{{Redirect|Little Tin Soldier|the Small Faces hit|Tin Soldier (song)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = What About Today? | type = studio | artist = [[Barbra Streisand]] | cover = WhatAboutToday.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1969|07}} | recorded = March 16, 1968; May 22, 1968; June 23, 1968; February 8, 1969; May 14 & 22, 1969 | venue = | studio = [[Columbia Records#Studio C|Columbia Records]] (New York, NY) * Hollywood, CA | genre = [[Pop music|Pop]]<ref name="Molanphy 2023">{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2024/02/how-barbra-became-the-original-taylor|title= The Hello Gorgeous Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date= February 10, 2024|access-date= February 10, 2024}}</ref> | length = 34:22 | label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] | producer = Wally Gold | prev_title = [[A Happening in Central Park]] | prev_year = 1968 | next_title = [[Hello, Dolly! (soundtrack)|Hello, Dolly!]] | next_year = 1969 | misc = {{Singles | name = What About Today? | type = studio | single1 = The Morning After" / "Where Is the Wonder? | single1date = April 1968 | single2 = Frank Mills" / "Punky's Dilemma | single2date = February 1969 | single3 = Little Tin Soldier" / "Honey Pie | single3date = July 1969 }} }} '''''What About Today?''''' is the eleventh studio album by [[Barbra Streisand]]. Released in July 1969,<ref name="http://www.bjsmusic.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/music/what-about-today|title=The Barbra Streisand Music Guide – What About Today?|accessdate=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902214945/http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/music/what-about-today|archive-date=September 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> it is notable as her first recording of contemporary pop music, featuring songs by [[The Beatles]] and [[Paul Simon]], among others.
Two singles were released to promote the album: "[[Hair (musical)|Frank Mills]]" (with "[[Punky's Dilemma]]" as a [[B-side]])<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Frank Mills/Punky's Dilemma|others=[[Barbra Streisand]]|year=1969|publisher=[[Columbia Records]] |id=4-44775}}</ref> and "Little Tin Soldier" (with "Honey Pie" as the B-side),<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Little Tin Soldier/Honey Pie|others=[[Barbra Streisand]]|year=1969|publisher=[[Columbia Records]] |id=4-44921}}</ref> which managed to reach #35 on Billboard's [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|Adult Contemporary]] music chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/barbra-streisand/chart-history/asi/|title=Barbra Streisand Chart History: Adult Contemporary|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|accessdate=October 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/barbra-streisand-mn0000855531/awards|title=Barbra Streisand Awards|work=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=October 17, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309021911/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/barbra-streisand-mn0000855531/awards|archive-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref>
[[Columbia Records]] re-released the album in 1993, along with ten others newly available on [[compact disc]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/1994/6/13/ilustrada/13.html|title=Barbra Streisand prefere grandes compositores ao pop dos anos 60|publisher=[[UOL HOST]]|work=[[Folha de S.Paulo]]|date=June 13, 1994|accessdate=October 17, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917155626/https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/1994/6/13/ilustrada/13.html|archive-date=September 17, 2021|first=João|last=Máximo|quote=''Barbra Streisand Collection'' is the title of the series with which Sony launches in Brazil, at economical prices (20% less), 11 CDs by the singer, today with 52 years of life and 32 years of career. (...) The singer's four exclusive CDs are "The Barbra Streisand Album", "The Second Barbra Streisand Album" and "The Third Album" (all from 1963) and "What About Today?" (1969).}}</ref> The album was not a commercial success, and became one of only three Streisand studio albums not to receive certification for record sales (the others being ''[[Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments]]'' and ''[[What Matters Most (Barbra Streisand album)|What Matters Most]]'').
