Their pairing on the timeless 1934 classic “The Very Thought of You” feels like a beautiful surprise. At first glance, Streisand’s crystalline, powerhouse vocals and Dylan’s famously gravelly, understated delivery might seem worlds apart. Yet, on this track, the two legends find a shared warmth that brings fresh life to the beloved standard.
Dylan’s vocals here are gentle and unhurried, weaving seamlessly with Streisand’s elegant phrasing and the song’s lush, jazz-infused arrangement. Adding a lively touch is Grégoire Maret’s bright harmonica, dancing softly between verses and giving the duet a nostalgic charm.
Dylan is no stranger to reimagining standards, having released Shadows in the Night (2015), Fallen Angels (2016), and Triplicate (2017), albums that paid homage to songs associated with Frank Sinatra. But teaming up with Streisand, who herself has defined vocal excellence for generations, offers a rare meeting of two titans from different corners of music history.
In a recent conversation with The New Yorker, Streisand shared the story behind finally working with Dylan. She recalled that decades ago, Dylan had reached out to her with the idea of recording together, but the timing wasn’t right. Now, Streisand says, she’s grateful they could finally share a song.
“It was wonderful to have picked ‘The Very Thought of You,’ a song he loved,” Streisand shared. “He’s very shy, like I am. But he was wonderful to work with.”
Despite Dylan’s reputation for resisting direction, Streisand described how open he was during the recording process. “He stood on his feet for three hours with me. Everything I’d heard about him just went out the window,” she added, calling their studio time together “extraordinary.”
Both Streisand, now 82, and Dylan, 84, spent their early years navigating New York’s Greenwich Village, shaping their artistry in the heart of the city’s vibrant music scene, though they never crossed paths back then.
Years later, it surfaced that Dylan had originally written his 1969 hit “Lay Lady Lay” with Streisand in mind as the singer. When this revelation became public in 2020, Streisand responded with warmth:
“I’m very flattered to find out that Bob Dylan wrote ‘Lay Lady Lay’ for me. I remember getting flowers from him with a handwritten note asking me to sing a duet, but I just couldn’t imagine it then. Guess what, Bob, I can imagine doing it now.”
Now, that imagined duet has become a reality.
Released on June 27, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two continues Streisand’s tradition of pairing her iconic voice with some of the world’s most celebrated artists. The album, a follow-up to her 2014 chart-topping Partners, includes duets with Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Sting, Tim McGraw, Sam Smith, Hozier, Seal, Josh Groban, and Laufey.
Co-produced by Peter Asher and Walter Afanasieff, the album is available on CD, blush-colored vinyl, and all digital platforms. Physical editions feature intimate photos from Streisand’s personal archives and detailed notes on each track, giving listeners a glimpse into the stories behind these powerful collaborations.
