Towering Song Award
Linda Moran, President of the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame, announced that the Towering Song honored at this year's Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards was "What The World Needs Now is Love", written by the legendary songwriting team of Hal David and Burt Bacharach. Dionne Warwick, the preeminent interpreter of the music of Bacharach & David, performed The Towering Song at the Awards dinner June 10, 2004.
The Towering Song Award is presented each year to the creators of an individual song that has influenced the culture in a unique way over many years. Previous Towering Songs have included "Let me Call you Sweetheart", Yankee Doodle Dandy", and "Fly Me to the Moon". Commenting on the selection of "What the World Needs Now is Love", Linda Moran said: "This song swept the nation when it was a hit for Jackie DeShannon almost 40 years ago. It remains a beautiful plea for peace and understanding that continues to resonate in a world torn by strife".
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW
Performed in over 224 film and TV shows, such as:
Austin Powers
Forrest Gump
Sesame Street
Late Show With David Letterman
Every year it is performed in over 40 countries around the world, such as:
Australia
Malaysia
Poland
Switzerland
Denmark
Japan
Israel
ASCAP estimates that "What The World Needs Now Is Love" has been played on the radio more than two million times!
The show airs on Bravo July 18, Dionne Warwick performs What The World Needs Now for Hal.
Hal David Recieves Towering Song Award
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warbachavid
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"Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head," "Close to You," and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," are just three of the hits in a string of standards written by lyricist Hal David. "Raindrops," it should be noted, garnered an Academy Award for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
In addition, "What's New Pussycat," " Alfie," and "The Look of Love" received Oscar nominations.
Amongst Hal David's million-sellers are such standards as "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "Walk on By," "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and "One Less Bell to Answer."
Small wonder that Hal David has been honored for his way with words with every major award bestowed by the music industry, including 20 gold records, a Grammy, the NARM Presidential Award, and the B'Nai B'rith Creative Achievement Award. He has also been elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been presented with their coveted Johnny Mercer Award. Just recently, Mr. David was awarded the prestigious Grammy Trustees Award by the NARAS organization, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
In addition, Mr. David wrote the lyrics for film scores to Alfie, What's New Pussycat, Casino Royale, The April Fools, A House is not a Home, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Moonraker.
Famed country singer Willie Nelson duetted with the Latin star Julio Iglesias to sing David's hugely successful "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," which garnered a Top Country Hit of the Year award, before becoming a major pop hit.
His Broadway show Promises, Promises received a Grammy and was nominated for a Tony Award, when it first appeared on Broadway. Two songs, written for the show: "Promises, Promises" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," became instant hits. The Encore Series recently showcased Promises, Promises at the City Center -- prompting a new song to be written for the show -- successfully bringing together Hal David and his collaborator Burt Bacharach, after many years. Following that successful revival, the Reprise Series produced it in Los Angeles, where it was so successful that they presented it a second time in the same series.
When Dionne Warwick recorded his hit song "What the World Needs Now is Love," she commented that she felt it "should be the new national anthem."
His work is quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, and the book of his lyrics, entitled What the World Needs Now and Other Love Lyrics, was published by Simon & Schuster. The Joffrey Ballet features two of Mr. David's songs, "Make it Easy on Yourself" and "There's Always Something There to Remind Me" in its production of Love Songs, which is in its permanent repertoire.
Lincoln College bestowed a Doctor of Music degree on Mr. David in 1991 for his major contribution to American music.
His civic and charitable activities include The New York City Food Bank, member of the Artist's Committee for Kennedy Center Honors, and he is a Founder of the Los Angeles Music Center. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai Medical Center, as well as the Board of Directors of ASCAP, having formerly served as its President. He also serves in an advisory capacity to the Society of Singers. Mr. David is a member of the Acquisitions Committee of the Whitney Museum in New York and is a member of the Board of Visitors Committee of Claremont University in California.
In addition, "What's New Pussycat," " Alfie," and "The Look of Love" received Oscar nominations.
Amongst Hal David's million-sellers are such standards as "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "Walk on By," "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and "One Less Bell to Answer."
Small wonder that Hal David has been honored for his way with words with every major award bestowed by the music industry, including 20 gold records, a Grammy, the NARM Presidential Award, and the B'Nai B'rith Creative Achievement Award. He has also been elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been presented with their coveted Johnny Mercer Award. Just recently, Mr. David was awarded the prestigious Grammy Trustees Award by the NARAS organization, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
In addition, Mr. David wrote the lyrics for film scores to Alfie, What's New Pussycat, Casino Royale, The April Fools, A House is not a Home, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Moonraker.
