Burt in São Paulo

FK · Post by FK » Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:37 am

Dear Friends and Fans,

Burt has played in São Paulo three times. I could not attend the first one in 1959 because I was just 7 years old. However I was there in the second (1974) and in the third show (yesterday). Additionally, I am really pleased that I could attend his shows in Houston (May 2003) and later in Costa Mesa (February 2006). All these shows are events to be always remembered in my life as I enjoy and admire his music for over 35 years.

The shows in Houston, Costa Mesa and Sidney were accompanied by a Symphony Orchestra, transmitting more musical power; however the show here included just his band and vocalists Donna Taylor, Josie James, and John Pagano, always sensible and perfect in singing.

Burt dressed his traditional black suit and white shirt. However he lost the button of his jacket while playing “The blob” and he grasped the moment to loosen up the audience and to laugh, saying he was feeling naked.

He is in good physical shape, thin, and continues to play the piano and to conduct the orchestra half seated half standing, extremely agile for an 80 years old person. However, he looked tired at the end of the show, probably due to all travelling for five shows in four different cities in Brazil in less than a week.

The program included these songs:
1. What the world needs now is love
2. Don't make me over
3. Walk on by
4. This guy is in love with you
5. I say a little prayer
6. Trains and boats and planes
7. Wishin' and hopin'
8. There is always something there to remind me
9. One less bell to answer
10. I'll never fall in love again
11. Only love can break a heart
12. Do you know the way to San Jose?
13. Anyone who had a heart
14. God give me strength
15. In our time
16. Falling out of love
17. Magic moments
18. Hot spell (I suppose)
19. The blob
20. Tower of strength
21. Go ask Shakespeare
22. Close to you
23. Make it easy on yourself
24. On my own
25. The look of love
26. Arthur Theme
27. What is new pussycat?
28. The world is a circle
29. April fools
30. Raindrops keep falling on my head
31. The man who shot Liberty Valence
32. Making love
33. Wives and lovers
34. Alfie
35. A house is not a home
36. Every other hour
37. Baby it's you
38. Any day now
39. What the world needs now

He presented two new songs.

The first one “Falling out of love” was composed with Jerry Leiber. Please see another post I just included in the Forum with a YouTube link to the version sung by Aretha Franklin.

The second one “Every other hour” was composed with Steven Sater and is the English version for “Come in ogni ora” sung marvelously by Karima and Mario at the 2009 Festival di San Remo.

In the other shows that I have attended, Burt talked more about his songs and career. Here he commented the difficulties he faced in the beginning of his career because he couldn’t produce a single hit for one and half year, and complemented commenting that today people don’t even recognize these first four hits (Magic moments, Hot spell, The blob, Tower of strength) as his music, not even him! He also proudly commented that “Baby it’s you” was recorded by The Beatles.

I couldn’t see a single empty seat among the 2,500 available seats. There were younger people over 20 years knowing his songs from the My Best Friend’s Wedding and the Austin Powers movies, as well as a “mature and receptive” audience (according to a newspaper article). All of them remembered and sung most of the songs with enthusiasm, and above all passion. Several people were really emotionally moved and touched for being there and enjoying Burt’s music live, just a few meters away. Myself included.

A couple remembered that they started dating hearing Burt’s songs and her daughter was conceive after they heard “I say a little prayer”.

A man had in his hands a vinyl LP Futures from 1973, which Burt has autographed in his second show in São Paulo in 1974. Now he expected to get a second autograph.

A woman had written a letter to Burt explaining that she loved his songs since she was a child, although could not hand it over because her husband was anxious to go home …!

Over 20 people waited to take a picture, to get an autograph or to shake hands with Burt after the show, myself included. However unfortunately the show production did not allow any contact inside the theatre and even later when the car left with closed dark windows.

I still need Vincent Cole’s advice and know-how to get my first Burt’s autograph and picture. That is why I call him super fan, although I fully agree that all of us in this Forum do love his songs and do respect the human being Burt Bacharach.

Now I hope to visit my in Norway and to attend Burt's show there in July.

Rio, enjoy the show in Rio de Janeiro.

Best regards,

Fernando Kneese

steveo_1965 · Post by **steveo_1965** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 8:26 pm

Dear Fernando,
I so enjoyed your post....thank you for reporting on the Burt concert
in Sao Paulo. You are a true fan...
: )
Steveo

Rio · Post by **Rio** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:28 am

Burt endend with Raindrops.
He did WTWNN before Baby It's You, as if it was the last song.
Otherwise, the list seems the same.

He was in god spirits and the audience seems to have thoroughly enjoyed the show.

I didn't see an empty seat.

Rio · Post by **Rio** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:28 am

Three things:

1- The crowd went nuts whenever Burt sang. For instance, they welcomed his singing in The Look of Love (the first one) extremely enthusiastically, also applauding in great excitment at the end of the song. His voice was great too! His Alfie might have been the best I've listened him sing.
My mother said she talked to two MPB (Brazilian Popula Music) singers she didn't know after the show. They said they were very emotional throughout the show, and cried profusely when he sang.

2 - I took a cab to the show. In the car, the radio station the cab driver was listening to played Arthur's Theme.

3 - The composer of So Nice/Summer Samba was introduced to Burt. Marcos Valle seemed touched and hanged around for a while after the show.
(Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcos_Valle )

Go to YouTube:

Superclassic song titled Um Novo Tempo (It's been the end-of-the-year theme of the major Brazilian TV network. It is played throughout December, usually showcasing its may artists.)

Another hit:

So Nice (Summer Samba) - Samba de Verão
(related videos: pick one)

Rio · Post by **Rio** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 11:01 am

I rewrote this and added what I believe is a better YouTube video.

Superclassic song titled Um Novo Tempo It's been the end-of-the-year theme of the major Brazilian TV network for almost 40 years. (Come to think of it, Valle seems rather well for his age. Still wears the long hair of the 80s.) The song is played throughout December, and each year there's a special clip showcasing its many artists singing it. It is also used in vignetes througout December (i.e., all the time you find hints of the song thougout regular programming.
This is probably a better version then the ones I posted before. End of the year + (International) Children's Year

Does it bother you that I place some videos related to Brazilian artists here? I do it because I see a close relation to things that Burt says or, in this case, because Valle was clearly thrilled to be next to Burt. Having been introduced to him as "a great Brazilian songwriter", Burt was very kind to him, considering the circumstances (end of the last show of a tiresome tour). Valle gave Burt two or three CDs.

Burt mentioned, during the show, that he had regrets. He wished he had been able to meet Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins and Djavan (for whatever it may be worth: this is the precise sequence in which he mentioned them). This was followed by sound applause.

Thank you for your patience.