The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Just in case anyone missed this or hasn't heard recently

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afFUZQLi1kI

LOVE this

I was in Paris for a few days last week and while there heard Petula Clark's 'Ceux qui ont un Coeur' played on the radio, not once but twice. This was the big hit version of 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' in France in the 60s and was arranged and produced by Tony Hatch. Apparently she's never recorded the song in English.

Although Dionne Warwick's single of 'You Can Have Him' is included on this site's 'Hit Records' section as a Bacharach composed song, it was in fact written solely by someone called Bill Cook. However, as Bacharach tended to arrange and orchestrate Dionne's tracks in the mid-60s, regardless of whether he was the song's composer or not, I assume that he was responsible for the exciting arrangement. If I'm wrong I'm sure BachtoBacharach will put me right on that score, pardon the pun:

I`ll be corrected if I`m wrong, but it`s my recollection that Burt left the arranging chores to songs he didn`t compose to those like Larry Wilcox and Peter Matz. BachtoBacharach will be the ultimate authority.
By the way, Martin, did you see Hiromi in October?

Blair, with the heavy emphasis on the drums it doesn't sound like a Bacharach arrangement but according to the AllMusic website he's the sole arranger credited for the whole 'The Sensitive Sound' album, most of which was apparently recorded in London. As you say, by the time we get to the late 60s/early 70s albums by Dionne Warwick others are responsible for the arrangements on the non-Bacharach songs.

No, I was never going to be able to get to Hiromi's Manchester show and only found out about the low-key and poorly publicised church gig in London after the event. A real shame and I only hope it's not too long before she visits these shores again.

While we're on the subject of Dionne Warwick's albums from the middle 60s, I still own my LP copy of 'Here I Am' bought second-hand in the 70s. I remember thinking that this track was a bit of a mess the first time I played it and then believing it was the most exciting record I'd ever heard a couple of spins later. I've not seen this footage of Dionne lip-syncing to the record before and it's a shame that the picture and sound on this video aren't quite in alliance.

There have been many recordings of 'Knowing When To Leave' posted on this forum but never this one. Get ready for Joe Bourne's samba version:

... Like this pljms ... I suspect that Burt likes it too ... great respect for the song as composed!

Ron

A Dutch friend asked me the other day if I was aware of a "very catchy" Bacharach tune that was a hit in her country in the mid-70s? Turns out that 'De Zwarte Kat' (The Black Cat) by Ciska Peters is an adaptation of a Bacharach and David song from many years before.

Sara D wrote: ↑Tue Apr 21, 2020 1:09 am A Dutch friend asked me the other day if I was aware of a "very catchy" Bacharach tune that was a hit in her country in the mid-70s? Turns out that 'De Zwarte Kat' (The Black Cat) by Ciska Peters is an adaptation of a Bacharach and David song from many years before.

Sara,i welcome your post "with open arms".....(sorry)

'blue'

Nice one Blue, and although I suspect that most if not all would have recognised the tune, perhaps not everyone could have put a title to it. By the mid-70s Bacharach couldn't buy a hit either in the US or the UK so I should imagine he welcomed this little bit of success in the Netherlands with open arms, to re-use your pun.

Most if not all of us will be familiar with the Carpenters' version of 'Knowing When to Leave' from their Bacharach and David medley recording. However, they later recorded another version of the song for a different medley and on this the tempo is significantly less breakneck. Here it is isolated from the medley, the first time it's been available on YouTube for more than a few years.

Before I kvetch, let me say that I liked Carpenters albums in general. Richard was a sympathetic (re)arranger of Burt`s compositions and not a bad writer himself.
But Karen`s bland, sexless vocal here completely misses the point of the song. She`s just reading notes. It`s really (to my ears) just awful.

Liberace plays Bacharach...

'blue'

I hope it's not too long before I'm able to visit Berlin again. In the meantime here's the lovely German singer Marion Maerz with that Bacharach and David gem 'Einsaime Träume'