Famed country singer Willie Nelson duetted with the Latin star Julio Iglesias to sing David's hugely successful "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," which garnered a Top Country Hit of the Year award, before becoming a major pop hit.
His Broadway show Promises, Promises received a Grammy and was nominated for a Tony Award, when it first appeared on Broadway. Two songs, written for the show: "Promises, Promises" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," became instant hits. The Encore Series recently showcased Promises, Promises at the City Center -- prompting a new song to be written for the show -- successfully bringing together Hal David and his collaborator Burt Bacharach, after many years. Following that successful revival, the Reprise Series produced it in Los Angeles, where it was so successful that they presented it a second time in the same series.
When Dionne Warwick recorded his hit song "What the World Needs Now is Love," she commented that she felt it "should be the new national anthem."
His work is quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, and the book of his lyrics, entitled What the World Needs Now and Other Love Lyrics, was published by Simon & Schuster. The Joffrey Ballet features two of Mr. David's songs, "Make it Easy on Yourself" and "There's Always Something There to Remind Me" in its production of Love Songs, which is in its permanent repertoire.
Lincoln College bestowed a Doctor of Music degree on Mr. David in 1991 for his major contribution to American music.
His civic and charitable activities include The New York City Food Bank, member of the Artist's Committee for Kennedy Center Honors, and he is a Founder of the Los Angeles Music Center. He is a member of the Board of Governors of Cedars Sinai Medical Center, as well as the Board of Directors of ASCAP, having formerly served as its President. He also serves in an advisory capacity to the Society of Singers. Mr. David is a member of the Acquisitions Committee of the Whitney Museum in New York and is a member of the Board of Visitors Committee of Claremont University in California.
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warbachavid
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They wrote the songs ...
Sunday, July 18, 2004
BY STEVE HEDGPETH
Star-Ledger Staff
"Songwriters Hall of Fame"
(Sun., 9 p.m., Bravo)
(Whitfield-Strong)
That's how the names of songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong were often seen on a 45 under the song title.
And what 45s they were -- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "I Wish It Would Rain," "War," "I Can't Get Next to You," "Smiling Faces Sometime," "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," "Cloud Nine," "Ball of Confusion."
Motown mainstays during the label's glory years -- as a singer, Strong had one of the company's biggest early hits with 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)"; Whitfield, who wrote "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and others before teaming with Strong, was also an innovative producer -- the two deserve more than a parenthetical remark.
And they get their due with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining a pledge class that also includes Al Green, Daryl Hall & John Oates and Don McLean.
(Another inductee is Charles Fox, who teamed with lyricist Norman Gimbel on many songs, including "Killing Me Softly With His Song," inspired by the aforementioned Don McLean.)
Among the presenters and performers are Regis Philbin, Bill Cosby, India.arie, Moby, Dionne Warwick and Macy Gray. Receiving special awards were Stevie Wonder, Rob Thomas and Neil Sedaka.
Sunday, July 18, 2004
BY STEVE HEDGPETH
Star-Ledger Staff
"Songwriters Hall of Fame"
(Sun., 9 p.m., Bravo)
(Whitfield-Strong)
That's how the names of songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong were often seen on a 45 under the song title.
And what 45s they were -- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "I Wish It Would Rain," "War," "I Can't Get Next to You," "Smiling Faces Sometime," "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep," "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," "Cloud Nine," "Ball of Confusion."
Motown mainstays during the label's glory years -- as a singer, Strong had one of the company's biggest early hits with 1960's "Money (That's What I Want)"; Whitfield, who wrote "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and others before teaming with Strong, was also an innovative producer -- the two deserve more than a parenthetical remark.
And they get their due with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining a pledge class that also includes Al Green, Daryl Hall & John Oates and Don McLean.
(Another inductee is Charles Fox, who teamed with lyricist Norman Gimbel on many songs, including "Killing Me Softly With His Song," inspired by the aforementioned Don McLean.)
Among the presenters and performers are Regis Philbin, Bill Cosby, India.arie, Moby, Dionne Warwick and Macy Gray. Receiving special awards were Stevie Wonder, Rob Thomas and Neil Sedaka.