The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

If you grew up in the 60s it was impossible not to be excited and moved by the records of the Beach Boys and the songs of Brian Wilson, whose death yesterday I only found out about this morning. Thanks to my elder sister being a big fan of the group at the time I got to hear a lot from the albums 'P...

'Knowing When To Leave' is based on major 7th and minor 7th chords and listening to the isolated alto from the three part harmony version it sounds like she's singing some of those 7th notes. The song has always been popular among Bacharach aficionados but despite dozens of recordings in the late 60...

The first time I became aware of Roger Nichols was when I heard his cover version of 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' on an A&M sampler album of Bacharach songs released in the early 70s.

Singer Jane Morgan was the first female artist to have a Top 40 hit in the US with a Bacharach song and congratulations are in order as today is her 101st birthday. It must be the way the melody and chord progression take an unconventional turning in 'With Open Arms' that really caught my ear back ...

Hank, Tori Holub sang Close To You in the show and I see that she's been getting some very good notices. Among the other songs she performs is this personal favourite.

I'd forgotten how haunting the guitar riff is in Blue Guitar, an early Bacharach & David obscurity and the A-side of Richard Chamberlain's original recording of Close To You. I say 'obscurity' but I see that it peaked just outside Billboard's Top 40 in 1963. I see also that it features a Bachara...

And didn't Gene McDaniels also write one of Roberta Flack's biggest hits?

He's long been a favourite of mine and I remember dancing to his 'Moody Woman' in my clubbing days. Among the many videos of him lip-syncing to his hits on TV in the 60s and 70s I recently stumbled upon one of him singing live with just his brother Billy on guitar. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xget...

I'm surprised Rob Shirakbari's missus Rumer isn't involved, especially given that she once released an album of Bacharach & David songs with him at the helm as the arranger and producer.

No, it's not exactly a big shock that Todd Rundgren should be an admirer of Burt's, it's just the performing aspect that I'm surprised about.

Todd Rundgren's involvement in this show is a bit of a surprise, to say the least.

I was curious as to how their version of 'The Highwayman' sounded and was surprised to discover that Ashley Campbell sings it rather than Thor Jensen.

As impressions go I'd say that they were more approximate than accurate.

Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand is an LP that's been played a lot in our household and I've never heard him sound better. The way he sings the line "I will love no more" at the end of his rendition of 'I Will Say Goodbye' gets me every time. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AtESeKNroLM&pp...

Dr John's attractive piano piece Pretty Libby was written for Libby Titus and it's included on his album Dr John Plays Mac Rebbenack Vol.2.