Burt Bacharach

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Burt Bacharach (IPA: [/bɝt-ˈbæ.kə.ˌɹæk/], born May 12, 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an award-winning American pianist and composer. He is best known for his many pop hits from 1962-69, co-written with Hal David and sung mostly by Dionne Warwick.

Image:Burt Bacharach 1995.jpg

1 Biography
2 Legacy and influence
3 Selected discography
4 Hits
5 Other notable covers
6 Complete Work for Broadway
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Biography

Bacharach studied music at McGill University and the Mannes School of Music. In the 1950s and early 1960s he was the pianist, arranger and bandleader for Marlene Dietrich with whom he toured. In 1959 while still a relatively unknown songwriter, he got a big break when his song Heavenly recorded by Johnny Mathis and title of the album became a gold record. Later the same year another Bacharach song Faithfully also achieved gold record status with Mathis. The two artists have remained lifelong friends.

In the early sixties Bacharach paired with lyricist Hal David (and occasionally others) and wrote a wealth of popular songs throughout the '60s and '70s, many of which still enjoy popularity today. He and David wrote songs specially for Dionne Warwick who has charted some 21 Bacharach written songs.

The many songs of Burt Bacharach have been sung by a number of popular singers including The Beatles, The Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, B.J. Thomas, Tom Jones, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Dusty Springfield, The Drifters, Jack Jones, Luther Vandross, and, of course, Dionne Warwick, with whom he developed a remarkable musical chemistry and legacy.

Bacharach's music is characterized by the frequent use of innovative chord changes, striking rhythmic patterns, frequent modulation (that is, key changes), and odd time signatures (for example, 5/4 or 3/2), going from one time signature to another in the same song, often successively. An example of his use of peculiar time signatures is found in "Promises, Promises" (from his score for the musical of the same name). In this song, he incorporates a tricky time signature sequence of |3/8|÷|4/8|3/8|÷|4/8|. He currently (as of 2006) has a total of 52 Top 40 hits. In addition, many of his songs were often adapted by jazz artists of the time, such as Stan Getz and Wes Montgomery. The Bacharach/David composition "My Little Red Book", originally recorded by Manfred Mann for the film What's New, Pussycat, and promptly covered by Love in 1966, has become a rock standard. He composed and arranged the soundtrack of the 1967 film Casino Royale.

He has been married four times, first to Paula Stewart (1953-1958), second to actress Angie Dickinson (1965-1980), third to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (1982-1991)—with whom he collaborated on a number of pieces—and fourth (since 1993) Jane Hanson. He has four children, two girls and two boys.

In 1998, he collaborated on an album called Painted From Memory with singer/songwriter Elvis Costello. His 2005 album At This Time features collaborations with Costello, Rufus Wainwright, and Dr. Dre (who provides bass-and-drum loops). <ref>RollingStone.com Fall Music Preview 2005 Retrieved: October 25, 2006</ref>

Bacharach has had cameo roles in a number of Hollywood movies including all three Austin Powers movies. His music is also credited as providing inspiration for these movies.

During subsequent Burt Bacharach concert tours, each show would open with a very brief video clip from the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, with Mike Myers (as Austin Powers) uttering "Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Burt Bacharach".

Bacharach appeared in a 2006 commercial for GEICO Insurance. In 2006 Bacharach recorded a jazz album together with Trijntje Oosterhuis and the Metropole Orchestra called The Look Of Love (Burt Bacharach Songbook) which is scheduled for released around November 20, 2006. <ref>PlatoMania.nl Scheduled Dutch album releases. Retrieved: October 25, 2006</ref>

Bacharach appeared as himself in the October 24, 2006 Episode of Nip/Tuck: Connor McNamara

[edit] Legacy and influence

Popular songwriter Jimmy Webb has acknowledged Bacharach's influence on his work.
On Status Quo's album Heavy Traffic, Track number 8 is named "Diggin' Burt Bacharach".
On the cover of Oasis' first album Definitely Maybe, there is a framed picture of Bacharach to the left resting up against the sofa. Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher also performed a duet of "This Guy's In Love With You" live with Bacharach.
Estonian alternative-avantgarde guitarist/composer Leonid Soybelman released an album named Much Ado About Burt Bacharach's Walk On By

[edit] Selected discography

The Hitmaker Archive of Marlene Dietrich's recordings associated with Burt Bacharach's musical direction
Hitmaker! Burt Bacharach Plays His Hits (1965)
What's New Pussycat (Film Soundtrack) (1965)
After the Fox (Film Soundtrack) (1966)
Reach Out (1967)
Casino Royale (Film Soundtrack) (1967)
On The Flip Side (Television soundtrack) (1967)
Make it Easy on Yourself (1969)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Film Soundtrack) (1969)
Promises, Promises[1] (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (1969)
Burt Bacharach (1971)
Lost Horizon (Film soundtrack) (1973)
Burt Bacharach in Concert (1974)
Living Together (1974)
Futures (1977)
Woman (1979)
Arthur (Film soundtrack) (1981)
Night Shift (Film soundtrack) (1982)
Arthur 2: On The Rocks (Film soundtrack) (1988)
One Amazing Night (1998)
Painted From Memory with Elvis Costello (1998)
Isley Meets Bacharach: Here I Am with Ronald Isley (2003)*
At This Time (2005)

