

My nose was part of my heritage, and if I had talent to sing and to act, why wasn't that enough?

- Barbra Streisand

Nose, Why, Part, Heritage

Issues of foreign policy have a place in every election for President.

- Barbra Streisand

Election, Foreign Policy, Policy

I'd started going to acting classes at 14, played 'Medea' at 15 and really wanted to be a classical actress.

- Barbra Streisand

Going, Actress, Classes, Played

Performing, for me, has always been a very inner process.

- Barbra Streisand

Always, Been, Very, Inner

I was raised on the streets, in hot, steamy Brooklyn, with stifled air.

- Barbra Streisand

Brooklyn, Streets, Raised, I Was Raised

I knew that with a mouth like mine, I just hadda be a star or something.

- Barbra Streisand

Star, Like, Mine, Mouth

I think of myself as a girl from Brooklyn.

- Barbra Streisand

Myself, Think, I Think, Girl

I like to stay home a lot. I like to do other things too, like decorate or build.

- Barbra Streisand

Other, Like, Lot, Decorate

Just like my father, I've always loved education. In school I was a member of the honor society.

- Barbra Streisand

Education, Always, Like, Member

When I sing, people shut up.

- Barbra Streisand

Sing, Shut, Up, Shut Up

I'm not that ambitious any more. I just like my privacy. I wish I really wasn't talked about at all.

- Barbra Streisand

More, I Wish, Like, Talked

I never sing in the shower either.

- Barbra Streisand

Never, Shower, Either, Sing

I only began to sing because I couldn't get a job as an actress.

- Barbra Streisand

Get, Actress, Began, Sing

Being a woman in music was fine, but when I wanted to direct, I was poking my head into a man's world.

- Barbra Streisand

Woman, Being, Direct, Poking

I like simple things. Elastic waists, so I can eat.

- Barbra Streisand

Like, Things, Elastic, Simple Things

I go by instinct - I don't worry about experience.

- Barbra Streisand

Experience, Worry, Go, Instinct

I just became a singer, because I could never get work as an actress.

- Barbra Streisand

Never, Singer, Became, Actress

My mother told me I should be a secretary, but I wanted to be an actress from when I was very young.

- Barbra Streisand

Mother, Young, Very, Actress

Around people I don't know, I'm totally at a loss.

- Barbra Streisand

Loss, Know, Around, Totally

I can take any truth; just don't lie to me.

- Barbra Streisand

Truth, Me, Take, Lie

The audience is the barometer of the truth.

- Barbra Streisand

Truth, Audience, Barometer

Men are allowed to have passion and commitment for their work... a woman is allowed that feeling for a man, but not her work.

- Barbra Streisand

Women, Woman, Her, Passion

I'm a work in progress.

- Barbra Streisand

Work, Progress

You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it.

- Barbra Streisand

Trust, You, Got, Discover

It is every woman's dream to be some man's dream woman.

- Barbra Streisand

Man, Woman, Some, Dream

Why am I so famous? What am I doing right? What are the others doing wrong?

- Barbra Streisand

Doing, Why, Right, Famous

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