The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

I was listening to accuradio.com and a version of Dionne Warwick's "I say a little prayer" came on that I have never heard before. Y

ou hear the studio noise before the Dionne sings and instruments tuning slightly and a count down and it's just breathtaking. It adds so much to the song. But I cannot find this version anywhere. The site lists Rhino's "The Very Best of Dionne Warwick" as the CD the song is from but it just has the standard version - without the recording studio intro. Anyone know where I can find this version?

I checked Napster and iTunes too but no dice. I've also heard some other Bacharach/Warwick songs on accuradio that have similar studio sounds in the beginning.

Thanks! tracy.ball@comcast.net

hmmm...there is a "live" version of that tune where the conductor counts off... I think it's on the double album the Dionne Warwick story...
pressed with flimsy vinyl and the quality of the recordings are a little
sub-standard..

I believe the "live version" you are referring to was re-mastered and included in the recent "Rhino Handmade" release of the "VERY DIONNE" Scepter album as a "bonus track" along with others that appeared on the poorly pressed "Dionne Warwicke Story" album.

This didn't seem like a live concert version so much as a studio version where they left the studio sounds in - the orchestra tuning up and getting ready to record - the part of the tape that would normally be cut out until the beginning of the song. There were no audience sounds, just engineers talking and people clearing their throats. But it was magical to hear. Like the Beatles' "Tax Man" on "Revolver". It almost sounds like a Phil Spector recording session.

Well, I will try and find Very Dionne and see if that's what I heard. Thanks for everybody's help. Please post more!