A Happening in Central Park

A Happening In Central Park is the first live album by Barbra Streisand. It was recorded at a live concert in Central Park in New York in June 1967 in front of an audience of 125,000 people.[1] The special aired on CBS channel in 1968, with selected moments from the live show that in its entirety featured thirty three songs.[2] From the show Streisand developed a stage panic that caused her to perform rarely in subsequent years. According to Streisand: "I forgot the words in front of 125,000 people-and I wasn't cute about it or anything", "I was shocked; I was terrified. It prevented me from performing for all these years".[3] She said to ABC News that: "I didn't sing and charge people for 27 years because of that night ... I was like, 'God, I don't know. What if I forget the words again?'"[4]

A Happening in Central Park
Live album by
Barbra Streisand
ReleasedSeptember 1968
RecordedJune 1967
VenueCentral Park, New York City
GenrePop
Length37:15 (DVD 53:28)
LabelColumbia
ProducerJack Gold
Barbra Streisand chronology
Funny Girl (soundtrack)
(1968)		 A Happening in Central Park
(1968)		 What About Today?
(1969)
Alternative cover
DVD release
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

On November 1, 1986, Billboard announced that a VHS tape would be released via CBS/Fox Video, with a new introduction made by Barbra talking about her experience doing the live performance.[5] In 2005, Columbia released a box that contained five DVDs, each with the five TV specials that the singer released in the 1960s and 1970s, including the special "A Happening In Central Park".[6] The DVD was released individually in 2007.

In 2018, the singer revealed on her Twitter that the special, along with others released in the box, could be watched via streaming on Netflix that same year.[7]

Commercial performance

The album peaked at number 30 in the US and has been certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies.[8][9]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Can See It" (from the Musical Production The Fantasticks)
2:58
2."Love Is Like a New Born Child"Chris Brown2:55
3."Folk Monologue/Value"Jeffrey D. Harris4:45
4."Cry Me a River"Arthur Hamilton3:05
5."People" (from the Motion Picture Funny Girl)
4:43
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."He Touched Me"
3:07
2."Marty the Martian"/"The Sound of Music"/"Mississippi Mud"/"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (medley)
2:40
3."Natural Sounds" (from The Juggler)Lan O'Kun3:08
4."Second Hand Rose"
3:01
5."Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Silent Night)"
3:34
6."Happy Days Are Here Again"
3:19

Notes:

  • ^a signifies arranged by

Personnel
  • Warren Vincent - sound supervision
  • Edward T. Graham, Stan Weiss, Phil Macy, Arthur Kendy - engineer
  • New York Times - cover photograph

DVD
  1. "Introduction"
  2. "The Nearness Of You"
  3. "Down With Love"
  4. "Love Is Like A New Born Child"
  5. "Cry Me A River"
  6. "Folk Monologue/Value"
  7. "I Can See It"
  8. "The Sound Of Music"
  9. "Mississippi Mud"
  10. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"
  11. "Love Is A Bore"
  12. "He Touched Me"
  13. "English Folk Song"
  14. "I'm All Smiles"
  15. "Marty The Martian"
  16. "Natural Sounds"
  17. "Second Hand Rose"
  18. "People"
  19. "Silent Night (Sleep In Heavenly Peace)"
  20. "Happy Days Are Here Again"

Charts
Chart (1968) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] 19
US Billboard 200[11] 30

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[12] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. William Ruhlmann. "A Happening in Central Park (Allmusic Review)". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  2. Terrace, Vincent (19 June 2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-7864-7444-8. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  3. "Drowning on dry land". Newsweek. 22 May 1994. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  4. "Barbra Streisand Looks Back on 25 Years". ABC News. September 22, 2005. Archived from the original on September 23, 2005.
  5. Seideman, Tony (November 1, 1986). "Streisand TV programs released by CBS/FOX". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 49. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  6. Barbra Streisand - The Television Specials (AD). December 2005. p. 123. ISSN 1062-7928. Retrieved October 22, 2021. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. Enos, Morgan (June 11, 2018). "Barbra Streisand Announces Netflix Debut of Vintage TV Specials, Extended Version of 'A Star is Born'". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  8. "Barbra Streisand Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  9. "RIAA-Barbra Streisand (Certification)". www.riaa.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5805". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  11. "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  12. "American album certifications – Barbra Streisand – A Happening in Central Park". Recording Industry Association of America.
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