The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Yes, 'Evie' is definitely one of those songs that after you've heard it a few times lodge themselves in your subconscious and stay there. The only other sung version of the song that I know of is by a close-harmony group called Revival. At the risk of over-egging the omelette, here's an instrumental...

I see that one reviewer for Webb's memoir described his writing style as being influenced by Raymond Chandler. Another Webb curiosity, this one from 1970 that in cricketing terms 'failed to trouble the scorers'. Steve Ellis was the soulful lead singer in the English group The Love Affair who had two...

The Brian Matthew Story was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 last Sunday evening and was a fitting tribute:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01b8vh ... _and_music

It seems that for us in dear old Blighty the book is only available on import, at least for the time being.  You can just imagine in early 1969 Peggy Lipton's record producer Lou Adler asking Jimmy Webb for something along the same lines of his most recent hit song 'Wichita Lineman' and Webb doing h...

I've just heard the pleasing and yet poignant news that the final sessions recorded by Glen Campbell shortly after his 'farewell' tour in 2011/12 are to be released on an album fittingly entitled 'Adios'. The title track is of course a Jimmy Webb song, one of four featured on the album consisting o...

The story of the southern baptist minister's son who migrated to California and became a millionaire by the age of 21 through his songwriting is such a romantic one that it should make for a fascinating memoir. Apart from jumping on the singer-songwriter bandwagon, it would be interesting to read hi...

There's a special tribute show to SOTS presenter Brian Matthew on BBC Radio 2 Easter Sunday evening at 7pm. One of stars remembering him will be his personal friend Helen Shapiro and they go all the way back to 1961 when she made her TV debut at 14 on a show he presented called Thank Your Lucky Star...

Dear blueonblue, The Bacharach/Jene Miller song, "With A Smile" is from a Japan Nippon Colulmbia Triad cd "Tribute to Burt Bacharach" (1994). Nine tracks: "I'll Nver Fall In Love Again" by 5th Garden, "The Look of Love" by Soul Bossa Trio, "Are You There...

One thing this thread has reminded us of is just how extraordinary Helen Shapiro was at the beginning of her career and if any teenager could sing the blues totally convincingly it was her:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AXBy0w8u3PE

Maybe Alfie in his distressed state forgot that his sitter wasn’t female, didn’t have a double barrelled name and, the biggest oversight of all, wasn’t even a lyricist!

I think the likes of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter will be turning in their graves at the description of 'Shining' by DJ Khaled, Jay Z and Beyoncé as a 'song'.

Well done blue for just beating me in detecting where that, "Things have gotta change", line originated.

Sara, I can recall members of the Beatles enthusing about Helen Shapiro's 'Woe Is Me' at different times over the years and you can hear why they would. However, I think the 'Helen In Nashville' album hasn't aged as well as 'Dusty In Memphis' simply because it's much more a product of its time (1963...

Considering how attractive it is it's surprising how infrequently 'Here I Am' has been covered over the years and it's reputedly Brian Wilson's favourite Bacharach composition. Here are two recordings I've discovered recently, one sung and recent, one instrumental and ancient: https://m.youtube.com/...

Another Dionne Warwick flipside I remember hearing on the show, Sara, was 'I Smiled Yesterday'. Helen Shapiro's 'I Don't Care' always sounds to me like it would have been a big hit if it had been promoted over 'Little Miss Lonely' and it got played several times on the show: https://m.youtube.com/wa...

I believe that rather bizarre clip was taken from a French TV show in and around 1969 and may have been their take on what they considered to be English humour. 'Monsieur Dupont' was Sandie Shaw's last major hit so at the age of just 22 her glory days were over. Which is ridiculously young for such ...