Long before it became one of Barbra Streisand’s signature songs, “Evergreen” was written to tell a love story on the big screen.
Released in 1976 as the love theme from A Star Is Born, the sweeping ballad quickly took on a life of its own. Co-written by Streisand and songwriter Paul Williams, “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)” became a massive commercial success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning its place among the defining love songs of the decade.
“They’re magical things,” Streisand told NPR of her songwriting instincts. “I can’t describe it to you. It’s why I could write ‘Evergreen,’ ’cause I hear it in my head. I hear it, and then I have to figure out how you do it. I had to learn to play the guitar to do it.”
“She sat down and played on a guitar, the melody for ‘Evergreen’ that she’d written,” recalled Williams in an interview with Songfacts. “It was just such a beautiful melody. I said, ‘There’s your love song. There’s the big love song.’ I asked her for the melody. She put it on tape for me, and I took it home.”
It was history in the making. The song’s success mirrored that of the film itself.
Streisand starred opposite Kris Kristofferson in the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born, portraying aspiring singer Esther Hoffman alongside Kristofferson’s fading rock star John Norman Howard. At the emotional center of the film was “Evergreen,” a heartfelt ballad that captured the enduring love shared by the two characters while showcasing Streisand’s soaring vocal performance.
The recording became one of the biggest hits of Streisand’s remarkable career. In addition to reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Evergreen” topped the Adult Contemporary chart and won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. It also earned Streisand a Grammy Award for Song of the Year, making her the first woman to receive that honor as a songwriter.
The success further cemented Streisand’s place as one of the era’s most accomplished entertainers. Already an acclaimed actress and recording artist, she added another milestone to a career that would eventually span music, film, television and Broadway, with “Evergreen” standing as one of its defining achievements.
Over the decades, the ballad has remained a fixture on adult contemporary and easy listening radio. Its lush orchestration, timeless melody and universal message of enduring love have helped it connect with generations of listeners long after its chart run ended, while its association with A Star Is Born has introduced it to new audiences through the film’s lasting legacy.
“I love when people write me and they say, ‘I played you at my wedding.’ ‘That song helped me get through cancer,'” Streisand told CBS News. When I help people through my music or film, that’s what makes me feel good, that I’ve earned my right to be born, you know, that I earned my right to be here, and to reap the success that has been lathered on me.”
Nearly 50 years after its release, “Evergreen” continues to rank among Barbra Streisand’s most beloved recordings. What began as the emotional centerpiece of a Hollywood romance ultimately became one of the defining radio ballads of the 1970s, proving that some love songs never fade.
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