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No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" is a duet from 1979 by
Donna Summer and
Barbra Streisand. While Summer was famous for her
disco material and Streisand for her more
easy listening and
soundtrack work (though both had crossed over into other genres before), this song fused both sounds with a slow beginning (lasting almost two minutes) which then develops into a disco song. The song then becomes something of a feminist
anthem with two women taking action against their men and throwing them out.
The song was recorded for Streisand's
Wet album and also as a new track for Summer's compilation double album entitled
On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2. The full-length version was found on Streisand's album, while a longer 11 minute plus version (the 12" version) was featured on Summer's album. The Summer version features additional production by frequent collaborator
Harold Faltermeyer, and incorporates the harder rock edge symbolic of her work with him. The single was released on both
Casablanca Records (Summer's label) and
Columbia Records (Streisand's label) and sales of the two were amalgamated. The versions on the two 7" singles differed slightly however, with different mixes and slightly different background vocal arrangements. The formats differed between nations - in the UK for example, the song was only released on 7" by Casablanca, and 12" (the extended version from the
On The Radio album) by Columbia.
Although the sales of the two labels' releases were amalgamated, both the 7" and the 12" were certified Gold by the
RIAA in early 1980. The 7" single was eventually certified Platinum by 1997. The single spent two weeks at number one on the U.S. singles chart (making it both singers' fourth chart-topping single in the U.S.). It was also a big international hit, and made the top three in the UK.
During the recording of the song, Summer is said to have passed out and fallen off her chair having been out partying the night before. Streisand supposedly carried on singing her long note and waited until she had finished it before stopping and asking Summer if she was okay. Another rumour regarding the song is that Streisand's son,
Jason Gould, is the one who talked his mother into recording the duet as he was a fan of Summer's work.
It has been said that "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" almost never made it on to the
Wet album. The song was originally entitled, "Enough Is Enough", where the ballad introduction was never recorded between the two women. When the final song selections were being made, it was said by the producers that "Enough Is Enough" was not to be included, for it had nothing in common with the other songs, since the track did not interpret water of any kind (which was the theme of the
Wet album). Barbra Streisand really wanted the song on the album and thus changed the title of the song to "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", upon which the ballad introduction was written, to give more of an explanation of water to the song..."It's raining, it's pouring, my love life is boring me to tears after all these years...", and so forth.
The Swedish pressing of the Casablanca Records 7" single had a B-side called "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" (Special Disco Version) - a truth with modification since it was exactly the same version as on the A-side, only without the ballad intro ( - 3:04).
To date Summer and Streisand have never performed the song together live since recording it, although Summer still sings the song live in concert with other female performers, most recently her sister
Mary Gaines Bernard.
