The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

The British composer Les Reed wrote many a 60s hit including It's Not Unusual, There's A Kind Of Hush, Here It Comes Again, Delilah, Les Bicyclettes de Belsize and The Last Waltz. My personal favourite was the song of his that probably owed the most to Bacharach, If We Lived On The Top Of A Mountain, a single by Cleo Laine from 1968 which, alas, remained firmly rooted to terra firma.

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

I remember back in the early 70s my dad had an album by Les Reed featuring him as arranger, conductor and pianist in instrumental versions of his hit songs. Alongside the hits were a few upbeat and insanely catchy tunes that got used as themes on radio and TV. Listening to this again now after more than forty years I can still hear my old man saying, "Listen to that orchestration, son":

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BmavF8PH1M8

R.I.P. Les, and thank you for the music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAbhkS_ipQA

"blue"

Les Reed had a strong association with Tom Jones and in all the press coverage I've seen since the announcement of Reed's death the same two songs were referenced each time, It's Not Unusual and Delilah, with no mention at all for either Daughter of Darkness or I'm Coming Home. I personally think that I'm Coming Home is one of 'Tom the Voice's' most moving performances.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=239mOROvZzY

Sara D wrote:Les Reed had a strong association with Tom Jones and in all the press coverage I've seen since the announcement of Reed's death the same two songs were referenced each time, It's Not Unusual and Delilah, with no mention at all for either Daughter of Darkness or I'm Coming Home. I personally think that I'm Coming Home is one of 'Tom the Voice's' most moving performances.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=239mOROvZzY

Sara,
Nor this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1agAUNZRp0

'blue'

I'd forgotten that Les Reed was responsible for Gene Pitney's second hit with the number twenty-four in the title, '24 Sycamore', originally recorded by Wayne Fontana.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tD9PX2KHNsA

pljms wrote:I'd forgotten that Les Reed was responsible for Gene Pitney's second hit with the number twenty-four in the title, '24 Sycamore', originally recorded by Wayne Fontana.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tD9PX2KHNsA

"killer" track, IMHO Les Reed was right up there with Tony Hatch.

'blue'

I couldn't agree more, blue, and it's a bit of an anomaly that despite writing twice as many hits as Tony Hatch he's probably only half as famous. I believe this was Les Reed's first hit as a writer and it's a record that practically screams "1964!" at you.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPMqUj7fE0

Hey, I remember hearing Les Reeds Arrangement for Tom JOnes' Its Not Unusual...I so noticed the 5ths in the low saxes in the phase "But If I ever" also the next bar- he did the same thing..these were on minor chords the III and The II chords..he really gave that chart one h*ll of a sound....We have lost a great one!