The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Where does one start with Michel Legrand? One of my personal favourites is sung here by a vocalist often associated with the great composer, Jack Jones. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=F9JOmpiSL3k I think that Jack Jones never sounded better than when he recorded all those Michel Legrand songs in the...

Bacharach always gets a big laugh when talking about Love's recording of 'My Little Red Book' during his concerts and the fact that he hated the way they changed the melody, hated the way they altered the chords but loved the fact that it was a hit. Although Smith took fewer liberties with 'Baby It'...

It's easy to forget, for me at least, that the Beatles once had a UK Top 10 hit with a Bacharach song, not in the 60s but in the 90s. I was reminded of this while watching a TV quiz show the other evening and a question came up regarding their lesser known hits, if anything by the Beatles can be so ...

'Seconds' is my personal favourite post-60s Bacharach song and it's a shame that it appears to be his one and only collaboration with Neil Simon. As for recordings of the song, I much prefer the version found on Bacharach's 'Futures' album featuring Joshie Armstead posted by Blue in this thread to G...

I was an admirer rather than a particular fan and the only record I have of hers is an old Atlantic 'Best Of' compilation.

The name is vaguely familiar but I wasn't quite sure as to Sam's gender. As you didn't supply a video/audio example I checked out a few of the more watched items on YouTube and didn't hear anything in his singing voice or in the melodies and the chords to particularly enthrall. In fact I found the c...

I've been playing Bacharach on the old Joanna for over forty years and what I've found is that the best songs of his are not only very rewarding to play but my appreciation of them simply as pieces of music without the adornment of vocals and orchestral arrangement increases tenfold. 'With A Voice'...

I agree with you, Blair, regarding 'The Only Music I understand', although it wasn't until I saw the London production of 'Some Lovers' that I fully appreciated it. Very touching song, especially when the two male leads harmonise at the end. As for 'Every Other Hour', I loved that too and when Josie...

I have listened to this recording several more times now on a high powered computer and although I still can't quite make out all the lyrics this is so obviously top-notch Bacharach I'm embarrassed now that I didn't quite grasp it straight away. In my defence I can only suggest that it has to have b...

With apologies to Chris1968 who's just posted this video in another slot, I thought given the 'buzz' surrounding the new song 'With A Voice' it deserved a thread of its own. Unfortunately I've been unable to attend any of the recent European concerts so this amateur recording taken from last night's...

I've been having a personal love affair with the track 'Everybody's Here' since I first heard the new album and Andy Connell's orchestration for the intro is so excuisite it gets me every time I hear it:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvjsSvphMak

From the same press launch gig last month here's their performance of a shortened 'Almost Persuaded', the utterly sublime title track of the new album. Not even the amateurish nature of the recording can obscure or diminish this song's sumptuous chord sequence: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ug6x2Pzb...

SOS did a London club gig a few weeks ago to preview the new album and here they are performing one of my favourites from it, the Michel Legrand influenced 'Everybody's Here':

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUtnyskJOs

... Blair and Martin: I've just been lifted out of "the rut" referred to here. ... Often forget how compelling a voice Randy Crawford possesses and I do pick up on the "sounds like BB" vibe - especially with the 2 words "People Alone". ..... Easy to imagine how Dionne ...

Although we're all aware how performing Bacharach can unravel those not accustomed to his ways, I was sorely tempted by this show on the evening of the great man's 90th birthday. However, an 'unmissable' jazz gig closer to home and featuring some of the cream of London's jazz musicians has won the d...