Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

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blueonblue
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Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by blueonblue »

I've just heard the sad news that the great composer / songwriter Leslie Bricusse has died at the age of 90.

He composed and co-wrote many great songs (especially with Anthony Newley)...here's just one of them.



R.I.P. Sir.

'blue"
pljms
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by pljms »

Best known for his legendary songwriting partnership with Tony Newley which spawned so many great songs, Leslie Bricusse did take on a few projects on his own like the film musical 'Goodbye Mr Chips'. Here's Shirley Bassey's recording of one of the songs from that score which features a sublime arrangement by Johnny Harris.



In common with two other songwriting greats, Tony Hatch and Elton John, I see that Leslie Bricusse was born in the London borough of Pinner. There must be something in the tap water up there!
Paul
Blair N. Cummings
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

Bricusse and Tony Newley (singly and as a team) received critical "short-shrift" for some reason. Both made major and lasting contributions to popular music.
pljms
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by pljms »

Another lovely song that Bricusse wrote on his own, Something In Your Smile from the 1967 film musical, Doctor Dolittle.

Paul
blueonblue
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by blueonblue »

Apparently this was Henry Mancini's favourite composition....
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse.

'blue'

Martin Johnson
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by Martin Johnson »

It seems ridiculous to be surprised by the news of a ninety year old's death but I was genuinely taken aback when I heard about his sudden passing, mainly because I saw him interviewed only a few months ago and he seemed full of beans and good for another several years at least. One of my favourite songs of his is When I Look In Your Eyes, another number from Doctor Dolittle and it's sung here by his regular songwriting partner of the time who despite appearing in the film made no contribution as a writer, Tony Newley:
Blair N. Cummings
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

This is one of the best love lyrics ever written. I`m not sure that the Bossa Nova treatment was the best way to go with this but at least we got to hear Tony sing it.
Now, if only someone had demonstrated the nerve to sing the final line as written: "Isn`t it a pity you`re a seal"....
pljms
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by pljms »

More than once last week on British radio and television I heard the phrase, "Now, you're probably not familiar with his name", prefacing a report on his death, which you would think wasn't really necessary considering the remarkably long list of famous songs he either wrote or co-wrote, but my guess is if there was a straw poll taken of British people it would reveal that probably as much as 98% have never heard of him.

As a stark contrast to all the beautiful and touching songs posted on this thread, here's a novelty comedy number which was a big hit all over the British Commonwealth in 1960 and which Bricusse co-wrote under the pseudonym 'Beverly Thorn', a fact he kept quiet about for over forty years until he published his memoirs. I think it's fair to say that this song is too steeped in the British Music Hall to have ever caught on in a big way in the States, but it does demonstrate his extraordinary versatility.

Paul
Blair N. Cummings
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by Blair N. Cummings »

I don`t know; a few years later, the Beatles released an album overwhelmingly "steeped in the British Music Hall" that seemed to do pretty well.
Maybe Donegan`s label should have given it a shot.
Sara D
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by Sara D »

Another song by Leslie Bricusse that sounds like it was influenced by some of the old Music Hall favourites was 'I've Never Seen Anything Like It', performed so memorably in 'Doctor Dolittle' by Richard Attenborough. I believe Bobby Darin's recording of another song from that movie has been used in a couple of TV ads in recent times.

pljms
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Re: Leslie Bricusse R.I.P.

Post by pljms »

The most remarkable fact about both Leslie Bricusse and Tony Newley, and it was an aspect of their songwriting partnership that Bacharach was known to be very intrigued about, was that neither could read or write music or even play a musical instrument but with the aid of an amanuensis were able to compose brilliantly constructed songs that became instant standards and that have endured to the present day.

My guess is that as soon as this song was first performed in public in Nottingham in August 1964 during the opening night of the Bricusse and Newley show 'The Roar Of The Greasepaint - The Smell Of The Crowd', it was already on its way to becoming a standard.
Paul
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