Stoney End by Barbra Streisand

Album: Stoney End (1970)

Charted: 27 6

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Streisand spent the early part of her career successfully singing standards and recording songs from Broadway/film musicals, but she made her first foray into contemporary pop with What About Today? - covering tunes from The Beatles and Paul Simon - to mixed reviews in 1969. She followed up with the pop-rock album Stoney End, named after a song by acclaimed singer-songwriter Laura Nyro.
To help Streisand transition to a more contemporary sound, producer Richard Perry looked at several Laura Nyro songs for her to sing on her second pop-rock album. In addition to "Hands Off The Man (Flim Flam Man)" and "Time And Love," he selected this song and convinced Streisand to sing it, despite her not being comfortable with the line, "I was raised on the good book, Jesus."

Like Nyro, Streisand is Jewish and wasn't raised to read the Christian Bible or worship Jesus. But Nyro was singing from the perspective of a character who came from a much different background than she did. Her father was a jazz trumpeter and her mother was a bookkeeper, while the girl in the song was the daughter of a poor miner.

When she first recorded the tune in 1966, her label, Verve, also took issue with the Bible reference and made her change it, fearing it would stir controversy. On the single version, released the following year, she sings alternate opening verse:

I was raised from love
And I was raised on golden rules
Till the love of a winsome Johnny
Taught me love was made for fools
Many of Streisand's fans were initially bothered by this song because it had more of a rock feel, with heavy bass and drums and her searing vocal. It was Streisand's biggest pop/rock hit until "The Way We Were" hit #1 in 1973.
Richard Perry produced this album with Phil Ramone as the engineer. Ramone would later produce several Streisand albums. >>
Suggestion credit:
Ken - Louisville, KY, for all above
Nyro recorded this in 1967 on her album More Than a New Discovery. In 1968, Peggy Lipton recorded it.
Streisand and Perry had a bet over whether this would become a hit, with the producer saying yes and the singer saying no. Streisand recalled in the liner notes to her 1991 compilation, Just For The Record: "The bet was settled when we were driving on Sunset Boulevard, and a local DJ announced on the radio that the record had just hit #1 in Los Angeles. What a great way to lose!"
Nyro, who wrote the song as a teenager, sings about spending the night with the man she loves only to be rejected by him after the deed. In her despair, she yearns for her mother to comfort her and laments going down the wrong path (the "stoney end"). At least, that's the way it seems, but the lyrics are rather ambiguous.

"You know, the lyric still confuses me today, but the melody is so catchy," Streisand admitted in a Sirius Radio interview in 2014. "It was kind of metaphorical and abstract - which is kind of interesting to guess what the writer intended."
Members of the all-female rock group Fanny provided backing vocals on the track. They issued their debut album, also produced by Richard Perry, in December 1970, two months after Streisand's single dropped.
Peaking at #2, this was Streisand's ninth Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Ally McBeal actress Jennifer Holliday sang this on the season 3 episode "Turning Thirty" in 2000.

