Close To You, Closer To Me

[Blair N. Cummings]

Roughly a decade ago, Burt conceded that he had "the wrong groove" when he originally arranged the song for Dionne and that "Richard came along and nailed it."
Why, then, after the song was a hit for Carpenters, did he turn around and record it himself using nearly the precise concept of the `63 version?
Had he not yet realized he`d been (uncharacteristically)out-done? Did he still think the original superior? Was it just an "Oh,yeah?" to Richard?
I like Burt`s recording, but chiefly for the little coda which really could have been appended to any number of songs.

[BachtoBacharach]

I actually prefer Burt's version and Dionne Warwick's 1972 version from her "Dionne" album to the Carpenters version, Dionne's demo and Chamberlain's recording. I do like the Carpenters version though. There is also an interesting coda on Dionne's 1972 version that sounds very Burt although I believe that version was arranged either by Bob James or Don Sebesky although I don't have the liner notes handy for that album. I really think Burt probably preferred his own arrangement...obviously so since it was based upon his original arrangement.

[grooverider]

Bob James did indeed arrange Dionne Warwick's 1972 version. I really like the Carpenters version and I also include two other versions: Dusty Springfield's great version (a little more uptempo) and the version that I absolutely like the best is by Ken Berry (a beautiful Artie Butler arrangement), which was not just a cookie cutter copy of Richard Carpenter's but still included elements from it. (Unfortunately that version is not available on cd yet, as far as I know.)
I've always wondered about the title itself, "They Long To be Close To You", which I understand Richard Carpenter shortened with those parenthesis (sp?). Did Burt Bacharach have any objections to this abbreviation, or was it inconsequential, since it turned into such a big hit?

[steveo_1965]

BURt did indeed record his version of CLose to YOu on his early 70's album similar to the way he did his original early 60's vocal arrangements for singers, and did not mimic The Carpenters version...
I thought this was interesting as well....I think he wanted to (obviously) keep his smooth version of it..(the 8th note flow)...I also enjoyed his little tag on it...
piano solo with strings. MY take on it is that he wanted to be true to his own concept, but he modernized it a bit with the unision girls and different string lines..

Steveo

[JR]

NEWS & VIEWS > ASK THE GEATOR

Bobby Vee’s song “Run to Him” (“If you’ve found another guy who satisfies you more than I do, run to him”) always reminds me of “Close to You” (“On the day that you were born the angels came together . . . “). The melodies are almost exactly the same. Is there any connection? — Deb Rush, Linwood

With songwriters, ideas often come from listening to other compositions by great writers. “Run to Him,” written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was released in 1961. “Close to You,” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was first recorded in 1963, though it wasn’t a hit till 1970. I don’t know of any connection between the two songs, but it’s possible that the melody in “Run to Him” inspired the bridge in “Close to You.”

[steveo_1965]

Sure, we all do it (I write a bit myself) But we don't try to. When one is writing a song, one tries to "pull" from what they like, and if they subconciously did like a song or part of it, snippets may appear in other tunes they create...? I've seen this over and over...
there are certain copyright laws, and I can't remember, but I think after 8 bars, you have to change it or something..
and there are only 12 tones to the scale..so we writers do get in "some of that"
One of the famous cases where it was "more" than just a snippet - and a song was subconciously copied was My Sweet Lord(Geore Harrison) from He's So Fine(The Chiffons-Ronnie Mack)
You refer to the melody part in question of"Run To Him"..but where did those writers get it from? It might be oringinal , or Perhaps they heard part of their song from somewhere else..(famous or non famous)
well...it happens..and the comparisons are always interesting.

Steveo

[russellhk]

Actually, "Run to Him" was written by Jack Keller (who wrote the melody) and Gerry Goffin (who wrote the words). Both writers were from the Brill Building and were friends with Burt, who also worked in the same building. So this sort of "borrowing" was often a result of being part of competitive yet tight knit group of writers. When asked why he never tried to sue Bacharach for the bridge of "Close To You," Keller quipped, (something to the effect of) "I'm sure I was guilty of 'borrowing' from Burt at some point... so I just called it even."

[nowmedical]

Burt and the Carpenters choose diametrically opposing melodies for the beginning of the line "That is why..." - ie. melody going up or melody going down - and I'm never sure which I prefer. So now listen to Mario Biondi on his live album - yet another version!

[Bruce Bernard Williams]

My favorite version of "(They Long To Be) Close To You" is Dionne's from the 1964 album titled "Make Way for Dionne Warwick". As far as Richard Carpenter's shortening the title, I think that Hal David's approval/disapproval would have more of an impact than Burt's because he (Hal) was the lyricist. Any other version than that one (excluding Burt's) just doesn't have the sheer magic that only Dionne's voice could convey! IMHO, there were three (3) masterpices on that album: the aforementioned one, the Lou Johnson one titled "The Last One To Be Loved", and "In The Land of Make Believe". Nothing comes even remotely close to the brilliance of the Bell-lyre used in "Close To You" and also the punctuated Triangle used in the intro to "In The Land..."!