These songs, and more, need more exposure.

[gillanddon]

How can we get these fabulous Burt Bacharach, Hal David and Dionne Warwick songs back into main stream public conscience? Not just the major hits buts songs such as .. 'This Empty Place', 'Reach Out For Me', 'Message To Michael', 'Another Night', 'Who Is Gonna Love Me', 'Promises Promises', 'The April Fools', 'Odds and Ends', 'Let Me Go To Him', 'Are You There With Another Girl' and many more. It is still the best sound around to date and nothing seems to have reached the mark. Why do we never hear these songs? Who is in control of airplay time?

[vincent.cole]

Bonjour Gillanddon,

I live in New York City and every Wednesday for the past few months, it’s been Beatle Wednesday on WCBS 1011. I don’t know why they don’t play other artist for at least a month. Dionne, Burt & Hal would be an excellent choice. This would show the younger generation what singings and music was like in the Golden 60’s!

One day I will contact the radio station to see if my request would be honor. I have no idea how the royalties would play out. So Gillanddon, I am on the say page with you!

Take care.

Vincent

[Steve Schenck]

In a recent interview, Burt said something to the effect that he hoped true songwriting would survive. He noted the dominance of techno-driven club music on the airwaves. While I can enjoy that kind of sound for a while, I don't come away from it humming anything; there are few lyrics to remember, let alone to make you think about larger life issues. That's one of the great qualities of really good songwriting - the melody carries a message that is significant, and the words give shape and particularity to beautiful, memorable music. For whatever reason, it's just not what a large segment of the music-listening and buying public is interested in right now. But to be honest, I think memorable songwriting will return to popularity. In a lot of sub-genres of popular music, there are still great elements of storytelling and reflection, almost poetically so (I'm thinking now of the songs of Paul Simon). Eventually, I think superior music and lyric writing will once again get the wide hearing they deserve, and will once again begin to move the tide of the purchasing masses in their direction.

[Hank]

I think this is a really interesting topic.
I share your frustration that:
1) These songs were not hits (and in our opinion they should have been)
2) They don't get any airplay
3) The traditional qualities of good songwriting are not generally reflected on the radio / in the charts
I don't have any real evidence, but I blame the record companies.
I think the recent success of Adele..and the not so recent success of Norah Jones point to the fact that there is still a huge market for good quality songs (if they can be heard).
My feeling is that record companies - rather than being dependent on artists producing marketable material, have taken to aggressively marketing certain genres of music. That way, the record companies are more in control of the business, rather than seeking to catch lightning in a bottle.
I also think that this approach - way more than the impact of digital music - has been responsible for the downward slide of the music business over the last 10 - 15 years.
When I return to the UK (where I grew up), I'm always surprised that I can listen to and enjoy mainstream radio - somehow there, music is still king...and I don't think the music market in Britain is really that much different than here.
If my theory is correct....and the popular appetite for great pop music still exists, then the vaults are strewn with potential hits.
I'd love to be a radio dj and try to play "god" with some of these old gems....

[gillanddon]

Thank you vincent,steve and hank for your interesting feedback and for identifying with my frustration. Thinking about it I used to be just as frustrated in the mid sixties when I thought all the songs I mentioned, and more, should have been big hit singles ... I too generally find radio playlists very unimaginative .. even the recent Ronan Keating/Burt collaboration got no exposure! And the same for Dionne's Sammy Kahn songs even on late night jazz programmes. Let's get you on the air Hank and you can show 'em what it's really about. I would love to be a fly on the wall during the meetings where playlists are being selected. I think it must go a bit like .. if it's Dionne it will be San Jose, if it's Aretha it will be Say a Little Prayer, if it's Tom Jones it's Green green Grass of Home, Bette Midler .. Wind Beneath My Wings and so on down the line. One song only per artist is the only chance you get. Although it has been encouraging how Adele has been given such wide exposure with a number of songs from her two CD's.