Among the more anticipated tracks on Release Me, Barbra Streisand's upcoming collection of previously recorded but unreleased songs, is "Home," a soaring take on the anthem from the musical The Wiz.
Streisand initially recorded the song for her 1985's The Broadway Album, which marked a best-selling and hugely-acclaimed return to her theatrical roots after years devoted to singing contemporary pop songs. For undisclosed reasons the track wasn't included.
But while listening to her powerful 25-year-old vocals on the track, Streisand decided to re-record the bass, drums, and piano in order to fully realize the potential of the more uptempo arrangement of the popular standard, which serves as a sort of answer to "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, the source material for the 1974 musical. Streisand, a noted perfectionist, even enlisted the same three musicians who had played on the original session for the song to maintain continuity.
The iconic entertainer decided to include the song on Release Me, a collection of 11 songs (including "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" - listen here) she's recorded throughout her storied career but that haven't been included on previous records. In the liner notes for the album, which will be available on vinyl September 25 and on CD October 9, Streisand says, "The thing I'm happiest about is that I still have great affection for all these songs. They appealed to me at the time ... and still do."
Listen to "Home" below.
