Album: Stoney End (1970)

Charted: 27 6

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• I was born from love
  And my poor mother worked the mines
  I was raised on the Good Book Jesus
  Till I read between the lines
  Now I don't believe
  
  I wanna to see the morning
  Going down the stoney end
  I never wanted to go
  Down the stoney end
  Mama, let me start all over
  Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
  
  And I can still remember him
  With love light in his eyes
  But the light flickered out and parted
  
  As the sun began to rise
  Now I don't believe
  I want to see the morning
  Going down the stoney end
  That I never wanted to go
  Down the stoney end
  
  Mama, let me start all over
  Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
  (Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
  Mama, cradle me again)
  
  Never mind the forecast
  'Cause the sky has lost control
  'Cause the fury and the broken thunders
  
  Come to match my raging soul
  Now I don't believe
  I wanna to see the morning
  Going down the stoney end
  
  I never wanted to go
  Down the stoney and
  Mama, let me start all over
  Cradle me, Mama, cradle me again
  (Going down the stoney end
  I never wanted to go
  I never wanted to go)
  
  I never wanted to go
  Mama
  I never wanted to go
  
  (Going down the stoney end
  I never wanted to go
  I never wanted to go) Writer/s: LAURA NYRO
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 19

• Rich From The Last Frontier from Alaska"On the album, she recorded two songs written by Laura Nyro, including "Stoney End."" Actually there were THREE songs written by Laura Nyro:
  Flim Flam Man
  Time and Love
  Stoney End
• Arthur from NjDuring her famous "Concert at the Forum" (which became a hit live album) Barbra said she could not decide whether to sing "Stoney End" or "Second Hand Rose" so she asked the audience to vote. I believe the liner notes said that after the audience chose "Stoney End" Barbra had to have the lyrics on the floor as she performed the song - she had forgotten the words!
• Ralph R from San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, CaThe Stone Poneys, which featured Linda Ronstadt, recorded a moderated version of "Stoney End" for their album Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III in 1968 (Wikipedia) This recording has a country taste and can be found on you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftTN6NGCsX4
• Susan Rm from New York CityI agree with Clinton Schwind-this was the first Streisand song I remember hearing as a child. And it’s also my favorite-maybe because it’s got that rockin out 60s vibe and likely because Laura Nyro was a genius songwriter and Barbra was especially amazing when she was young.
  Remember (surrey down to) Stone Soul Picnic? (Another Nyro gem)
• Andy Mc from Arkansas Her voice is like butta!
• Marilyn John, you do know Ms. Streisand is Jewish, don’t you?
• Verity from DcThis song is beautiful. "John" below, is ridiculous. Interestingly, Laura Nyro was also Jewish, but she wrote that line. Absolutely great song.
• John from Wildwood NjThis song is ridiculous I think that Barbra Streisand should be ashamed. The Christian faith is powerful the word is powerful the word is very important. To turn away from Jesus is not good and I know Barbra Streisand didn't write this song but if she has faith in Jesus she will be saved.
• Bart from Dumont, NjDoing some looking around the Internet, the meaning of the song seems clear to me, especially if you hear Nyro's alternative lyrics (findable on Youtube) and the time in which the song was written (1966). The singer is a young woman who has sex with a man who she thinks loves him, but it turns out to be just a one night stand for him. I have read some accounts that "stoney end" implies that she was drunk or on drugs when this happens; she doesn't want to be yet another woman who gets stoned and has meaningless sex. There is a further implication that she loses her virginity to that man (which would explain her extremely strong reaction and desire to turn back the clock). And to those who say that it is about her coming to terms with her lesbianism, well, she was bisexual, not a lesbian, and there is nothing in the the Old Testament prohibiting lesbianism or an unmarried woman having sex. The first verse is implying that reading "between the lines" is a cause of her not wanting to see the morning.
• Howard from St. Louis Park, Mn To me, it's my all time favorite Barbra Streisand song. Nowadays, it doesn't get played very much on oldies stations and I never get tired of playing it on various websites. I have also heard he original version by Laura Nyro and it is also outstanding.
• Clinton Schwind from Tracy, CaThis is the first Barbra Streisand song that I can remember hearing on the radio growing up. I always thought the album cover was really cool, it just grabbed my attention. I was seven.
• Warren Ellis from Washington, DcI believe that Stoney End was her biggest hit before The Way We Were, not Evergreen.
• Jeanie from Alto, GaI only have one thing to add. JLS in LA, CA - "suposably" isn't a word. I think you must have meant "supposedly". Sorry, that is one of my biggest pet peeves.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 17th 1971, "Stoney End" by Barbra Streisand peaked at #6 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 25th, 1970 and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100...
  It reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
  Was track 6 on her twelfth studio album of the same name; it peaked at #10 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
  Two other tracks off the album also charted on the Top 100, and both were also composed by Laura Nyro ("Time and Love" at #51 and "Flim Flam Man" at #82)...
  R.I.P. Ms. Nyro, born Laura Nigro, (1947 - 1997) and Ms. Streisand will celebrated her 72nd birthday in three months on April 24th (2014).
• Alan from White Lake, MiA great song sung by a great artist by a great writer. rip laura
• Camille from Toronto, OhYeah, this is a great tune. I loved to hear it back in the 70s, but I don't think I knew till now the title of it was "Stoney End". I can understand why it was such a big hit for Barbra. She rocks out the lyrics, written by the genius that is known as Laura Nyro.
• Jls from La, CaJo, so, from TX. Nah this was not her struggle with lesbianism though she had a relationship with Maria Desidereo for the last 17 years of her life. It is suposably about her father, Lou. Luie was not about her father, but this was a liberation from his control over her music and her feelings about her ownership of her talent. So told to me from inside her family. Who knows though. Either way its a wonderful pop song, and fits in even today.
• Jo from So Tx, TxThis song was written by Laura Nyro. It is about her struggle with her lesbianism. Laura was raised with a religious education. She was very close to her mother and adored her, as per her father. She married but her marriage dissolved.Her feelings and passions raged within her. When she let go to of her feelings she wished she could start over again and wanted the security of her mother cradeling her again. "She was raised with the book of Jesus till she read between the lines..." She never wanted to go down the stoney end.... In biblical times women who did not adhere to religious conformity were stoned
• Mark from Lancaster, OhThis and Carole King's "Where You Lead" were my favorite Streisand songs. Neither one likely pleased her more traditional fans, but they were both great.

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