Barbra Streisand Neil Diamond – You Don’t Bring Me Flowers
Inspiration Behind You Don’t Bring Me Flowers:
Marilyn Bergman told a story about a couple drifting apart at a songwriter’s workshop with Neil Diamond in attendance. Television producer Norman Lear was looking for a theme song for Glitters, asking Neil to write one. Diamond took the idea from this workshop and crafted You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, asking Barbara Streisand to sing this duet. Since Glitter was about the reversal of roles; this concept led Diamond to craft lyrics of a couple sharing their true feelings.
Biblical Application:
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. 14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble, Proverbs 28:13-14.
Exegesis of You Don’t Bring Me Flowers:
You don’t bring me flowers
You don’t sing me love songs
You hardly talk to me anymore
When you come through the door
At the end of the day
The excitement and joy of this relationship is fading away. Conversation has ceased.
I remember when
You couldn’t wait to love me
Used to hate to leave me
Where is the passion that once kept you with me as long as you could stay.
Now after lovin’ me late at night
When it’s good for you
And you’re feeling alright
Well, you just roll over
And you turn out the light
Making love together has all but stopped except when the timing is right.
You don’t bring me flowers anymore
The love that you once clearly displayed is missing.
It used to be so natural
To talk about forever
But ‘used to be’s’ don’t count anymore
They just lay on the floor
‘Til we sweep them away
This relationship is falling apart as this couple seems to be drifting in different direfctions.
And baby, I remember
All the things you taught me
I learned how to laugh
And I learned how to cry
Well I learned how to love
Even learned how to lie
There was a time when this couple invested their time and energy into this relationship. Now they have learned to lie to one another.
You’d think I could learn
How to tell you goodbye
‘Cause you don’t bring me flowers
Anymore
Each is afraid of ending this relationship, but their actions, a lack of love, have clearly spoken.
Well, you’d think I could learn
How to tell you goodbye
‘Cause you don’t bring me flowers
Anymore
There is still hope for love and passion, but thoughts of ending this relationship have become prevalent.
Final Thoughts:
Relationships built on physical attraction often come to an abrupt ending. However, relationships built upon common goals and interests, have a much better chance of surviving. This is where having a will to love someone comes into play. Despite what you experience, feel or see, I won’t stop loving. When couples learn to meet and please the needs of their partners, love only intensifies. This is what is missing from You Don’t Bring Me Flowers where love is all about what have you done for me lately. While all relationships become stale from time to time, helping and serving those whom you love will keep passion alive.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 