The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Not surprisingly, given the inclusion of so much 'lesser' material, the reviews I've read in the UK press of this recently released compilation have all run along the lines of, "He wrote some great stuff but, by golly, didn't he write some dross as well?" This is just my opinion, of course...

Thanks for the link to Englebert, pljms. I've always thought it a pity that Bacharach didn't cut 'I'm a Better Man' with BJ Thomas. It would have been interesting to hear his arrangement of the song, which in the hands of Englebert and the arranger Peter Knight sounds like a Les Reed tune. Not out o...

We all know it's quite possible to compile a 75 track 'Definitive' Bacharach compilation limiting it only to the Great and the Good, so it's a cock-up of major proportions by Rhino to include so much 'lesser' material. It begs the question who in their right mind with any sort of knowledge of the gr...

I prefer the 'Futures' version of 'Seconds' for Joshie Armstead's vocals as well as the arrangement. I just think she got much more out of the song than Gladys Knight. In fact, I think all four of Joshie Armstead's renditions on the 'Futures' album were stunning, especially 'Us' - has anyone sung a ...

Whether Once in a Blue Moon is credited to Bacharach and his dad or Bacharach alone isn't really important as it's an adaptation rather than a genuine original work. Yes, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this collection, especially for Patti Page's now historic Keep Me in Mind. I've heard ...

Well, I can whistle The Look of Love & Raindrops, not sure about Promise Her Anything, though! I think the song Alfie is a good case in point. The first couple of times I heard it I was probably asking the same question as my mother, but it wasn't long before the beautiful flowing melody had lod...

Promise Her Anything always reminds me of my late mother. Although as big a Bacharach fan as I am, she loathed this song. "Where's the melody?", she used to cry out whenever she heard it.

No, I'm sure it isn't heretic, Steveo - if the Drifters' version was the only one out there of this song it wouldn't be a favourite of mine either. In my opinion, merely by slowing the song down the Cryin' Shames improved on the original, the changes in lyrics and chords not withstanding. Because Du...

I've heard it and it's good. Using the Cryin' Shames' version as the template, with exactly the same alterations in the lyrics and chords, it's possibly even slower than their rendition, which I think really helps to fulfill the song's emotional potential. Besides, I've always thought that the Drift...

Sorry to be pedantic but the actual title is Captives of the Heart. I think it's the best thing Bacharach has written for Dionne Warwick since the 70s and so was more than a little surprised when Serene Dominick was almost dismissive of it in his Bacharach: Song by Song book. A rare lapse in taste i...

I hear that Duffy's recorded it for a new film biopic of Joe Meek and it will be her next single. Could take Burt back to No.1 for the first time in decades.

Adam Faith was just a pretty boy who's voice could turn milk at 50 paces. His British hit version of Message to Martha is marginally better. Later he wisely gave up on his singing career to concentrate on management and acting.

I doubt if Elvis would want to snub Burt in a million years. If indeed Burt doesn't appear on the show it will be more to do with the producers and, probably nearer the mark, Burt's availability.

Wonderful misunderstanding. You have to laugh, don't you.

Nice post, JR. Yes, his music has always sounded very 'American' to these English ears.