Decorated artist Barbra Streisand went on the offensive in "Don't Lie to Me," her new song with what was initially meant to be "very subtle" references to President Donald Trump but turned out to be a full-fledged act of protest.
The single, released on Thursday, is a tirade of a passionate singer who questions the nation's leader, who isn't mentioned by name, but who can be identified through lines such as, "You can build towers of bronze and gold."
Streisand sings: "How do you win if we all lose? / You change the facts to justify / Your lips move but your words get in the way."
"All that we built has come undone," she bemoans, echoing the regret of the Democratic Party supporters who maintain that the Trump administration has offset the achievements of his predecessors.
The song peaks with a dramatic plea, "Can't you see we're crying? Where's the new horizon?" before asking, "How do you sleep?"
The 76-year-old Streisand, a vocal Democrat, has been an outspoken critic of President Trump. In 2015, she pictured then Republican presidential front-runners victory as "terrifyingly scary." Earlier this year, she called him "the liar in chief, the misogynist in chief," lashing out at his siding with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Roger Ailes, and Roy Moore — American luminaries who have faced sexual misconduct allegations.
This not to mention her Thursday tweet, which came in response to a media report about 19 women that claimed Trump had sexually assaulted them. "Accused of sexual assault by 19 women… how did Trump get to be the President of the United States?" she wrote.
Streisand's criticism of the US president has triggered a plethora of reactions on social media, with many internet users praising her bravery and sharing their astonishment.
"Once again, Barbra Streisand reinvents herself, keeps up with the times, and leaves us floored. This is amazing!" a fan wrote.
Others were more critical of the new political song and her author.
"Don't Lie to Me" is first new single off Streisand's forthcoming album "Walls," which she herself described as a "collection of songs reflects what's been on my mind lately, and I look forward to sharing that with you." The record follows her 2016 album of Broadway duets "Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" and marks her first collection of primarily original material since 2005.