Comments: 19

Rich From The Last Frontier from Alaska"On the album, she recorded two songs written by Laura Nyro, including "Stoney End."" Actually there were THREE songs written by Laura Nyro:
Flim Flam Man
Time and Love
Stoney End
Arthur from NjDuring her famous "Concert at the Forum" (which became a hit live album) Barbra said she could not decide whether to sing "Stoney End" or "Second Hand Rose" so she asked the audience to vote. I believe the liner notes said that after the audience chose "Stoney End" Barbra had to have the lyrics on the floor as she performed the song - she had forgotten the words!
Ralph R from San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, CaThe Stone Poneys, which featured Linda Ronstadt, recorded a moderated version of "Stoney End" for their album Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III in 1968 (Wikipedia) This recording has a country taste and can be found on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftTN6NGCsX4
Susan Rm from New York CityI agree with Clinton Schwind-this was the first Streisand song I remember hearing as a child. And it’s also my favorite-maybe because it’s got that rockin out 60s vibe and likely because Laura Nyro was a genius songwriter and Barbra was especially amazing when she was young.
Remember (surrey down to) Stone Soul Picnic? (Another Nyro gem)
Andy Mc from Arkansas Her voice is like butta!
Marilyn John, you do know Ms. Streisand is Jewish, don’t you?
Verity from DcThis song is beautiful. "John" below, is ridiculous. Interestingly, Laura Nyro was also Jewish, but she wrote that line. Absolutely great song.
John from Wildwood NjThis song is ridiculous I think that Barbra Streisand should be ashamed. The Christian faith is powerful the word is powerful the word is very important. To turn away from Jesus is not good and I know Barbra Streisand didn't write this song but if she has faith in Jesus she will be saved.
Bart from Dumont, NjDoing some looking around the Internet, the meaning of the song seems clear to me, especially if you hear Nyro's alternative lyrics (findable on Youtube) and the time in which the song was written (1966). The singer is a young woman who has sex with a man who she thinks loves him, but it turns out to be just a one night stand for him. I have read some accounts that "stoney end" implies that she was drunk or on drugs when this happens; she doesn't want to be yet another woman who gets stoned and has meaningless sex. There is a further implication that she loses her virginity to that man (which would explain her extremely strong reaction and desire to turn back the clock). And to those who say that it is about her coming to terms with her lesbianism, well, she was bisexual, not a lesbian, and there is nothing in the the Old Testament prohibiting lesbianism or an unmarried woman having sex. The first verse is implying that reading "between the lines" is a cause of her not wanting to see the morning.
Howard from St. Louis Park, Mn To me, it's my all time favorite Barbra Streisand song. Nowadays, it doesn't get played very much on oldies stations and I never get tired of playing it on various websites. I have also heard he original version by Laura Nyro and it is also outstanding.
Clinton Schwind from Tracy, CaThis is the first Barbra Streisand song that I can remember hearing on the radio growing up. I always thought the album cover was really cool, it just grabbed my attention. I was seven.
Warren Ellis from Washington, DcI believe that Stoney End was her biggest hit before The Way We Were, not Evergreen.
Jeanie from Alto, GaI only have one thing to add. JLS in LA, CA - "suposably" isn't a word. I think you must have meant "supposedly". Sorry, that is one of my biggest pet peeves.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 17th 1971, "Stoney End" by Barbra Streisand peaked at #6 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 25th, 1970 and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
Was track 6 on her twelfth studio album of the same name; it peaked at #10 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
Two other tracks off the album also charted on the Top 100, and both were also composed by Laura Nyro ("Time and Love" at #51 and "Flim Flam Man" at #82)...
R.I.P. Ms. Nyro, born Laura Nigro, (1947 - 1997) and Ms. Streisand will celebrated her 72nd birthday in three months on April 24th (2014).
Alan from White Lake, MiA great song sung by a great artist by a great writer. rip laura
Camille from Toronto, OhYeah, this is a great tune. I loved to hear it back in the 70s, but I don't think I knew till now the title of it was "Stoney End". I can understand why it was such a big hit for Barbra. She rocks out the lyrics, written by the genius that is known as Laura Nyro.
Jls from La, CaJo, so, from TX. Nah this was not her struggle with lesbianism though she had a relationship with Maria Desidereo for the last 17 years of her life. It is suposably about her father, Lou. Luie was not about her father, but this was a liberation from his control over her music and her feelings about her ownership of her talent. So told to me from inside her family. Who knows though. Either way its a wonderful pop song, and fits in even today.
Jo from So Tx, TxThis song was written by Laura Nyro. It is about her struggle with her lesbianism. Laura was raised with a religious education. She was very close to her mother and adored her, as per her father. She married but her marriage dissolved.Her feelings and passions raged within her. When she let go to of her feelings she wished she could start over again and wanted the security of her mother cradeling her again. "She was raised with the book of Jesus till she read between the lines..." She never wanted to go down the stoney end.... In biblical times women who did not adhere to religious conformity were stoned
Mark from Lancaster, OhThis and Carole King's "Where You Lead" were my favorite Streisand songs. Neither one likely pleased her more traditional fans, but they were both great.