The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Since we seem to be in rerun season here, this at least has a tangential connection to the above cited Crusaders. I believed until I saw the credit that Burt wrote this melody. For those who came in late, it`s by Lalo ("Mission Impossible") Schifrin. Who would have guessed?

(They Long To Be) Close To You by Traincha (Trijntje Oosterjuis) and Grzegorz Turnau:

Thanks Blair for sharing that link! That is one beautiful song! Both studio and live versions are well executed and the vocals, instrumentations, arrangements, and productions are simply top notch. The lyrics are prolific and profound just as they are in her "Tell It To Your Heart", co-written by the Maestro and taken from the album "Permanent". The track has the unmistakable Burt structure complete with his signature trumpet solo leading into the bridge.

Thanks Blair for the video of Randy Crawford singing 'People Alone', a recording I've only heard once or twice before. Here's the same lovely lady giving a very moving performance of a great song by Joe Sample and Will Jennings, a huge hit in Europe and which made her a household name in the UK. The arrangement and Randy's vocal in the fade are just exquisite.

Randy recorded a BB/Tonio K. song in 2002 "Tell It To Your Heart":

Here's a gentle Bacharach/David tune recorded by Bobby Vee which I've uploaded: "That's the way I'll come to you". I like it a lot, but to my surprise no-one except me has viewed it yet after it's been on Youtube for 3 days! Some videos take time to get going. Here it is:

This is one of those YouTube videos that are blocked from us here in the Land of the Free but the song appears on one of the recent compilations of early compositions.
The hard core fans have heard it.

Dionne sings Windows Of The World last week at a concert in Atlantic City, with David Elliott.

Thanks Martin for posting Randy Crawford's 'One Day I'll Fly Away' a few days ago. The song, the arrangement and Randy's remarkable vocal all add up to what has to be one of the all-time great recordings. I saw her perform it live a couple of times in the 80s but her performance each time lacked the passion of the record.

We're all very aware how Bacharach in the 60s influenced composers like Tony Hatch, Teddy Randazzo and Jimmy Webb, somehing that all three owned up to at different times, and perhaps it's no coincidence that Unit 4+2 members Tommy Moeller and Brian Parker wrote their biggest hit and now undisputed classic weeks after Sandie Shaw took '(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me' to No.1 in the UK.

This song IMHO epitomizes "The Bacharach Sound".......nothing more to say.


"blue"

Blue, that`s one of my early favorites like "Saturday Sunshine." They both received minimal airplay in the States but apparently enough for me to have heard, been impressed by, and recall hearing now all these decades later.
It wasn`t all Dionne in the early days.

Blair,
Another "hidden gem" from Jackie...


"blue"

One of the more unusual songs/records from Bacharach & David's mid-60s heyday and it's gradually become a real favorite of mine. A stunning Bacharach arrangement and listen to those glacial guitar chords toward the end.

Martin:

"Fool Killer" was a favorite of mine back in the mid 60's BEFORE I knew Burt Bacharach existed. ..... Still is one of my "mellow BB favorites" along with "Extravagant Gestures", "Don't Say I Didn't Tell You So", "Window Wishing", Captives Of The Heart, "Sunny Weather Lover" and "Message To Michael" along with some others.

Ron

Yes, I love Fool Killer too and what a shame B&D didn't do more with Gene Pitney. This is one song of theirs that would have suited him perfectly, sung beautifully here by Jackie DeShannon.