==Background and production== In the late 1960s, [[Rock music|rock]] was the music style that dominated the charts in the [[United States]] and many other countries. [[Columbia Records]], concerned about the drop in Streisand's record sales (which until 1966 had been earning gold records with all of her albums and selling nearly 1 million with each of them worldwide)<ref name="riaa1">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=barbra+streisand#search_section|title=Gold & Platinum Database: "Barbra Streisand"|work=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|accessdate=October 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Inc1966">{{cite magazine|last=Lurie|first =Diana|title=Stricken with phenomenal success at 23, Barbra Streisand is more ridden than ever by self-doubts and fears|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-0sEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA93|date=March 18, 1966|publisher=Time Inc|page=93–|issn=0024-3019|magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]]}}</ref> had plans to make the artist's repertoire more contemporary.<ref name="davisstreisand">{{cite book|last=Mordden|first=Ethan|title=On Streisand: An Opinionated Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aiSQDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT101|date=2019|isbn=978-0190651787|pages=99–101|publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref> The agent of this change was [[Clive Davis]], who was brought to the record company by [[Goddard Lieberson]], and managed to bring a significant change in the record company's catalog of artists which was still closely linked to artists from the [[Great American Songbook]], the canon of American music composed by artists from the 1920s to the 1950s who sing [[jazz standard]]s, [[traditional pop]] and [[show tune]]s.<ref name="davisstreisand"/> Davis had helped the label hire artists such as [[Janis Joplin]], [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]], [[Kenny Loggins]], and [[Pink Floyd]], which turned out to be a great investment.<ref name="davisstreisand"/> Despite disagreeing with the idea, Streisand followed Davis' advice.<ref name="davisstreisand"/> In 1968, a single was released for the song "The Morning After",<ref name="singleTMA">{{cite magazine|title=Barbra Streisand sings The Morning After (AD)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pwoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA5|date=May 11, 1968|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]]|issn=0006-2510|page=5–}}</ref> which featured as a B-side the song "Where is the Wonder" from her 1965 [[My Name Is Barbra]] album,<ref name="mnib">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-name-is-barbra-mw0000196531|title=Allmusic Review: My Name Is Barbra|first=William|last=Ruhlmann|website=[[AllMusic]]|accessdate=October 17, 2021}}</ref> but despite having a more contemporary sound, the single did not appear on the music charts.
The album was produced by Wally Gold, while [[Peter Matz]] conducted and arranged the songs: "Ask Yourself Why", "[[Honey Pie]]", "[[Punky's Dilemma]]", "That's a Fine Kind O' Freedom", "Little Tin Soldier" and "[[Good Night (Beatles song)|Goodnight]]".<ref name="watproducers">{{cite book|last=Edwards|first=Anne|title=On Streisand:A Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8OHVCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA399|date=2016|isbn=978-1630761295|page=399–|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }}</ref> [[Don Costa]] arranged and conducted the tracks: "What About Today?" and "The Morning After".<ref name="watproducers"/> [[Michel Legrand]] was responsible for producing and conducting the orchestra on the songs "[[Until It's Time for You to Go]]", "[[With a Little Help from My Friends]]" and "[[Alfie (Burt Bacharach song)|Alfie]]", Legrand worked with the singer in many other albums.<ref name="watproducers"/> The photos from both cover and the back cover were taken by [[Richard Avedon]], in 1968, one of the photos from the same shoot appeared in the March 1968 issue of [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]].<ref name="baVogue">{{cite web|url=https://archive.vogue.com/issue/19680301|title=People Are Talking About ...|work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]|accessdate=October 17, 2021|date=March 1, 1968}}</ref> Four songs were recorded but not included in the final tracklisting "Chovendo na Roseira", by [[Tom Jobim]], "Lost in Wonderland", "Tomorrow I Will Bring You a Rose" and "One Day" which was used in 1990s ''[[The Earth Day Special]]''.<ref name="barbra-archives.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.barbra-archives.info/what-about-today-1969-album|title=Streisand Albums: What About Today?|accessdate=October 17, 2021|website=www.barbra-archives.info|first=Matt|last=Howe}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=AM-WATr>{{cite news | url =https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-about-today-mw0000654641 | title = Allmusic Review: Barbra Streisand - What about today? | author= William Ruhlmann |year = 2012| work = www.allmusic.com | access-date = 16 November 2012}}</ref> | noprose = yes | rev3 = [[Robert Christgau]] | rev3Score = unfavorable<ref name=RC-WATr>{{cite news | url =http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-aow/streisand.php | title = Barbra Streisand, Featuring Mary Hopkin | author= Robert Christgau |date= October 26, 1969| work = www.robertchristgau.com | access-date = 16 November 2012}}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' | rev2Score = favorable<ref name=BM-WATr>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rykEAAAAMBAJ&q=barbra+streisand+what+about+today+album+review&pg=RA1-PA66 |title=Billboard Album Reviews|date=August 23, 1969 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=2014-05-09 }}</ref> }}
The album received mixed reviews from [[Music journalism|music critic]]s.
