5 gems that you may not be familiar with or have ever heard by Burt Bacharach
Bacharach also wrote a cheeky movie theme
This week we lost a true American treasure, Burt Bacharach. In his long-time collaboration with Hal Davis, the two wrote some great standards in the American songbook.
While most of us are probably familiar with library Bacharach-David songs performed by Dionne Warwick, the number of artists performing the duos’ songs is staggering.
For instance, even though Dionne Warwick’s version of I Say a little prayer for you is the most recognizable, for our money, Aretha Franklin’s version, which charted at #10 on the pops list, will knock your socks off.
Beyond that, there are a few more songs in the Bacharach library that, while not as popular, are worth remembering. We’ll start with a movie theme written for a late 1950 teen science fiction movie, The Blob, which interestingly starred a young Steve McQueen.
The Blob
If you want to have a little fun at a cocktail party, play the 10-hour version, especially after a few drink have been consumed, and see if anyone catches on!
Another singer Bacharach collaborated with in the 1960s pre-Beatle British invasion was Gene Pitney. As the youngest of five siblings who were born in the 40s and 50s, and having two teenage sisters in the early 60s, Gene Pitney had a run of hits.
Three of these were from Bacharach. They include (The man who shot) Liberty Valance, Only love can break a heart, and Twenty-Four hours from Tulsa.
After listening to the latter two, you’ll understand why the songs were appealing to teen girls in the early 60 pre-Kennedy assassination era. As for Liberty Valance, the song never made its way into what is acknowledged as a classic Western. (Don’t forget to scroll to #5 below).
Only love can break a heart
Twenty-four hours from Tulsa
(The man who shot) Liberty Valance
And finally, here is another gem from Bacharach-David that is more familiar, Tom Jones’ What’s new pussycat. Jones’s bawdy singing makes this perfect for the pride of Whales!
What’s new pussycat
Godspeed, Burt Bacharach.
