More artists in their vintage years should use their star power to pull in wild collaborations. Barbra Streisand is a name beloved by many, adored by Richard E. Grant, and strong enough to pull the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney into the studio. This overwhelming surge of famous faces does not just appeal to the old faces who remember A Star is Born, but the new generation too, with Ariana Grande and Hozier featuring on the upcoming album, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two. Her lead single, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, a British folk song which depends on having a duet with a man who looks somewhat like writer Ewan MacColl, is rather sweet. That is all this album wishes to be, a little sweet. Streisand has succeeded with that, nailing it on the affable My Valentine cover.
She and Hozier make for a decent partnership, with the pair providing a sweet, soft cover of a song dedicated to Peggy Seeger. Those strings, soppy they may be, will win you over. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face initially feels like a lifeless run through a song of real charm, but it soon turns into a deeply moving, modernised observation on the rush of love. Hozier does the heavy lifting; Streisand adds that flair to the performance which is going to sell more copies of the album. That partnership is fair and hears the duo perform not as a pair, but as the conflicting lovers heard through the song. They add a new layer to the MacColl song, as any great cover should. Tenderness is what brings a track like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face to a new audience. The original is staggering. The many covers to come? Inevitable.
Yet there is charm from Streisand and Hozier here, neither outshining the other. The Too Sweet songwriter and the A Star is Born lead make for a considered overlap. Not only are they accepting the limitations of covering a song written for a specific relationship, but they are exploring well their emotive nuance, the little flickers which have us return to Hozier and Streisand, and will have us doing so for years to come. Whatever it is they possess, be it the shocking vocal range Hozier has, or the lounge pop legacy Streisand is carving out for herself here, we go back to it. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is an exceptional highlight reel for both artists, both receiving enough space to flex their charms and provide a fresh take on a romantic classic.
Those instrumental spots may feel inevitable, but they serve the song. Predictable, yes, but it is the only way for a passing listener to identify the love and longing on display. Hozier and Streisand are an unlikely but well-matched duo, bringing to life a song which oozes charm. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face benefits best of all from this. Not Hozier for working with a legend of the studio, not Streisand for performing alongside one of the finest contemporary voices around, but MacColl. It is rare that a cover pays true tribute to the artist, but what Streisand and Hozier manage here is a suggestion. Listen to the original, the many covers to follow. It is a route to the heart which is still clear of obstruction. A delightful addition to both artists’ discography, and a strong performance at that.
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