Don't Lie to Me

Summary

"Don't Lie to Me" is the lead single from the 2018 Barbra Streisand album Walls. It criticizes the presidency of Donald Trump. A remix by Dave Audé spent twelve weeks on the US Dance Club chart.[1]

"Don't Lie to Me"
Screenshot of the music video "Don't Lie to Me"
Single by Barbra Streisand
from the album Walls
ReleasedSeptember 28, 2018
GenreVocal pop
Length3:57
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Shanks
  • Myrin
Barbra Streisand singles chronology
"At the Ballet"
(2016)
"Don't Lie to Me"
(2018)
"Imagine/What a Wonderful World"
(2018)

Production edit

"I just can't stand what's going on. His assault on our democracy, our institutions, our founders — I think we're in a fight. ... We're in a war for the soul of America."

Barbra Streisand to The Star[2]

The song was released on the 2018 album Walls, the first featuring primarily new material since 2005.[3] Co-written by the singer, Streisand felt a need to write the song to help her cope with the Trump administration.[4][5] "Don't Lie To Me" is the album's first single.[6] It was inspired by a road trip when Streisand was listening to the radio and becoming disgusted by the content of the news.[2] She originally wanted to create a subtle song, but ended up writing "Bombastic" lyrics.[7]

Composition edit

The song, written by Streisand, John Shanks, Jonas Myrin and Jay Landers, is "grand, lush and heavily orchestrated".[3] Billboard described it as an "impassioned, dramatic ballad with pointed barbs".[4] The piece has a "bombastic string-laden backing".

Reception edit

Billboard deemed the song "grand and politically charged".[8]

Charts edit

Chart performance for "Don't Lie to Me"
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[9] 8

References edit

  1. ^ "Don't Lie To Me chart history". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Barbra Streisand's new song 'Don't lie to me' inspired by Trump". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Barbra Streisand Addresses Trump In New Song: 'Don't Lie To Me'". NPR. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Barbra Streisand Talks New Album 'Walls' and Its Trump-Dissing Single 'Don't Lie to Me'". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  5. ^ Spanos, Brittany (September 27, 2018). "Hear Barbra Streisand's Trump-Dissing New Song 'Don't Lie to Me'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  6. ^ Weaver, Hilary. "Watch: Barbra Streisand Makes Her Music Video Directorial Debut for "Don't Lie to Me"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  7. ^ "Barbra Streisand comes for President Trump in new song 'Don't Lie to Me'". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  8. ^ "Barbra Streisand Releases Self-Directed Video for Trump-Inspired Song 'Don't Lie to Me': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  9. ^ "Barbra Streisand Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2019.