Washington [US]: Music legends Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand have joined forces for a new duet of McCartney’s romantic ballad “My Valentine”, set to appear on Streisand’s forthcoming album The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, due out on June 27.
In a candid blog post shared on his official website, McCartney, 82, described the experience of recording with Streisand, 83, as both thrilling and intimidating.
“I did the session with her in LA and I was pretty terrified,” McCartney admitted. “It was a normal kind of session, about three hours, produced by my friend Peter Asher… but it started off with a big 40-piece orchestra on the Sony lot… and we were on ‘The Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage,’ so no pressure there!”
A Song Close to the Heart
Originally written by McCartney for his wife, Nancy Shevell, whom he married in 2011, “My Valentine” has already become something of a modern classic, having been recorded by artists like Michael Bublé.
Despite his familiarity with the song, McCartney said that the session presented unexpected challenges due to key transitions.
“What I’d forgotten was that they’d arranged it so that it had to go in Barbra’s key and then in my key,” he wrote. “To get from Barbra’s key into mine was kind of difficult, and I had to launch in not knowing what key I was in. Mine was lower, hers was higher. It wasn’t easy at all!”
Respect and Admiration
McCartney was full of praise for Streisand’s artistry, calling her a “smart cookie” and highlighting her skills beyond singing.
“She was great. I didn’t realize how rounded she is, creatively,” he said. “I thought, ‘Wow, you’re directing it!’ Then I remembered she’s directed three big movies.”
The session, which was filmed, initially left McCartney overwhelmed due to the number of cameras and lights. But he quickly recognized that Streisand’s direction was all part of her creative prowess.
Streisand: “A Joy to Record with Paul”
Streisand also celebrated the collaboration on her Instagram, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo with McCartney and writing:
“What a joy it was to record ‘My Valentine’ with @paulmccartney. To share time with him in the studio was truly special!”
Fans can look forward to hearing the duet when The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two drops on June 27, promising to be a highlight of the summer for music lovers around the world.