William Ruhlmann, from ''[[AllMusic]]'' website gave the album two stars out of five and wrote that it is an unsuccessful attempt by Streisand because she didn't seem to understand contemporary music at the time.<ref name=AM-WATr/> He also wrote that although Streisand was two years younger than newcomers like [[Paul Simon]] and [[John Lennon]], on the record, she sings like she was their mother.<ref name=AM-WATr/>
Writing for ''[[The New York Times]]'', in October 1969, music critic [[Robert Christgau]] wrote an unfavorable review in which he stated that the singer was not suited to the music style chosen and that "not only is Streisand's emotion wasted on material so monotonous, as it is also shown as an arbitrary exercise".<ref name=RC-WATr/>
''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' wrote that the album tunes "were carefully selected" and shows Streisand "astonishing vocal capabilities" and also an honest message to the youth.<ref name=BM-WATr/>
==Commercial performance== The album peaked at #31 on the [[Billboard 200]] music chart and stayed there for seventeen weeks, making it the worst performance of an album by the singer at that time. In [[Canada]], it peaked at #26 on April 10, 1969, on the ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' magazine chart.<ref name="RPMc"/>
==Track listing== ===Side one=== #"What About Today?" ([[David Shire]], [[Richard Maltby, Jr.]]) – 2:57 #"Ask Yourself Why" from the motion picture ''[[The Swimming Pool (1969 film)|The Swimming Pool]]'' ([[Alan Bergman]], [[Marilyn Bergman]], [[Michel Legrand]]) – 3:03 #"[[Honey Pie]]" ([[John Lennon]], [[Paul McCartney]]) – 2:39 #"[[Punky's Dilemma]]" ([[Paul Simon]]) – 3:29 #"[[Until It's Time for You to Go]]" ([[Buffy Sainte-Marie]]) – 2:55 #"That's a Fine Kind O' Freedom" ([[Harold Arlen]], [[Martin Charnin]]) – 3:02
===Side two=== #"Little Tin Soldier" ([[Jimmy Webb]]) –3:53 #"[[With a Little Help from My Friends]]" (Lennon, McCartney) – 2:40 #"[[Alfie (Burt Bacharach song)|Alfie]]" ([[Burt Bacharach]], [[Hal David]]) – 3:20 #"The Morning After" (Maltby, Shire) – 2:40 #"[[Good Night (Beatles song)|Goodnight]]" (Lennon, McCartney) – 3:44
==Personnel== *[[Barbra Streisand]] – [[Singing|singer]], [[liner notes]] *Wally Gold – [[Record producer|producer]] *[[Michel Legrand]] – [[Arrangement|arranger]], [[Conducting|conductor]] on tracks 5, 8, 9 *[[Peter Matz]] – arranger, conductor on tracks 2–4, 6, 7, 11 *[[Don Costa]] – arranger, conductor on tracks 1, 10 *Don Meehan – [[Audio engineer|recording engineer]] *[[Richard Avedon]] – [[Photography|photographer]]
== Charts == {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1969) !Peak<br>position |- |align="left"|Canadian Albums (''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'')<ref name="RPMc">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6087&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6087.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6087 |title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 12, No. 7 April 10, 1969 |access-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310193336/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.6087&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.6087.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.6087 |url-status=bot: unknown }}. [[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]</ref> |align="center"|26 |- {{album chart|Billboard200|31|artist=Barbra Streisand|access-date=March 9, 2016}} |- |US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' Top Albums<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1969/CB-1969-10-04.pdf|title=Top 100 Pop Albums|work=[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]|page=45|access-date=July 16, 2025}}</ref> |align="center"|30 |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable" !Region !Date !Format !Catalog |- |United States |align="right"|{{Start date|1969|07}} |align="center"|[[Gramophone record|Vinyl]] |align="center"|Columbia CS-9816 |- |United States |align="right"|{{Start date|1969|07}} |align="center"|[[Compact Cassette|Cassette]] |align="center"|Columbia 16 10 0658 |- |United States |align="right"|{{Start date|1969|07}} |align="center"|[[8-track tape]] |align="center"|Columbia 18 10 0658 |- |Worldwide reissue |align="right"|19 October 1993 |align="center"|[[Compact Disc|CD]] |align="center"|Columbia CK-47014 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.barbrastreisand.com/index.php?page=music4 Official Site Discography] *[http://www.bjsmusic.com/what.html The Barbra Streisand Music Guide - What About Today?] *[http://barbra-archives.com/record/albums/what_about_today_streisand.html Barbra Streisand Archives: Records/What About Today?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615055856/http://barbra-archives.com/record/albums/what_about_today_streisand.html |date=June 15, 2016 }}
{{Barbra Streisand}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1969 albums]] [[Category:Barbra Streisand albums]] [[Category:Albums arranged by Michel Legrand]] [[Category:Albums arranged by Don Costa]] [[Category:Albums arranged by Peter Matz]] [[Category:Albums conducted by Michel Legrand]] [[Category:Albums conducted by Don Costa]] [[Category:Albums conducted by Peter Matz]] [[Category:Columbia Records albums]]