Walls cover art

  Studio Album · No. 14

Walls Songwriting Credits by Barbra Streisand

2018 Columbia Records 11 tracks 47 min

Produced by Walter Afanasieff, Barbra Streisand, John Shanks, David Foster, Desmond Child, Jonas Myrin  ·  Engineered by Jochem van der Saag, Vlado Meller

Columbia Records Vocal PopPopAdult Contemporary
27%
Authorship
Co-Performer

Holds writing credit on 3 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 3 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Barbra Streisand carries a lyricist or composer credit.

27%
3 trackswritten by Barbra Streisand 8 tracksoutside writers
Barbra Streisand's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist27%
Composer27%
Producer73%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
17
Lyricists
6
Producers
2018
Released
Data Insight

Walls is one of the few Barbra Streisand albums where she takes a writing credit. Across a career built on interpreting other people's songs, here she co-wrote three of the eleven tracks: 'What's on My Mind' (with Carole Bayer Sager, Jonas Myrin, and Jay Landers), 'Don't Lie to Me' (with John Shanks, Myrin, and Landers), and 'The Rain Will Fall' (with Myrin, Charlie Midnight, and Landers). The rest divides between newly commissioned songs, including Desmond Child's 'Lady Liberty' and the Afanasieff/Bergman title track, and interpretations of standards: the 'Imagine/What a Wonderful World' medley, Bacharach and David's 'What the World Needs Now,' Bernstein and Lerner's 'Take Care of This House,' and her signature 'Happy Days Are Here Again.' Walter Afanasieff produced most of the record with Streisand co-producing.

Walls is the 36th studio album by Barbra Streisand, released November 2, 2018 on Columbia Records. It is an overtly political record, written and recorded in response to the Trump era, built around themes of division, liberty, and hope. Unusually for Streisand, who has spent most of her career interpreting other writers' songs, she is credited as a co-writer on three of the eleven tracks: 'What's on My Mind,' 'Don't Lie to Me,' and 'The Rain Will Fall.' The rest of the album balances new songs from writers like Desmond Child, Carole Bayer Sager, and Jonas Myrin with covers, including a medley of John Lennon's 'Imagine' and 'What a Wonderful World' and Burt Bacharach and Hal David's 'What the World Needs Now.' Produced mainly by Walter Afanasieff with Streisand co-producing, it reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number 6 in the UK, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
What's on My Mind
Barbra StreisandCarole Bayer SagerJonas MyrinJay Landers Barbra StreisandCarole Bayer SagerJonas MyrinJay Landers Walter AfanasieffBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
2
Don't Lie to Me
Barbra StreisandJohn ShanksJonas MyrinJay Landers Barbra StreisandJohn ShanksJonas MyrinJay Landers John ShanksJonas Myrin Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
3
Imagine/What a Wonderful World
John LennonYoko OnoBob ThieleGeorge David Weiss John LennonYoko OnoBob ThieleGeorge David Weiss Walter AfanasieffBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
4
Walls
Alan BergmanMarilyn Bergman Walter Afanasieff Walter AfanasieffBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
5
Lady Liberty
Desmond Child Desmond Child Desmond ChildBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
6
What the World Needs Now
Hal David Burt Bacharach Walter AfanasieffBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
7
Better Angels
Carole Bayer SagerJonas MyrinJay Landers Carole Bayer SagerJonas MyrinJay Landers David FosterJonas Myrin Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
8
Love's Never Wrong
Marty PanzerJay Landers Steve Dorff Walter AfanasieffBarbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
9
The Rain Will Fall
Barbra StreisandJonas MyrinCharlie MidnightJay Landers Barbra StreisandJonas MyrinCharlie MidnightJay Landers John ShanksJonas Myrin Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
10
Take Care of This House
Alan Jay Lerner Leonard Bernstein Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)
11
Happy Days Are Here Again
Jack Yellen Milton Ager Barbra Streisand Barbra Streisand (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 23 contributors

JL
Jay Landers
Writer
On this album5 written
JM
Jonas Myrin
Writer · Producer
On this album4 written
BS
Barbra Streisand
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album3 written
CB
Carole Bayer Sager
Writer
On this album2 written
WA
Walter Afanasieff
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
JS
John Shanks
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
DC
Desmond Child
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
AB
Alan Bergman
Writer
On this album1 written
AJ
Alan Jay Lerner
Writer
On this album1 written
BT
Bob Thiele
Writer
On this album1 written
BB
Burt Bacharach
Writer
On this album1 written
CM
Charlie Midnight
Writer
On this album1 written

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1974 0%
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1974 0%
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1980 0%
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1984 20%
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1985 0%
The Broadway Album
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1988 9%
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1993 0%
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1997 0%
Higher Ground
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1999 0%
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2014 8%
Partners
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Frequently Asked Questions Walls

Did Barbra Streisand write any songs on Walls?
Yes. Unusually for her, she is credited as a co-writer on three tracks: 'What's on My Mind,' 'Don't Lie to Me,' and 'The Rain Will Fall,' each written with collaborators including Jonas Myrin and Jay Landers.
Why is Streisand co-writing on Walls notable?
For most of her career Streisand interpreted songs written by others. Walls is one of the few albums where her own name appears in the songwriting credits, on three of its eleven tracks.
What is Walls about?
It is an openly political album made during the Trump presidency, with songs about division, liberty, truth, and hope, including 'Lady Liberty,' 'Don't Lie to Me,' and the title track 'Walls.'
What covers are on the album?
It includes a medley of 'Imagine' and 'What a Wonderful World,' Bacharach and David's 'What the World Needs Now,' Bernstein and Lerner's 'Take Care of This House,' and a new version of her standard 'Happy Days Are Here Again.'
Who produced Walls?
Walter Afanasieff produced most of the album and Streisand co-produced. John Shanks, David Foster, and Desmond Child produced individual tracks, with Jonas Myrin co-producing several.
How did Walls perform?
It reached number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and number 6 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Silver in the UK. It was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
Who wrote the title track 'Walls'?
'Walls' was written by Walter Afanasieff with lyricists Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman; Streisand did not write that particular song.

Sources

Wikipedia: Walls (Barbra Streisand album) Barbra Archives: Walls (2018) album credits MusicBrainz: Walls (release group) Cover Art Archive: Walls Cover Art Archive: Walls by Barbra Streisand