The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

What a sad, sad day! Even outside his collaborations with Burt I sometimes would particularly like the words of a song and find out later that these were Hal's...The end of an era.

My prayers go out to Hal David's family. The music world, and America, has lost a truly gifted lyricist. Keep Hal's family in your prayers. R.I.P. Hal David. We'll miss you.

I'm very sorry to hear this news. One of the very best lyric writers and so many great songs with Burt Bacharach and others.

Hal has gone but his work will live on.

May he Rest In Peace.

Peter Greenhill

May this remarkable lyricist and remarkable man, who's left behind a legacy that will no doubt continue to inspire, rest in peace.

My own tribute to Hal can be found at The Second Disc:
http://theseconddisc.com/2012/09/02/in- ... 1921-2012/

All best,

Joe

Sad news that spells, stylistically at least, probably the end of a songwriting era.

But he leaves a wonderful legacy of evergreen standards that will continue to be enjoyed by countless millions, including those not yet born.

RIP Hal, and thank you.

Martyn

People always refer to "Bacharach-David," but "David-Bacharach" would be just as apt. There was never anyone else like him, before or after. What unimaginable good fortune that they found each other and worked together.

The joy his lyrics brought the world is a power greater than can be measured by one life. I read this while listening to "Where there's A Heartache". His greatness can be measured by the generations to come that will discover his astounding gifts, his lyrics, his humanity and his gentleness.

R.I.P Hal.

A very sad news. There is nothing to say, except: Thanks Hal David, we will not ever forget You.

I think Dionne Warwick said it best:

"'Hal doesn't just write songs,' she said. 'He writes himself. There's nothing contrived in what he does. He goes by feeling. The Windows of the World has become one of our biggest hits, yet Hal didn't even think of it as a song to be written but as something that had to be said. Other people have been thinking it, and one day he just found a way to say it. It's about the kind of world we live in, and the way we feel about it, and again he tells it simply in just the way we'd like to say it ourselves.'"

-From the book, "Burt Bacharach & Hal David What the World Needs Now".

Hal David, R.I.P.

The greatest ever. RIP Hal.

Without even trying, I learned quite a bit of English by listening to his lyrics.
I once thanked him briefly, in person, after a matinee of Promises, Promises at City Center's Encore series. I find this comforting.
But thanks again, Mr. David.

With profound gratitude for an exceptional songwriter


`` Without true love we just exist ``


David Young

Nice tribute from BBC disc jockey and pop music historian Paul Gambaccini:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19454289

Obituary from UK daily 'The Telegraph'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituar ... David.html