The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

I've not seen this before - Andy Williams with a very animated Burt Bacharach conducting and playing the piano in a B&D medley from April '68. The three backing vocalists who take the lead on 'I Say a Little Prayer' look vaguely familiar and the one in the middle might just be Cissy Houston. Fas...

After just one hearing and despite EC singing flat through most of it, the song's potential is obvious.

I agree Blair. These awards are meaningless and nothing to get hot under the collar about. However, from what we know of BB's attitude to awards from his autobiography it probably does bother him when he's overlooked for something.

Although I knew of 'Amanda', Blue, that's the first time I've heard it. I see it's on yet another DW 'Best Of' compilation issued this week. This is a double CD of the '62 to '75 years and contains no less than 37 B&D songs. Details in the link below: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Very-Best-Variou...

Blair, forty-four years after buying a vinyl copy of the album I personally have never found anything on it remotely "unlistenable" or "ghastly". I had the pleasure of a brief chat with the lovely Thelma Houston after a 50th anniversary of Tamla Motown concert in London and told ...

Yes Sara, 'Where are you Now' has to be the best Bacharach 'impersonation' ever recorded. The Chris Andrews song 'Girl Don't Come, a big UK hit for Sandie Shaw from about the same time probably runs it a close 2nd:

Yes Blue, Bricusse and Newley were a great songwriting team for a while in the 60s and early 70s. My two favorites of theirs are 'Pure Imagination' and 'Feeling Good'. The latter's probably best known now via Nina Simone's remarkable recording of it in the 60s. However, Randy Crawford did a nice ver...

Okay, Cilla's not the greatest singer in the world, but she tried her damnedest on "Alfie" So full credit to the lady ! And besides, I rather like it. "blue" Bacharach states in his book, Blue, that he had great respect for both Cilla Black and George Martin and that's why he fl...

Although it's been mentioned once or twice, I don't think Sandi and Salli's recording of 'Don't Count the Days' has ever been available on Youtube to post on the forum, until now that is. It's less frantic than the Marilyn Michaels version and I prefer it. It was arranged by Gene Page: https://www.y...

Yes Blue, and apparently due to public demand. Let's hope that 'demand' is reflected in a high chart position. Like all bio-dramas dealing with iconic figures from recent history, it struggled to be convincing at times and the scenes involving the ‘Beatles’ were very clunky. While they made a pretty...

Andre' Previn once remarked that most people weren't aware that he composed '(Theme From) The Valley of the Dolls' because Dionne Warwick's US hit recording of the song had Bacharach's stamp all over it. As far as I'm aware, Bacharach produced it (with Hal David), played piano and conducted, the arr...

I don't whether Sheridan Smith's version will be released as a single, Blue, but it seems Cilla Black's own 1964 recording is doing well again and under the headline, 'Cilla Black re-enters top 40 with 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' following Sherdian Smith drama', the article on the Independent website g...

Lots of talk in the media about the possibility of Ms Smith's recording of 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' being released as a single. Interesing that she sings Cilla's changed lyric for the 1st chorus, "who couldn't be another heart" before reverting to the standard lyric "you couldn't real...

His 'Everybody's Song but my Own' has a lovely melody and chord sequence and has been covered many times. Here it is with words added sung by Sinne Eeg:

[quote="blueonblue"]This song was featured in this morning's edition of "Sounds of the Sixties" with Brian Matthew. Who else thinks this sounds very much like Dionne.....complete with the Bacharach singers ? Not dissimilar, Blue. Do you remember Pickettywitch's lead singer Polly ...