[edit] Hits

"The Story of My Life" (Marty Robbins, (US c&w no. 1, pop no. 15, 1957 - his first hit)
"Magic Moments" (Perry Como, US no. 4 / UK no. 1, 1957/1958 - his first big pop hit)
"The Blob" (The Five Blobs, 1958 with Mack David—brother of Hal David—from the movie The Blob)
"Heavenly" (Johnny Mathis 1959)
"Faithfully" (Johnny Mathis 1959)
"Baby It's You" (The Shirelles, 1961, then The Beatles, 1963, then Smith, 1969)
"Any Day Now" (Chuck Jackson, 1962, then Ronnie Milsap, 1982)
"(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance" (Gene Pitney, 1962)
"Only Love Can Break a Heart" (Gene Pitney, (1962)
"Don't Make Me Over" (Dionne Warwick, 1962)
"Make it Easy On Yourself" (Jerry Butler, 1962, then a UK no. 1 for the Walker Brothers, 1965)
"Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" (Gene Pitney, 1963)
"Blue on Blue" (Bobby Vinton, 1963)
"Anyone Who Had a Heart" (Dionne Warwick, 1963 and Luther Vandross in 1986)
"Wives and Lovers" (Jack Jones, 1963). Grammy nominee Record of the Year and Song of the Year
"Wishin' and Hoping" (Dionne Warwick, 1963, then Dusty Springfield, 1964, Stephanie McIntosh, 2006)
"Walk On By" Dionne Warwick, 1964, then Isaac Hayes, 1970 and The Stranglers in 1978)
"I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" (Dusty Springfield, (UK no. 3 hit, 1964, then The White Stripes, 2003)
"(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Dionne Warwick, (Sandie Shaw, UK no. 1, 1964, then Naked Eyes, 1982)
"A House Is Not a Home" (Brook Benton, 1963, Dionne Warwick, 1964, then Luther Vandross, (1981)
"What the World Needs Now Is Love" (Dionne Warwick, 1965 then Jackie DeShannon)
"What's New Pussycat?" (Tom Jones, 1965, from the film What's New, Pussycat?)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1965.

"Alfie" (Cilla Black, 1966, then Cher, 1966, then Dionne Warwick, 1967, originally from the movie of the same name)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1966, and won Bacharach a Grammy for instrumental arrangement in 1967.

"My Little Red Book" (Love, 1966)
"I Say A Little Prayer (For You)" (Dionne Warwick, 1967, then Aretha Franklin, 1968)
"The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield, 1967, from the soundtrack of the movie Casino Royale, Dionne Warwick, then Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66, 1968)

This song was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Song in 1967.

"One Less Bell to Answer" (Keely Smith, 1967, then The 5th Dimension, 1970)
"This Guy's In Love With You" (Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, US no. 1, 1968)

This song was covered by Oasis' Noel Gallagher in tribute to Bacharach on his 70th Birthday

"Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" (Dionne Warwick, 1968)
"Promises, Promises" (Jill O'Hara, 1968, and Dionne Warwick, 1968)

The Broadway soundtrack won Bacharach a Grammy in 1969.

"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (B.J. Thomas, US no. 1, 1969, Johnny Mathis 1969 in Great Britain, from the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

This song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1969. Bacharach also won the Academy Award and Grammy for Original Score for the movie. Grammy nominee Song of the Year

"I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (Dionne Warwick (1969) then Bobbie Gentry (UK no. 1, 1969), originally from the musical Promises, Promises). Grammy nominee Song of the Year [competed against himself in this category]
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" (The Carpenters (US no. 1, 1970) then Johnny Mathis and Dionne Warwick in 1969 Grammy nominee Record of the Year
"Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)" (Christopher Cross, 1981, from the movie Arthur)

This song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1981. Grammy nominee Record of the Year and Song of the Year

"That's What Friends Are For" (1982)

This song was originally written for the movie Night Shift and performed on the soundtrack by Rod Stewart. In 1986, a version by Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, and Elton John became an enormous hit, raising millions for AIDS charities. The song also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. Grammy nominee Record of the Year

"On My Own" (Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald, 1986)

[edit] Other notable covers

Jazz musician John Zorn produced a 2-CD set of Bacharach tunes (1997), featuring several avantgarde musicians, as part of his Great Jewish Music series.
To Hal and Bacharach is a 1998 tribute album with 18 tunes, performed by notable Australian artists.